Which data structure follows a "last in, first out" model?

Prepare for the MTA Software Development Fundamentals Exam! Access flashcards, multiple-choice questions, and detailed explanations to enhance your learning and ace your exam.

The "last in, first out" (LIFO) model is a characteristic of a data structure where the most recently added element is the first one to be removed. This is exactly how a stack operates.

In a stack, elements are added to the top of the structure, and when removing elements, the most recently added one is the first to be taken out. This behavior is similar to a stack of plates: you add new plates on top and also remove them from the top. This operational principle makes stacks particularly effective for certain tasks, such as undo operations in applications or expression evaluation in programming languages.

On the other hand, the other data structures mentioned do not exhibit this LIFO behavior. A queue, for instance, follows a "first in, first out" (FIFO) model, where the first element added is the first one to be removed. Arrays and linked lists are more versatile and can support various operations, but they do not inherently enforce any specific removal order like stacks do. Thus, the stack is distinctly recognized for its LIFO characteristic, making it the correct answer in this context.

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