Which of the following is a runtime error category?

• A. Compile time
• B. Run time
• C. Memory allocation error
• D. Divide by zero

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is understanding when errors are classified and what a category means. A runtime error category describes a broad class of problems that arise while the program is actually running, after it has started executing. A memory allocation error fits this description because it covers failures that occur during execution when the system cannot allocate the memory needed by the program. This is a runtime phenomenon caused by the program’s execution context and available resources.

In contrast, a compile-time issue is detected by the compiler before the program runs, so it isn’t a runtime problem. And while divide-by-zero is something that can happen during execution, it’s a specific error condition rather than a broad runtime-category. So memory allocation error is the best fit for a runtime error category.