Mastering Java: The Ultimate Quiz for 'Thinking in Java'

How do philosophers prevent deadlock when acquiring chopsticks?

1. By asking politely

2. By taking them in a specific sequence

3. By only using one chopstick

4. By using a global lock

The correct answer is: By taking them in a specific sequence

When acquiring chopsticks, philosophers use a specific sequence to prevent deadlock. This means that they take turns in a predetermined order to obtain their chopsticks, rather than all attempting to acquire them at the same time. This avoids a stalemate situation where no one is able to obtain the chopsticks. The other options are incorrect because asking politely does not necessarily guarantee fairness in obtaining the chopsticks, using one chopstick would not suffice for eating, and using a global lock would also create a deadlock as everyone would be trying to access the same resource at once.