Which term describes holding information in mind while solving a problem?

• A. Long-term memory
• B. Working memory
• C. Sensory memory
• D. Prospective memory

Answer: (B)

Holding information in mind while solving a problem is called working memory. It’s the mental workspace where you actively store and manipulate details you need for the task—keeping intermediate steps, rules, and pieces of information in your head as you work through a solution. This is different from long-term memory, which stores knowledge and experiences over time, and from sensory memory, which briefly holds incoming sensory information just long enough to process it. Prospective memory is about remembering to do something in the future, not about keeping information active during the problem-solving process. So, because you’re actively maintaining and manipulating information to reach a solution, the term that fits this task best is working memory.