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Question 1. Which legal document defines the terms under which a user may install and use a software product? A) Patent B) Trademark C) End‑User License Agreement (EULA) D) Copyright notice Answer: C Explanation: An EULA sets out the permissions and restrictions for the user, governing how the software can be installed, used, and distributed.
Question 2. What is the primary ethical concern when a developer includes hidden data‑collection code in an application without informing users? A) Intellectual property infringement B) Violation of privacy C) Increased software performance D) Reduced licensing costs Answer: B Explanation: Collecting data without user knowledge breaches privacy rights and is considered unethical.
Question 3. Which of the following best describes software piracy? A) Sharing source code under an open‑source license B) Unauthorized copying, distribution, or use of software C) Purchasing a software license at a discount D) Using software on a single device only
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Answer: B Explanation: Piracy involves illegal reproduction or use of software without the copyright holder’s permission.
Question 4. In ergonomic design, which principle helps reduce repetitive‑strain injuries when using a graphical user interface? A) High contrast colour schemes B) Consistent navigation hierarchy C) Keyboard shortcuts for frequent actions D) Minimalist icon design Answer: C Explanation: Providing keyboard shortcuts reduces mouse‑click frequency, lowering the risk of strain.
Question 5. When designing for inclusivity, which guideline ensures that a website is usable by people with visual impairments? A) Use of flashing animations B) Providing alternative text for images C) Embedding large background videos D) Requiring mouse‑only navigation Answer: B Explanation: Alt‑text enables screen readers to describe images, supporting visually impaired users.
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Answer: B Explanation: Prototyping builds a simplified version of the UI to test ideas early.
Question 9. Rapid Application Development (RAD) primarily relies on which of the following? A) Extensive upfront requirement analysis B) Manual coding without tools C) CASE tools that automate code generation and testing D) Long‑term maintenance contracts Answer: C Explanation: RAD leverages Computer‑Aided Software Engineering tools to accelerate development phases.
Question 10. End‑User Development is best illustrated by which scenario? A) A programmer writing a new database engine B) A manager creating a spreadsheet to track project expenses C) A vendor releasing a commercial software suite D) An IT department installing operating system patches Answer: B Explanation: End‑User Development empowers non‑programmers to create simple solutions, such as spreadsheets.
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Question 11. During the “Defining the Problem” stage of the Software Development Cycle, which technique is used to gather user requirements? A) Code profiling B) Unit testing C) Interviews and surveys D) Binary compilation Answer: C Explanation: Interviews, surveys, and observations help identify what users need from the system.
Question 12. Which feasibility study aspect examines whether the projected costs of a system are justified by its benefits? A) Technical feasibility B) Economic feasibility C) Operational feasibility D) Schedule feasibility Answer: B Explanation: Economic feasibility evaluates cost‑benefit ratios to determine financial viability.
Question 13. A Data Flow Diagram (DFD) primarily represents which of the following? A) Physical hardware layout B) Flow of data between processes, data stores, and external entities C) Object‑oriented class hierarchy D) Network packet routing Answer: B
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A) Linked list B) Stack C) Array D) Tree Answer: C Explanation: Arrays allocate contiguous memory and support O(1) indexed access.
Question 17. A file that stores records in the order they are entered and allows sequential reading is called a: A) Sequential file B) Relative file C) Indexed file D) Random‑access file Answer: A Explanation: Sequential files are read/written in the order of record insertion, suitable for batch processing.
Question 18. When selecting a programming language for a project that heavily manipulates graphical objects, which paradigm is most advantageous? A) Functional programming B) Object‑oriented programming C) Procedural programming D) Logic programming Answer: B
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Explanation: OOP encapsulates graphical objects with properties and behaviours, simplifying GUI development.
Question 19. Which coding standard element improves code readability for future maintenance? A) Using single‑letter variable names B) Omitting comments to reduce file size C) Consistent indentation and meaningful identifiers D) Writing all code on a single line Answer: C Explanation: Clear indentation and descriptive names make code easier to understand and maintain.
Question 20. What is the role of a compiler in the software translation process? A) Execute code line‑by‑line without translation B) Convert high‑level source code into machine code before execution C) Translate machine code back into source code D) Manage memory allocation at runtime Answer: B Explanation: Compilers transform source programs into executable machine code ahead of runtime.
Question 21. Which testing level focuses on verifying the interaction between two or more integrated modules? A) Unit (module) testing
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Question 24. Which maintenance activity involves adding new features to a software system? A) Corrective maintenance B) Adaptive maintenance C) Perfective maintenance D) Preventive maintenance Answer: C Explanation: Perfective maintenance enhances functionality and performance after release.
Question 25. Binary search can be applied only to data that is: A) Unsorted B) Stored in a linked list C) Sorted in ascending or descending order D) Contained in a hash table Answer: C Explanation: Binary search repeatedly halves a sorted collection to locate an element efficiently.
Question 26. In sorting algorithms, which characteristic distinguishes bubble sort from selection sort? A) Bubble sort swaps adjacent elements repeatedly; selection sort selects the minimum element and swaps once per pass. B) Bubble sort uses recursion; selection sort does not. C) Bubble sort requires additional memory; selection sort is in‑place.
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D) Bubble sort works only on linked lists. Answer: A Explanation: Bubble sort repeatedly compares and swaps neighbours, while selection sort finds the smallest element each iteration.
Question 27. Which control structure executes a block of code at least once, regardless of the condition? A) Pre‑test loop (while) B) Post‑test loop (do‑while) C) For loop D) Switch statement Answer: B Explanation: A do‑while loop checks its condition after executing the body, guaranteeing one execution.
Question 28. What is the result of passing a variable by reference to a sub‑routine? A) The sub‑routine receives a copy of the variable’s value. B) The original variable can be modified inside the sub‑routine. C) The variable becomes read‑only. D) The sub‑routine cannot alter the variable. Answer: B Explanation: By reference passes the variable’s address, allowing the sub‑routine to change the original data.
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Explanation: Polymorphism lets one name refer to many forms, allowing methods to behave differently based on the object type.
Question 32. Two’s complement representation is most commonly used for: A) Storing floating‑point numbers B) Representing signed integers in binary C) Encoding character strings D) Defining memory addresses Answer: B Explanation: Two’s complement allows easy arithmetic operations on signed integers and a unique zero representation.
Question 33. During the fetch‑execute cycle, which register holds the address of the next instruction to be fetched? A) Accumulator B) Program Counter (PC) C) Instruction Register (IR) D) Stack Pointer Answer: B Explanation: The Program Counter points to the location of the next instruction in memory.
Question 34. A driver that translates high‑level file operations into hardware‑specific commands is an example of:
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A) An operating system kernel B) Firmware C) Device driver software D) Application programming interface (API) Answer: C Explanation: Device drivers mediate between the OS and hardware, converting generic calls into device‑specific actions.
Question 35. Which of the following is a disadvantage of the Waterfall model? A) High flexibility for changing requirements B) Early delivery of a working prototype C) Difficulty accommodating changes after a phase is completed D) Continuous stakeholder feedback throughout development Answer: C Explanation: Waterfall’s linear nature makes it hard to revisit earlier stages once they are finished.
Question 36. In Agile, a “product backlog” is: A) A list of completed features B) A prioritized list of all desired work items for the product C) The final set of test cases D) A schedule of release dates Answer: B Explanation: The backlog contains user stories and tasks ordered by priority for future sprints.
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C) O(n) D) O(n log n) Answer: C Explanation: Linear (sequential) search examines each element, giving O(n) time for unsorted data.
Question 40. A “hash table” provides which primary advantage over a linear search in an array? A) Guarantees sorted output B) Constant‑time average lookup (O(1)) C) Requires less memory than an array D) Eliminates the need for collision handling Answer: B Explanation: Hashing maps keys to indices, enabling near‑instant retrieval on average.
Question 41. In a flowchart, which symbol represents a decision point that can have multiple outcomes? A) Rectangle B) Oval C) Diamond D) Parallelogram Answer: C Explanation: Diamonds denote conditional branches where the flow can split based on true/false or other criteria.
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Question 42. Which of the following is a characteristic of a “relative file” in data storage? A) Records are stored sequentially only B) Access is based on a physical address C) Records are identified by a key value that can change location D) Files cannot be indexed Answer: C Explanation: Relative files allow records to be accessed via logical keys, independent of physical position.
Question 43. The principle of “least privilege” in software security dictates that: A) All users should have administrator rights B) Users receive only the permissions necessary to perform their tasks C) Software should store passwords in plain text for ease of access D) System logs must be publicly available Answer: B Explanation: Limiting privileges reduces the impact of accidental or malicious misuse.
Question 44. Which testing technique involves executing the program with inputs that are deliberately incorrect or unexpected? A) Smoke testing B) Regression testing C) Negative testing D) Acceptance testing Answer: C
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A) Superclass B) Interface C) Subclass (derived class) D) Abstract class Answer: C Explanation: A subclass extends a superclass, acquiring its members while adding or overriding behavior.
Question 48. Which binary representation is used to encode the character ‘A’ in the ASCII standard? A) 01000001 B) 10100001 C) 00110001 D) 11000010 Answer: A Explanation: In ASCII, ‘A’ corresponds to decimal 65, which is 01000001 in binary.
Question 49. A “for” loop is most appropriate when: A) The number of iterations is unknown before execution B) You need to execute the loop body at least once regardless of condition C) The exact count of repetitions is known in advance D) The loop must respond to external events in real time Answer: C Explanation: “For” loops are designed for a predetermined number of iterations.
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Question 50. Which of the following best describes “technical feasibility”? A) Whether the proposed system aligns with organizational policies B) Whether the required technology exists and can be integrated C) Whether the project can be completed within budget D) Whether end users will accept the new system Answer: B Explanation: Technical feasibility assesses the availability and suitability of hardware, software, and expertise.
Question 51. When a programmer chooses a “static” variable inside a function, the variable: A) Is re‑initialized each time the function is called B) Retains its value between calls to the function C) Is only visible to other functions in the same file D) Cannot be used in recursive functions Answer: B Explanation: A static local variable preserves its state across multiple invocations.
Question 52. Which of the following is an example of a “boundary value” for a field that accepts a numeric input between 0 and 100 inclusive? A) - 1 B) 0 C) 50
