IntroToLinux

12. File System Navigation Quiz - Solutions

Answer Key with Explanations

Question 1

Current Location: /home/alice
Target: /home/alice/documents/reports/2024

Answers:

Explanation: From Alice’s home directory, navigate down through the subdirectories.

Question 2

Current Location: /home/alice/documents/projects/web
Target: /home/alice/documents/projects/scripts

Answers:

Explanation: Both web and scripts are in the same parent directory (projects), so go up one level then down to scripts.

Question 3

Current Location: /home/bob/workspace/python
Target: /home/alice/pictures/vacation

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (python → workspace → bob → home), then down to alice/pictures/vacation.

Question 4

Current Location: /var/log/apache
Target: /home/alice

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (apache → log → var → root), then down to home/alice.

Question 5

Current Location: /home/alice/documents/reports/2023
Target: /home/alice/documents/reports/2024

Answers:

Explanation: Both 2023 and 2024 are in the same parent directory (reports).

Question 6

Current Location: /usr/local/share/doc
Target: /usr/local/src/project/src

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (doc → share → local), then down to src/project/src.

Question 7

Current Location: /home/charlie/logs/application
Target: /home/charlie/temp

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (application → logs → charlie), then down to temp.

Question 8

Current Location: /opt/custom/config
Target: /opt/third-party/application/data

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (config → custom → opt), then down to third-party/application/data.

Question 9

Current Location: /home/alice/downloads/software/editors
Target: /home/alice/downloads/music/jazz

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (editors → software → downloads), then down to music/jazz.

Question 10

Current Location: /etc/config/network
Target: /etc/config/apache

Answers:

Explanation: Both network and apache are in the same parent directory (config).

Question 11

Current Location: /home/bob/backup/daily
Target: /home/bob/workspace/databases/mysql

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (daily → backup → bob), then down to workspace/databases/mysql.

Question 12

Current Location: /var/www/html
Target: /var/mail/alice

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (html → www → var), then down to mail/alice.

Question 13

Current Location: /usr/share/applications
Target: /usr/local/bin

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (applications → share → usr), then down to local/bin.

Question 14

Current Location: /home/alice/documents/projects/scripts
Target: /home/alice

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (scripts → projects → documents → alice).

Question 15

Current Location: /tmp/session-123
Target: /home/charlie/logs/system

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (session-123 → tmp → root), then down to home/charlie/logs/system.

Question 16

Current Location: /home/alice/pictures/family
Target: /home/alice/documents (directory containing notes.txt)

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (family → pictures → alice), then down to documents.

Question 17

Current Location: /usr/local/src/project/build
Target: /usr/local/src/project/src

Answers:

Explanation: Both build and src are in the same parent directory (project).

Question 18

Current Location: /home/bob/workspace/java
Target: /home/bob/backup/weekly

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (java → workspace → bob), then down to backup/weekly.

Question 19

Current Location: /var/log/system
Target: /etc

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (system → log → var → root), then down to etc.

Question 20

Current Location: /home/alice/downloads/software/tools
Target: /home/alice/downloads/software/editors

Answers:

Explanation: Both tools and editors are in the same parent directory (software).

Question 21

Current Location: /opt/third-party/application/bin
Target: /opt/custom/bin

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (bin → application → third-party → opt), then down to custom/bin.

Question 22

Current Location: /home/charlie/logs/application
Target: /home/alice/documents/projects/web

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (application → logs → charlie → home), then down to alice/documents/projects/web.

Question 23

Current Location: /usr/share/fonts
Target: /usr/local/share/man/man1

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (fonts → share → usr), then down to local/share/man/man1.

Question 24

Current Location: /home/alice/documents/reports/2024
Target: /home/alice/documents/projects

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (2024 → reports → documents), then down to projects.

Question 25

Current Location: /var/www/cgi-bin
Target: /tmp/cache

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (cgi-bin → www → var → root), then down to tmp/cache.

Question 26

Current Location: /home/bob/workspace/databases/postgres
Target: /home/bob/workspace/python

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 2 levels (postgres → databases → workspace), then down to python.

Question 27

Current Location: /etc/config/apache
Target: /var/log/apache

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (apache → config → etc → root), then down to var/log/apache.

Question 28

Current Location: /home/alice/pictures/vacation
Target: /home/bob/workspace

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (vacation → pictures → alice → home), then down to bob/workspace.

Question 29

Current Location: /usr/local/share/doc
Target: /usr/share/applications

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 3 levels (doc → share → local → usr), then down to share/applications.

Question 30

Current Location: /home/alice/downloads/music/rock
Target: /

Answers:

Explanation: Go up 5 levels (rock → music → downloads → alice → home → root).

Bonus Challenge Solutions

Bonus 1

Current Location: /home/alice/documents/reports/2023
Target: /home/charlie/temp

Answer:

Explanation: Go up 4 levels (2023 → reports → documents → alice → home), then down to charlie/temp.

Bonus 2

Current Location: /usr/local/src/project/src
Target: /var/mail/bob

Answer:

Explanation: Go up 5 levels (src → project → src → local → usr → root), then down to var/mail/bob.

Bonus 3

Current Location: /opt/third-party/application/data
Target: First to /home/alice/pictures/family, then to /etc/config/network

Answers:

Explanation:

Path Analysis Patterns

Common Relative Path Patterns

Moving Between Sibling Directories:
/path/to/dir1 → /path/to/dir2
Answer: cd ../dir2

Moving Up Multiple Levels:
/a/b/c/d → /a
Answer: cd ../../..

Moving Across Different Branches:
/branch1/leaf → /branch2/leaf
Answer: cd ../../branch2/leaf

Moving to Root:
/any/path/here → /
Answer: cd (count levels up to root)

Tip for Counting Relative Paths

Visual Method:
Current:  /home/alice/documents/reports/2023
Target:   /home/bob/workspace

Step 1: Find common ancestor (/home)
        /home/alice/documents/reports/2023
              ↑ common ancestor

Step 2: Count up from current to common ancestor
        2023 → reports → documents → alice → home
        That's 4 levels up: ../../../../

Step 3: Count down from common ancestor to target
        home → bob → workspace
        That's: bob/workspace

Result: cd ../../../../bob/workspace

Memory Aids

  1. Absolute paths: Always start with / - you’re giving the complete address
  2. Relative paths: Think of walking from where you are - use .. to go “back/up”
  3. Sibling directories: If targets are in the same parent, use ../target
  4. Root navigation: Count the slashes in your current path to know how many ../ you need

Verification Commands

After each navigation, you can verify your location:

pwd                    # Print working directory
ls                     # List contents of current directory
ls -la                 # List detailed contents including hidden files

Next: → Review Questions
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