Virtual in computing contexts is described as...

• A. Not existing in the real world
• B. Produced by software running on computers
• C. A mental image
• D. Imaginary

Answer: (B)

In computing, virtual describes something that isn’t a physical object but is created and managed by software running on a computer to simulate or stand in for a real thing within the system. This abstraction lets you interact with a component as if it were the real thing, even though it’s a software-generated representation. Examples include virtual memory, which uses software and hardware tricks to extend usable RAM; virtual machines, which run guest operating systems on host hardware; and virtual reality, which creates computer-generated environments you experience through devices.

This idea fits best because it emphasizes that the “virtual” thing is produced and controlled by software, not simply a mental image or something merely imaginary. It exists in the computer’s ecosystem and can be used or interacted with under software rules, often behaving like the real counterpart within its context.