Which statement about packets is true?

Which statement about packets is true?

• A. They are all the same size
• B. They are only used locally
• C. They contain no addressing metadata
• D. They are units of data broken into smaller pieces

Answer: (D)

Packets are the basic units of data sent over networks. A larger message is split into smaller pieces, called packets, so network equipment can handle them efficiently and fit within limits like the maximum transmission unit (MTU). Each packet carries a header with addressing information—source and destination—and other control data so routers can forward it toward the correct destination and the receiving end can reassemble the original message in the right order. Because of these headers and the way networks route traffic, packets can vary in size and may travel along different paths to reach the destination. They’re used across networks, not just locally, and they do contain addressing metadata. So the statement that packets are units of data broken into smaller pieces is the correct one.

Packets are the basic units of data sent over networks. A larger message is split into smaller pieces, called packets, so network equipment can handle them efficiently and fit within limits like the maximum transmission unit (MTU). Each packet carries a header with addressing information—source and destination—and other control data so routers can forward it toward the correct destination and the receiving end can reassemble the original message in the right order. Because of these headers and the way networks route traffic, packets can vary in size and may travel along different paths to reach the destination. They’re used across networks, not just locally, and they do contain addressing metadata. So the statement that packets are units of data broken into smaller pieces is the correct one.