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Question 1. CSCD240-E1-A
pwd is /home/ssteiner/labs/lab1; home is /home/ssteiner. For each cd, show pwd after. Assume return to starting pwd.
Work the drill
Answer on paper or in a terminal before revealing the ideal answer.
Ideal answer
cd → /home/ssteiner; cd ../lab2 → /home/ssteiner/labs/lab2; cd ~/labs → /home/ssteiner/labs; cd ~/../.. → /; cd /etc → /etc
Why this question exists. Path resolution is foundational for IT-451 T0418 (troubleshoot systems) and the OSC learning outcome on OS interaction.
Misconception bank
Each row below is a plausible wrong answer, the thinking that produces it, and the remedy that corrects the misconception. These are the foundation of the multiple-choice framing and the targeted feedback a student receives after answering.
cd ~/../.. → /home
Misconception. Student believes ~ resolves to /home directly and then applies ../ once.
Remedy. Walk through pointer: ~=/home/ssteiner → /home → / (two up-moves). Draw the path tree on the board during grading review.
cd (no arg) → / (root)
Misconception. Student conflates cd with cd /.
Remedy. Emphasize: cd with no arg = $HOME; cd / = root. Flash-card pair.
cd ../lab2 → /home/ssteiner/lab2
Misconception. Student drops the labs/ component when resolving ../.
Remedy. Teach "../ = go up ONE level in the current path string" step-by-step.
Authority mappings
Hover any chip for the mapping justification; click to open the authority record.
DCWF roles:
IT-451 System Administrator
KU topics:
CD-OSC-T1
Course-artifact links
Lectures
- CSCD240-S26-L02. Shell basics, navigation, file type identification, which
Lab questions
- CSCD240-S26-LAB2: pwd is /var/log. After cd /etc, what does pwd print?
- CSCD240-S26-LAB2: After cd, what does pwd print (no arg)?
- CSCD240-S26-LAB2: After cd -, what does pwd print?
- CSCD240-S26-LAB2: After cd ~/projects/lab1; cd ../..; pwd?
CTF challenges
- 00 Navigation & Files: Two Dots, Twice
- 00 Navigation & Files: The Root Ceiling
- 00 Navigation & Files: Relative Hop