Which statement accurately describes distributed systems?

• A. Processing power is centralized on a single mainframe.
• B. Processing power is distributed to multiple sites, connected by telecommunications; client/server is a type.
• C. They require all processing to occur on the client side.
• D. They rely on single-user desktop architecture.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that processing resources and data are spread across multiple machines in different locations rather than being concentrated in one place. In distributed systems, work is handled by several computers connected over a network, often across telecommunications links, which allows services to be provided from multiple sites and shared among users. A common arrangement is client/server, where clients request services and servers supply them, and this model can scale across many machines in different locations. This explains why the stated description—processing power distributed to multiple sites connected by telecommunications, with client/server as a type—best fits distributed systems. The other scenarios describe centralized or non-distributed setups, such as a single mainframe, all work on the client, or a single-user desktop.