What are the advantages and disadvantages of a numerical filing system?

• A. Advantages are rapid refiling and unlimited expansion; disadvantages include maintenance of the index and two searches.
• B. It has no advantages and is never used.
• C. It is faster but cannot expand.
• D. It is only useful for small volumes.

Answer: (A)

Numerical filing uses a unique number to organize each file, which makes filing quick and supports unlimited growth as more records are added without changing the structure. The key trade-off is the need to maintain a separate index that translates numbers into physical locations, plus the fact that locating a file often requires two searches: first in the index to find the number’s location, then in the cabinet to pull the actual file. This combination—fast refiling, scalable growth, with the ongoing index maintenance and extra step to retrieve—is why this choice is best. The idea that there are no advantages, or that expansion isn’t possible, or that it’s only for small volumes, doesn't fit how numerical systems work.