Software Development Concepts Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which statement best describes the relationship between an algorithm and a computer program?

They are interchangeable terms describing a set of instructions for a computer to execute.

A computer program is a specific case of algorithm that is designed for digital devices.

A computer program is a high-level, conceptual representation of a task, while an algorithm is the implementation in code.

An algorithm defines the logic and structure, and a computer program provides the specific instructions in a programming language. (correct)

What does maximizing cohesion in software development primarily aim to achieve?

Grouping together instructions that perform various, unrelated tasks.

Constructing logical units where components are tightly related to a single, well-defined purpose. (correct)

Creating dependencies between modules to enhance functionality.

Ensuring that modules have minimal interaction with each other.

Which characteristic is NOT considered a fundamental requirement of a good algorithm?

It must successfully produce the correct output for all valid inputs.

It must always be completely free of ambiguity.

It must produce one or more outputs.

It must take precise inputs. (correct)

In the context of pattern identification, what are classification patterns most useful for?

Organizing data into collections and understanding relationships. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best represents the concept of abstraction in software design?

Focusing on the high-level functionality of a unit without considering specific internal implementations. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of a 'black box' in the context of algorithms and programs?

To represent a self contained module of functionality that takes inputs and gives outputs, without the need for details of the internal process. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of minimizing dependencies when designing modular software components?

To enable easier modification of code with less risk of cascading errors. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Classes, as used in programming, provide a structure for:

Creating blueprints for objects, using attributes and methods. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario is most likely to cause a runtime error?

Attempting to divide a number by zero. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is the primary function of a compiler?

To translate source code into object code. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a 'breakpoint' in a debugging utility?

To halt program execution at a specific point. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which element is NOT an example of a 'build tool'?

A debugger. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary difference between a runtime error and a semantic error?

Runtime errors halt program execution; semantic errors cause incorrect results. (B) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of program execution, what is the significance of ‘memory addresses’?

They are unique identifiers for memory locations. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of 'program animation' in debugging utilities?

To step through the code one statement at a time. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these scenarios would most likely lead to a semantic error?

Using the wrong logical operator within an <code>if</code> statement condition. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of a linker in the software development process?

It combines multiple object files into a single executable file. (D) Signup and view all the answers

In object-oriented decomposition, what does a 'method' primarily represent?

An action that an object can perform, often expressed as a verb phrase. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the core function of a preprocessor in the compilation process?

To handle tasks such as macro expansion, file inclusion, and other preparatory work, before the code reaches the compiler. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these options accurately represents the role of 'semantics' in programming languages?

The meaning, logical behavior, and validity of statements within a programming language. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In programming, what distinguishes 'keywords' from other parts of the language?

They are words that have been reserved by the language for defined tasks or commands. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What role does a 'Java Virtual Machine' (JVM) play in the execution of Java programs?

It provides an environment to interpret and execute Java bytecode, ensuring cross platform compatibility. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is characteristic of a 'high-level programming language'?

It includes words and statements which abstract away from the specifics of the underlying physical machine, for a more natural coding experience. (D) Signup and view all the answers

During object-oriented design, you identify the main components of a system. If a component describes an action or task that an object can perform, what kind of term would it be referred to according to the rules of OOP?

A method (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a 'Tricky Literal'?

A numerical value that is being treated as a sequence of characters because it is in double quotes. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of these best describes the purpose of declaring a variable?

Specify a name for a memory location, but do not give it a default value. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a 'statically typed' programming language?

Variables must maintain the data type that is declared or initialized, during program execution. (A) Signup and view all the answers

If 'num_items' is a variable and a value of $10$ is assigned, what would be the correct way to update this to $20$?

<code>num_items = 20</code> (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following would be a valid example of 'snake case'?

<code>my_variable</code> (C) Signup and view all the answers

What happens when you assign a new value to a variable that is already declared?

The new value replaces the old value at the same memory location. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a variable and a constant?

Variables can change their value and constants do not change from first initialization. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of Software Development Kits (SDKs)?

To provide a set of tools for developing platform-specific software. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of a prompt in the context of collecting user input?

To instruct the user on what kind of data to enter. (B) Signup and view all the answers

In the context of programming what does it mean for an integer to be 'signed'?

It can represent both positive and negative values. (C) Signup and view all the answers

If a variable `age` is initialized with an `unsigned integer`, which of the following values would be permissible to store in it?

0 (B) Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important to use composite data types in programming?

They are used to represent more complex data structures which are often not built-in. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a signed integer?

-273 (B) Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in the provided algorithm for collecting user input?

Initialize a variable to store user input. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Given the description of binary representation of integers, what does the term '8 bits' most directly correspond to?

The number of bits in a byte. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'signedness' refer to when describing integer data types?

Whether the integer can represent positive, negative, or zero values. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Following the order of operations, which calculation would be performed first in the expression $3 + 4 * (2 - 1)^2 / 2$?

Subtraction $2-1$ (C) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the function of the modulo operator?

It returns the remainder of a division operation. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which data type is specifically designed to hold a single character?

Character (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of an escape sequence in a string?

To embed special characters into a string. (B) Signup and view all the answers

In a string 'Hello', what is the index of the character 'l' that appears second?

3 (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the process of automatically converting a literal value from one data type to another?

Coercion (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following operations is NOT considered a string manipulation?

Calculating the absolute value of the string (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of case sensitivity in programming?

It differentiates between upper and lower case letters in code. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Computational Thinking

Algorithm: a set of steps to solve a problem or task.
Programming Algorithm: a set of steps that specify the logic and structure for computer program statements.
Computer Program: instructions in a programming language that performs a task on a digital device.
Good Algorithm: a program that's efficient, fast, reliable. Characteristics include: input (set of inputs), output(s), finite (ends after a set number of steps), precise (clear and unambiguous), and effective (produces the correct output).

Selecting and Creating Algorithms

Standard Algorithm: use an existing one.
Manual Performance: solve the task manually.
Computational Thinking Techniques: apply techniques to formulate problems and solutions.

Decomposition

Decomposition: breaking a task into smaller parts.
Structural Decomposition: identifies a hierarchy of structural units.
Functional Decomposition: divides modules into smaller actions.
Object-Oriented Decomposition: divides into logical and physical objects that a computer program interacts with.

Pattern Identification

Pattern Identification: finding patterns in procedures and tasks.
Repetitive Patterns: repeating tasks
Classification Patterns: patterns of attributes and methods in object collections.
Classes: blueprints with attributes and methods that describe collections of objects.
Abstraction: hiding details, using generalizations instead of specifics
Black Box: processes input without revealing internal workings

Levels of Abstraction

Levels of Abstraction: degrees of detail concealed in objects or concepts.

Summary

Computational Thinking helps programmers define problems, find solutions, delineate tasks and devise algorithms.
Algorithms are blueprints that consist of steps to solve problems.
Standard Algorithms exist for many computing tasks. Without an algorithm you perform the task manually and log its steps.
Decomposition divides complex tasks into smaller, manageable components.
Patterns enable algorithm improvements.
Abstraction hides details and supports algorithm use by multiple input types.

Programming Languages

Programming Language: A formal language with semantics and syntax for instructing a computer task.
High-Level Languages: languages that abstract away the specifics of low-level machine language and provide easy-to-use commands for programmers.
Semantics: The meaning and correctness of programming statements.
Keywords: words that have special meanings and trigger actions in programming languages.

Debugging Tools

Debugging: the process of finding and fixing errors (bugs) in software.
Syntax Errors: flaws in a program's statement due to incorrect word sequencing or punctuation
Runtime Errors: failures that occur during program execution. Examples include division by zero, using data types incorrectly, and running out of memory.
Semantic Errors: flaws in the logic of a program that result in incorrect output, caused by, for instance, wrong expressions, variable names, loop counters or indentation.
Debugging Utilities: tools used to find and correct errors. Breakpoints: points in the program where execution pauses. Program Animation: a debugging tool that steps through statements one at a time.

Core Elements of Programming

Variables: store values.
Arithmetic Operators: used for calculations.
Keywords: trigger specific actions in programming.
Data Types: define values (text, numbers etc).
Branching & Repetition Controls: direct the sequence of program execution.
Syntax Rules: constructing valid statements in the language.
Terminology: describes components of the language and their functions.

Toolbox Essentials

Coding Tools: used for writing code.
Build Tools: translate code into an executable form.
Debugging Tools: help test programs and find errors.
Program Editors: tools for writing and editing.

Program Structure

Comments: explanatory notes within code not run by the computer.
Directives: instruction that tells the computer about the program itself.
main() function: entry point where program execution begins.
Statements: code instructions.
Code Blocks: a group of statements that perform a specific purpose.
Build tools: help take source code written by the programmer to machine code usable by the computer.

Literals, Variables and Constants

Literals: fixed data elements such as numbers and text.
Variables: named memory locations that store data. Characteristics include a name, storing locations in memory, and changeable values.
Constants: provide fixed memory locations, but cannot be modified after creation.
Variable Declarations: specifying a name for a memory location that will hold a specific kind of data.
Type Inference: automatic determination of a variable's type by the compiler.
Dynamically Typed Languages: variable types can change throughout a program's run.
Statically Typed Languages: variable types are fixed.

Data Types

Data Type: The classification of data (such as integer, float, or character).
Primitive Data Types: built-in data types. Examples include integers, floating points, and characters.
Variables: holds data that can change during program execution.
Constants: holds data that cannot change during execution.

Numeric Data Types and Expressions

Numeric Data Types: classifying numbers in a program such as integer, floating-point, or double floating-point.
Integer Data Types: store whole numbers, signed and unsigned.
Binary, Decimal, and Hexadecimal notations: representing integers in different bases.
Floating-point: store numbers with decimal points, usually using E-notation and scientific format.
Double precision floating-point: increased precision compared to single-precision floating-point.
Expressions: a statement that has a value and uses arithmetic or other operators.
Integer Division: divides two numbers and only return the integer portion.
Modulo division: returns the remainder of a division operation.
Order Operations: the sequence in which mathematical operations are performed.
Operator Precedence Rules: these determine the sequence.
Compound Assignment Operators: shortcuts for basic assignment operations like +=,-=,*=etc.
Type Casting: converting a variable's data type.

Character and String Data Types

Character Data Type: holds a single character.
ASCII: American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a character encoding system.
String Data Type: holds a sequence of characters.
Escape Sequences: used to represent special characters in strings.
String Manipulation: finding lengths, changing cases, or checking for substrings.

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Description

Test your knowledge on essential software development concepts, including algorithms, cohesion, abstraction, and debugging techniques. This quiz covers fundamental principles that every programmer should understand for effective software design and development.