Which term describes an elastic leasing of pooled computer resources over the internet?

• A. Cloud
• B. Router
• C. Computer
• D. ISP

Answer: (A)

Cloud computing is the idea of accessing a shared pool of configurable computing resources—like servers, storage, and applications—over the internet, and being able to scale those resources up or down quickly as needed. The key here is elasticity: you can expand or reduce capacity on demand, and you pay only for what you use. This on-demand, scalable delivery model is what makes cloud computing distinct, with widely used examples like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud offering various service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). The other options don’t fit because a router is a networking device that directs traffic, a computer is a single machine, and an ISP provides internet access rather than a scalable, pooled set of resources.