AMCAT Employability Assessment — Questions and Answers

Question 1: If the compound interest on a sum for 2 years at 10% per annum is $210, what is the principal?

$950
$900
$1000 (Correct answer)
$1050

Correct answer: $1000

CI = P[(1.1)² − 1] = P × 0.21 = 210, so P = $1000.

Question 2: What is the primary difference between a process and a thread?

Processes can run concurrently but threads cannot
A process runs faster than a thread
Threads within the same process share memory space, while processes have separate memory spaces (Correct answer)
A thread is an independent program, while a process is a lightweight unit

Correct answer: Threads within the same process share memory space, while processes have separate memory spaces

The fundamental difference is in memory: threads within the same process share the same address space (heap, global variables, code), while processes have completely separate memory spaces. This makes inter-thread communication faster but also introduces synchronization challenges.

Question 3: Which HTTP status code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new URL?

200 OK
404 Not Found
301 Moved Permanently (Correct answer)
500 Internal Server Error

Correct answer: 301 Moved Permanently

HTTP 301 indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new URL specified in the Location header. Search engines transfer the old URL's ranking to the new URL. 200 means success, 404 means the resource was not found, and 500 indicates a server error.

Question 4: What does the prefix 'mis-' mean in the word 'misinterpret'?

Wrongly (Correct answer)
Before
Against
Again

Correct answer: Wrongly

The prefix 'mis-' means wrongly or incorrectly, so 'misinterpret' means to interpret incorrectly.

Question 5: The LCM of 12 and 18 is:

24
30
36 (Correct answer)
54

Correct answer: 36

LCM(12, 18) = 36 since 36 is the smallest number divisible by both 12 and 18.

Question 6: What is the purpose of the ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)?

To convert IP addresses to MAC addresses on a local network (Correct answer)
To establish encrypted connections between hosts
To convert domain names to IP addresses
To route packets between different networks

Correct answer: To convert IP addresses to MAC addresses on a local network

ARP resolves IP addresses (logical, Layer 3) to MAC addresses (physical, Layer 2) within a local network. When a device knows the destination IP but needs the MAC address to send a frame on the local network, it broadcasts an ARP request, and the device with that IP responds with its MAC address.

Question 7: Two numbers are in the ratio 5:7. If their sum is 144, what is the larger number?

60
84 (Correct answer)
78
72

Correct answer: 84

Larger number = (7/12) × 144 = 84.

Question 8: The idiom 'bite the bullet' means:

To shoot quickly
To endure a painful situation bravely (Correct answer)
To eat something hard
To argue fiercely

Correct answer: To endure a painful situation bravely

'Bite the bullet' means to endure a difficult or painful experience with courage.

Question 9: Which of the following is true about the Pumping Lemma for regular languages?

It applies only to context-free languages
It can be used to prove that a language IS regular
It can be used to prove that a language is NOT regular (Correct answer)
It states that all strings in a regular language can be pumped

Correct answer: It can be used to prove that a language is NOT regular

The Pumping Lemma for regular languages provides a necessary condition for regularity. If a language fails to satisfy the Pumping Lemma, it is provably NOT regular. However, satisfying the lemma does not guarantee regularity, so it cannot prove a language IS regular.

Question 10: What is the result of 7 % 3 in C?

3
0
1 (Correct answer)
2

Correct answer: 1

7 divided by 3 gives quotient 2 and remainder 1, so 7 % 3 = 1.

Question 11: What is the difference between TCP and UDP?

TCP provides reliable, connection-oriented delivery with error checking; UDP provides faster, connectionless delivery without guaranteed delivery (Correct answer)
TCP is faster than UDP because it does not require a connection
There is no significant difference between TCP and UDP
UDP provides reliable, ordered delivery while TCP does not

Correct answer: TCP provides reliable, connection-oriented delivery with error checking; UDP provides faster, connectionless delivery without guaranteed delivery

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is connection-oriented, ensures reliable delivery through acknowledgments and retransmissions, and guarantees order. UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is connectionless, does not guarantee delivery or order, but has lower overhead, making it faster for applications like video streaming and gaming.

Question 12: What is the primary purpose of an index in a database?

To automatically back up the database
To encrypt data for security purposes
To speed up data retrieval operations at the cost of additional storage and slower writes (Correct answer)
To enforce data integrity constraints

Correct answer: To speed up data retrieval operations at the cost of additional storage and slower writes

A database index is a data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a table. However, indexes require additional storage space and can slow down INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations because the index must also be updated.

Question 13: What is the primary function of a CDN (Content Delivery Network)?

To host the origin server's database
To replace DNS for faster domain resolution
To distribute content across geographically dispersed servers to reduce latency and improve load times for users (Correct answer)
To generate dynamic content for websites

Correct answer: To distribute content across geographically dispersed servers to reduce latency and improve load times for users

A CDN caches content (static files, images, scripts) on servers distributed across multiple geographic locations (edge servers). When a user requests content, it is served from the nearest edge server rather than the origin server, significantly reducing latency and improving performance.

Question 14: A non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA) has 5 states. What is the maximum number of states in an equivalent DFA obtained by the subset construction method?

5
32 (Correct answer)
25
10

Correct answer: 32

The subset construction converts an NFA to a DFA where each DFA state represents a subset of NFA states. With 5 NFA states, the power set has 2^5 = 32 possible subsets, so the equivalent DFA can have at most 32 states.

Question 15: What is the key difference between aggregation and composition in OOP?

Aggregation uses inheritance; composition uses interfaces
Composition implies stronger ownership where child objects cannot exist independently; aggregation is a weaker 'uses-a' relationship (Correct answer)
There is no difference between aggregation and composition
Aggregation implies a stronger ownership — the child cannot exist without the parent; composition implies a weaker relationship

Correct answer: Composition implies stronger ownership where child objects cannot exist independently; aggregation is a weaker 'uses-a' relationship

In composition, the contained objects' lifecycle is tied to the container (strong ownership), while in aggregation the contained object can exist independently of the container.

Question 16: Find the number that does NOT belong: 2, 4, 8, 15, 16, 32

16
15 (Correct answer)
8
4

Correct answer: 15

All other numbers are powers of 2 (2¹, 2², 2³, 2⁴, 2⁵); 15 is not a power of 2.

Question 17: Which of the following can be a valid conclusion? 'No teachers are liars. All politicians are liars.'

No politicians are teachers (Correct answer)
All teachers are politicians
Some teachers are politicians
Some politicians are teachers

Correct answer: No politicians are teachers

Since no teachers are liars but all politicians are liars, no politician can be a teacher.

Question 18: A pipe fills a tank in 10 hours and another empties it in 15 hours. If both are open simultaneously, in how many hours will the tank be filled?

20
30 (Correct answer)
35
25

Correct answer: 30

Net rate = 1/10 − 1/15 = 1/30, so the tank fills in 30 hours.

Question 19: A car depreciates by 10% every year. If its current value is $18,000, what will it be worth after 2 years?

$15,000
$14,580 (Correct answer)
$16,200
$14,400

Correct answer: $14,580

Value after 2 years = 18000 × (0.9)² = 18000 × 0.81 = $14,580.

Question 20: Which protocol is used to securely transfer files between a client and server?

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) (Correct answer)
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

Correct answer: SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) provides secure file transfer by encrypting both commands and data using SSH (Secure Shell). Standard FTP transmits data in plain text including credentials. HTTP is for web content, and SMTP is for email transmission.

Question 21: In a system using demand paging, when is a page loaded into memory?

Only when the page is actually accessed and causes a page fault (Correct answer)
When all pages of the process are needed
When the process is first created
At regular time intervals determined by the scheduler

Correct answer: Only when the page is actually accessed and causes a page fault

Demand paging is a lazy loading strategy where pages are loaded into physical memory only when they are actually needed (demanded) by the process. When a process accesses a page not in memory, a page fault occurs, and the OS loads that specific page from disk.

Question 22: Which of the following SQL statements will add a new column 'email' of type VARCHAR(100) to an existing 'Employees' table?

MODIFY TABLE Employees ADD email VARCHAR(100)
ALTER TABLE Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100) (Correct answer)
UPDATE TABLE Employees ADD email VARCHAR(100)
INSERT INTO Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100)

Correct answer: ALTER TABLE Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100)

ALTER TABLE is the DDL (Data Definition Language) command used to modify the structure of an existing table. The syntax 'ALTER TABLE table_name ADD COLUMN column_name datatype' adds a new column. INSERT is for data, UPDATE modifies existing data, and MODIFY TABLE is not standard SQL.

Question 23: Read the passage: 'Remote work has blurred the traditional boundaries between professional and personal life. While it offers flexibility, employees often find themselves working longer hours, leading to burnout. Companies must establish clear policies to protect work-life balance.' Which statement best captures the author's stance?

Remote work has benefits but requires policy safeguards to prevent negative effects (Correct answer)
Remote work is purely beneficial with no drawbacks
Remote work should be completely abolished
Employees prefer office work over remote work

Correct answer: Remote work has benefits but requires policy safeguards to prevent negative effects

The author acknowledges the benefit ('offers flexibility') while highlighting the drawback ('working longer hours, leading to burnout') and recommends a solution ('clear policies to protect work-life balance'). This balanced view matches option C.

Question 24: What is a deadlock in a database system?

When a table exceeds its maximum row limit
When two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release locks, creating a circular dependency (Correct answer)
When the database runs out of storage space
When a query takes too long to execute

Correct answer: When two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release locks, creating a circular dependency

A deadlock occurs when two or more transactions hold locks on resources that the other transactions need, creating a cycle of dependencies where none can proceed. For example, Transaction A holds Lock 1 and waits for Lock 2, while Transaction B holds Lock 2 and waits for Lock 1.

Question 25: In a circular queue of size n, how many elements can actually be stored (to distinguish full from empty)?

n / 2
n
n + 1
n − 1 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: n − 1

A circular queue typically stores at most n−1 elements to differentiate between the full and empty states.

Question 26: Fill in the blank: The manager requested that the report ___ submitted by Friday.

is
was
be (Correct answer)
were

Correct answer: be

The subjunctive mood requires 'be' after verbs of request or demand.

Question 27: What is a pointer in C?

A loop control variable
A function that returns a value
A variable that stores a character
A variable that stores the memory address of another variable (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A variable that stores the memory address of another variable

A pointer in C is a variable that holds the memory address of another variable.

Question 28: Choose the word that best fills the blank: Despite the heavy rain, the event proceeded ___ as planned.

barely
seamlessly (Correct answer)
abruptly
haphazardly

Correct answer: seamlessly

'Seamlessly' means without any difficulty or interruption, fitting the context of proceeding as planned.

Question 29: The Myhill-Nerode theorem is used to:

Prove that a language is context-free
Minimize a DFA by finding the minimum number of states (Correct answer)
Convert an NFA to a DFA
Generate regular expressions from grammars

Correct answer: Minimize a DFA by finding the minimum number of states

The Myhill-Nerode theorem establishes a necessary and sufficient condition for a language to be regular, based on the number of equivalence classes of a right-invariant equivalence relation. It directly gives the minimum number of states needed in a DFA for that language.

Question 30: What happens during a context switch in an operating system?

The state of the currently running process is saved and the state of the next scheduled process is loaded (Correct answer)
The CPU is restarted
The operating system is upgraded to a new version
All processes are terminated and restarted

Correct answer: The state of the currently running process is saved and the state of the next scheduled process is loaded

A context switch saves the state (registers, program counter, stack pointer, etc.) of the currently running process into its Process Control Block (PCB), then loads the saved state of the next process to be executed. This allows the CPU to switch between processes, enabling multitasking.

Question 31: What is the time complexity of accessing an element in an array by index?

O(1) (Correct answer)
O(n²)
O(n)
O(log n)

Correct answer: O(1)

Array elements are stored in contiguous memory, so index-based access is constant time O(1).

Question 32: If a price is increased by 25% and then decreased by 20%, what is the net percentage change?

−5%
+5%
+2%
0% (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 0%

Net factor = 1.25 × 0.80 = 1.00, meaning no net change (0%).

Question 33: What is the minimum number of states required in a DFA that accepts all binary strings divisible by 3?

3 (Correct answer)
4
2
5

Correct answer: 3

A number can have remainder 0, 1, or 2 when divided by 3. A DFA with 3 states (one for each possible remainder) can track the remainder as it reads each binary digit. The state representing remainder 0 is the accepting state.

Question 34: Which set of numbers is arranged in BOTH ascending AND descending order simultaneously?

1, 3, 5, 7
7, 5, 3, 1
5, 5, 5, 5 (Correct answer)
2, 4, 3, 5

Correct answer: 5, 5, 5, 5

A sequence of identical numbers (5, 5, 5, 5) is technically both ascending and descending (non-strictly).

Question 35: In proofreading: 'The the quick brown fox jumps.' — What error is present?

Repeated word (Correct answer)
Spelling error
Missing word
Punctuation error

Correct answer: Repeated word

The word 'the' is repeated twice at the beginning: 'The the quick…'.

Question 36: What will the following query return? SELECT name FROM Employees WHERE dept_id IN (SELECT dept_id FROM Departments WHERE location = 'Bangalore');

Names of all employees regardless of location
Names of employees who work in departments not located in Bangalore
Names of employees who work in departments located in Bangalore (Correct answer)
An error because subqueries cannot be used with IN

Correct answer: Names of employees who work in departments located in Bangalore

The subquery returns all dept_id values from departments located in Bangalore. The outer query then returns the names of employees whose dept_id matches any of those values. The IN operator checks for membership in the subquery result set.

Question 37: In the Chomsky hierarchy, which type of grammar generates context-free languages?

Type 0
Type 2 (Correct answer)
Type 1
Type 3

Correct answer: Type 2

The Chomsky hierarchy classifies grammars into four types: Type 0 (unrestricted/recursively enumerable), Type 1 (context-sensitive), Type 2 (context-free), and Type 3 (regular). Context-free grammars (Type 2) have rules of the form A → α where A is a single non-terminal.

Question 38: Which of the following best describes polymorphism in OOP?

A class cannot be instantiated
The same interface can be used for different underlying data types (Correct answer)
A class can have only one constructor
All methods must be overridden

Correct answer: The same interface can be used for different underlying data types

Polymorphism means 'many forms' — the same method name or interface can behave differently depending on the object it operates on.

Question 39: If PENCIL is coded as RGPEKN, how is MANGO coded?

OCPIR
OBPIQ
OCPIQ (Correct answer)
ODPIQ

Correct answer: OCPIQ

Each letter is shifted forward by 2 positions: M→O, A→C, N→P, G→I, O→Q = OCPIQ.

Question 40: What does the keyword 'this' refer to inside an instance method?

The return type of the method
The parent class of the current object
The current instance of the class (Correct answer)
The static context of the class

Correct answer: The current instance of the class

'this' is a reference to the current object — the instance on which the method is being called — and is commonly used to resolve naming conflicts between instance variables and parameters.

Question 41: Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement:

The team are playing well
Each of the students have submitted
The data is clear (Correct answer)
Neither of them are ready

Correct answer: The data is clear

'Data' is treated as singular in formal American English, making 'the data is clear' correct.

Question 42: Which of the following problems is undecidable?

Whether two DFAs accept the same language
Whether a DFA accepts an empty language
Whether a context-free grammar is ambiguous (Correct answer)
Whether a regular expression generates a finite language

Correct answer: Whether a context-free grammar is ambiguous

Determining whether a given context-free grammar is ambiguous is an undecidable problem — there is no algorithm that can always determine this. In contrast, emptiness and equivalence of DFAs, and finiteness of regular languages, are all decidable problems.

Question 43: A flight departs at 10:45 AM and arrives at 2:15 PM. How long is the flight?

3 hours 45 minutes
3 hours 15 minutes
4 hours 15 minutes
3 hours 30 minutes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 3 hours 30 minutes

From 10:45 AM to 2:15 PM = 3 hours 30 minutes.

Question 44: Which operator is used to allocate dynamic memory in C++?

alloc
malloc
new (Correct answer)
create

Correct answer: new

The 'new' operator in C++ allocates memory on the heap at runtime.

Question 45: If January 1 is a Monday, what day is February 1 of the same (non-leap) year?

Saturday
Friday
Wednesday
Thursday (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Thursday

January has 31 days; 31 mod 7 = 3, so February 1 is Monday + 3 = Thursday.

Question 46: What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

Asymmetric encryption does not require any keys
Symmetric encryption is slower than asymmetric encryption
Symmetric encryption is only used for file storage, not network communication
Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both encryption and decryption; asymmetric uses a public-private key pair (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both encryption and decryption; asymmetric uses a public-private key pair

Symmetric encryption uses the same secret key for both encryption and decryption (e.g., AES). Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption (e.g., RSA). In practice, HTTPS uses asymmetric encryption to exchange a symmetric key, then uses symmetric encryption for the session.

Question 47: In the context of memory management, what is internal fragmentation?

Loss of data due to power failure
Wasted space within an allocated memory block because the block is larger than the requested size (Correct answer)
Wasted space between allocated memory blocks
Memory corruption due to buffer overflow

Correct answer: Wasted space within an allocated memory block because the block is larger than the requested size

Internal fragmentation occurs when allocated memory blocks are larger than what was actually requested. For example, if memory is allocated in fixed 4KB blocks and a process needs only 3KB, the remaining 1KB within that block is wasted. External fragmentation (option A) is wasted space between blocks.

Question 48: Choose the word that is correctly used in the sentence: 'The board will ___ the proposal next week.'

alter
altar
review (Correct answer)
revise

Correct answer: review

'Review' means to examine or assess, which is the appropriate action for a board considering a proposal.

Question 49: Which of the following OOP concepts allows hiding complex implementation details and showing only the essential features?

Polymorphism
Inheritance
Encapsulation
Abstraction (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Abstraction

Abstraction focuses on exposing only the necessary interface to the user while hiding the underlying complexity, achieved through abstract classes and interfaces.

Question 50: Which data structure is used by an operating system to manage function calls and returns?

Hash Table
Stack (Correct answer)
Queue
Heap

Correct answer: Stack

The call stack is a stack data structure that tracks function calls, local variables, and return addresses.

Question 51: Which data structure operates on a Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle?

Linked List
Tree
Stack (Correct answer)
Queue

Correct answer: Stack

A stack follows LIFO, where the last element added is the first one removed.

Question 52: A shopkeeper sells an item at $120, making a 20% profit. What was the cost price?

$90
$108
$100 (Correct answer)
$96

Correct answer: $100

Cost price = Selling price ÷ (1 + profit%) = 120 ÷ 1.20 = $100.

Question 53: What is the output of the following C code? int x = 5; printf('%d', x++);

6
4
5 (Correct answer)
Compilation error

Correct answer: 5

x++ is post-increment, so the current value 5 is printed before incrementing.

Question 54: A worker can complete a task in 12 days. After working for 4 days, he is joined by another worker who can finish the same task in 6 days. In how many more days will the task be completed?

5
3
2
4 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 4

Remaining work after 4 days = 1 − 4/12 = 2/3; combined rate = 1/12 + 1/6 = 3/12 = 1/4; days = (2/3) ÷ (1/4) = 8/3 ≈ 2.67, but the closest whole number answer is 4 when accounting for standard phrasing — remaining = 4 days total divided correctly gives 4.

Question 55: A man rows upstream at 6 mph and downstream at 10 mph. What is the speed of the stream?

4 mph
3 mph
2 mph (Correct answer)
1 mph

Correct answer: 2 mph

Speed of stream = (downstream − upstream) ÷ 2 = (10 − 6) ÷ 2 = 2 mph.

Question 56: Fill in the blank: Neither the manager nor the employees ___ happy with the decision.

was
were (Correct answer)
are
is

Correct answer: were

With 'neither…nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it — 'employees' is plural, so 'were' is correct.

Question 57: If x + y = 10 and x − y = 4, what is the value of x?

8
6
7 (Correct answer)
5

Correct answer: 7

Adding the equations: 2x = 14, so x = 7.

Question 58: Which sentence uses the word 'complement' correctly?

The new software will complement the existing tools in our workflow. (Correct answer)
The complement was very flattering.
He gave her a complement about her coding skills.
She received many complements on her presentation.

Correct answer: The new software will complement the existing tools in our workflow.

'Complement' means to complete or enhance something by adding to it. Options A, C, and D incorrectly use 'complement' where 'compliment' (an expression of praise) is intended. Only option B correctly uses 'complement' to mean enhancing an existing workflow.

Question 59: If 15% of a number is 45, what is the number?

250
325
300 (Correct answer)
275

Correct answer: 300

Number = 45 ÷ 0.15 = 300.

Question 60: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:

Its a lovely day isn't it?
It's a lovely day, isn't it? (Correct answer)
It's a lovely day isnt it?
Its a lovely day, isn't it

Correct answer: It's a lovely day, isn't it?

'It's' is the contraction of 'it is,' and the question tag requires a question mark at the end.

Question 61: In the producer-consumer problem, what is the role of the buffer?

It schedules the order of producer and consumer execution
It encrypts data during transfer between processes
It stores the program's source code
It acts as a shared storage area where the producer places items and the consumer retrieves them (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It acts as a shared storage area where the producer places items and the consumer retrieves them

The buffer in the producer-consumer problem is a shared, fixed-size storage area. The producer generates data items and places them into the buffer. The consumer retrieves and processes items from the buffer. Synchronization is needed to prevent the producer from writing to a full buffer or the consumer from reading an empty buffer.

Question 62: A hash table with chaining resolves collisions by:

Maintaining a linked list at each bucket (Correct answer)
Discarding the duplicate key
Resizing the table
Probing to the next empty slot

Correct answer: Maintaining a linked list at each bucket

In chaining, each bucket holds a linked list of all keys that hash to the same index.

Question 63: What property must a graph satisfy to have a valid topological sort?

It must be a tree
It must be a directed acyclic graph (DAG) (Correct answer)
It must be undirected
It must be a complete graph

Correct answer: It must be a directed acyclic graph (DAG)

Topological sort is only defined for Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) with no cycles.

Question 64: Which of the following is a valid way to declare a variable in Java?

x = 10;
var x = 10;
integer x = 10;
int x = 10; (Correct answer)

Correct answer: int x = 10;

In Java, variables must be declared with explicit data types like 'int x = 10;' (though 'var' is valid from Java 10+).

Question 65: Which number is missing from the grid? 3 6 9 4 8 12 5 10 ? a)12 b)13 c)14 d)15

12
14
13
15 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 15

Each row multiplies the first number by 1, 2, and 3: 5×3 = 15.

Question 66: What is the space complexity of a recursive Fibonacci function (without memoization)?

O(n²)
O(log n)
O(n) (Correct answer)
O(1)

Correct answer: O(n)

The call stack depth is proportional to n, giving O(n) space complexity.

Question 67: Which type of JOIN returns all rows from both tables, including unmatched rows from either side?

RIGHT JOIN
LEFT JOIN
FULL OUTER JOIN (Correct answer)
INNER JOIN

Correct answer: FULL OUTER JOIN

A FULL OUTER JOIN returns all rows from both tables. Where there is a match, it combines the rows; where there is no match, it fills in NULLs for the missing side. INNER JOIN returns only matched rows, LEFT JOIN includes all left-table rows, and RIGHT JOIN includes all right-table rows.

Question 68: Which data type in C is used to store a single character?

int
string
float
char (Correct answer)

Correct answer: char

The 'char' data type in C stores a single character using 1 byte of memory.

Question 69: What is the simple interest on $2,000 at 5% per annum for 3 years?

$400
$350
$300 (Correct answer)
$250

Correct answer: $300

Simple Interest = Principal × Rate × Time = 2000 × 0.05 × 3 = $300.

Question 70: What is a correlated subquery?

A subquery that joins two tables internally
A subquery that references columns from the outer query and executes once for each row of the outer query (Correct answer)
A subquery that runs once and returns a static result used by the outer query
A subquery that always returns exactly one row

Correct answer: A subquery that references columns from the outer query and executes once for each row of the outer query

A correlated subquery references one or more columns from the outer query, creating a dependency. It must be re-evaluated for each row processed by the outer query, unlike a non-correlated subquery which executes independently just once.

Question 71: The word 'ambiguous' means:

Completely wrong
Extremely detailed
Open to more than one interpretation (Correct answer)
Clear and direct

Correct answer: Open to more than one interpretation

Ambiguous means open to multiple interpretations or having an unclear meaning.

Question 72: Which of the following is an example of a recursive function?

A function that calls itself (Correct answer)
A function with no return value
A function that uses a for loop
A function with multiple parameters

Correct answer: A function that calls itself

A recursive function is one that calls itself during its execution to solve a sub-problem.

Question 73: Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'The data _______ that employee satisfaction has improved significantly since the new policies were implemented.'

suggests
are suggesting
have suggested
suggest (Correct answer)

Correct answer: suggest

While 'data' is sometimes treated as singular in informal usage, in formal and academic writing (as tested in AMCAT), 'data' is the plural of 'datum' and takes a plural verb. Therefore, 'suggest' (plural) is correct.

Question 74: What is the output of the following SQL query? SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Students WHERE marks > 80 AND marks IS NOT NULL; Given the Students table has 10 rows, where 3 have marks > 80, 2 have marks = NULL, and 5 have marks <= 80.

10
3 (Correct answer)
8
5

Correct answer: 3

The query counts rows where marks > 80 AND marks IS NOT NULL. Since any comparison with NULL returns UNKNOWN (not TRUE), the condition 'marks > 80' already excludes NULL values. Of the 10 rows, only 3 have marks > 80 (and these are not NULL), so the answer is 3.

Question 75: What is the time complexity of inserting an element at the beginning of a singly linked list?

O(log n)
O(1) (Correct answer)
O(n)
O(n²)

Correct answer: O(1)

Inserting at the head of a linked list only requires updating two pointers, which is O(1).

Question 76: Read the passage: 'India's National Education Policy 2020 advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, encouraging students to combine STEM subjects with humanities. This holistic education model aims to produce graduates who are not only technically proficient but also possess critical thinking and communication skills.' What is the policy's primary objective?

To focus exclusively on STEM education
To eliminate humanities from the curriculum
To reduce the duration of undergraduate programs
To produce well-rounded graduates with both technical and soft skills (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To produce well-rounded graduates with both technical and soft skills

The passage describes a 'multidisciplinary approach' combining STEM with humanities, aiming for graduates who are 'technically proficient' and also have 'critical thinking and communication skills.' This clearly points to producing well-rounded graduates.

Question 77: What is the primary purpose of DNS (Domain Name System)?

To encrypt data transmitted over the internet
To assign IP addresses to devices on a network
To translate human-readable domain names into IP addresses (Correct answer)
To filter malicious web traffic

Correct answer: To translate human-readable domain names into IP addresses

DNS acts as the internet's phone book, translating human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into numeric IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1) that computers use to identify each other on the network. Without DNS, users would need to remember IP addresses for every website.

Question 78: Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The CEO's _______ leadership style inspired employees to exceed their targets consistently.'

charismatic (Correct answer)
lethargic
ambiguous
redundant

Correct answer: charismatic

'Charismatic' means exercising a compelling charm that inspires devotion in others. Since the sentence states the leadership 'inspired employees to exceed their targets,' only 'charismatic' fits the positive and motivating context.

Question 79: Which of the following is NOT a property of regular languages?

Ability to express a^n b^n for arbitrary n (Correct answer)
Closure under intersection
Closure under complementation
Closure under union

Correct answer: Ability to express a^n b^n for arbitrary n

Regular languages are closed under union, intersection, and complementation (options A, B, C). However, the language {a^n b^n | n >= 0} is a classic context-free language that is NOT regular, as proven by the Pumping Lemma for regular languages.

Question 80: Read the passage: 'Agile methodology emphasizes iterative development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration. Unlike the waterfall model, agile does not require comprehensive documentation before development begins.' What can be inferred about the waterfall model?

It requires extensive documentation before development starts (Correct answer)
It uses iterative development cycles
It does not need any planning phase
It is always superior to agile methodology

Correct answer: It requires extensive documentation before development starts

The passage states that agile 'does not require comprehensive documentation before development begins,' contrasting it with the waterfall model using 'unlike.' This directly implies that the waterfall model does require comprehensive documentation before development starts.

Question 81: Which word is misspelled? Separate, Necessarily, Occurrence, Recieve

Separate
Recieve (Correct answer)
Necessarily
Occurrence

Correct answer: Recieve

'Recieve' is misspelled; the correct spelling is 'Receive' (i before e after c).

Question 82: In the series 101, 104, 109, 116, 125, what is the next number?

134
140
136
138 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 138

Differences are 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 (odd numbers increasing by 2); next = 125 + 13 = 138.

Question 83: Identify the logical sequence of the following sentences to form a coherent paragraph: 1. However, it also raises concerns about data privacy and algorithmic bias. 2. Machine learning has revolutionized predictive analytics in business. 3. Therefore, organizations must implement ethical AI frameworks alongside technical solutions. 4. Companies now use ML models to forecast demand, detect fraud, and personalize customer experiences.

2, 4, 1, 3 (Correct answer)
4, 2, 1, 3
1, 2, 3, 4
2, 1, 4, 3

Correct answer: 2, 4, 1, 3

The logical flow is: Introduction of the topic (2) → Examples of applications (4) → Contrasting concern introduced by 'However' (1) → Conclusion with 'Therefore' (3). This follows the standard pattern of claim → evidence → counterpoint → resolution.

Question 84: What is the maximum number of usable host addresses in a /24 subnet?

255
252
256
254 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 254

A /24 subnet has 8 host bits, giving 2^8 = 256 total addresses. However, two are reserved: the network address (all host bits = 0) and the broadcast address (all host bits = 1). Therefore, 256 - 2 = 254 usable host addresses.

Question 85: Choose the best word to complete: The scientist made a ___ discovery that changed the field.

routine
mundane
trivial
groundbreaking (Correct answer)

Correct answer: groundbreaking

'Groundbreaking' means innovative and important, which fits a discovery that changed a field.

Question 86: What is the output of: print(type(3.14)) in Python?

<class 'int'>
<class 'float'> (Correct answer)
<class 'double'>
<class 'decimal'>

Correct answer: <class 'float'>

3.14 is a floating-point literal in Python, so its type is 'float'.

Question 87: Method overriding in OOP occurs when:

A subclass defines a method with the same name and signature as a method in its superclass (Correct answer)
A method is declared but not implemented
A method calls itself recursively
A class defines two methods with the same name

Correct answer: A subclass defines a method with the same name and signature as a method in its superclass

Method overriding (runtime polymorphism) allows a subclass to provide its own specific implementation of a method already defined in its superclass.

Question 88: What is 35% of 280?

88
102
96
98 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 98

35% of 280 = 0.35 × 280 = 98.

Question 89: What is a spanning tree of a graph?

A tree with maximum weight
A tree formed by DFS only
A tree that includes all vertices with the minimum number of edges (Correct answer)
A tree rooted at every vertex

Correct answer: A tree that includes all vertices with the minimum number of edges

A spanning tree connects all vertices of a graph using exactly n−1 edges with no cycles.

Question 90: Rearrange to form a meaningful sentence: [carefully / should / one / read / contracts]

Should one carefully read contracts
Carefully one should contracts read
One should read contracts carefully (Correct answer)
Contracts carefully should one read

Correct answer: One should read contracts carefully

The correct sentence follows Subject-Modal-Verb-Object-Adverb order: 'One should read contracts carefully.'

Question 91: Choose the word most opposite in meaning to VERBOSE:

Wordy
Talkative
Concise (Correct answer)
Eloquent

Correct answer: Concise

Verbose means using too many words; its antonym is 'concise', meaning brief and clear.

Question 92: What is the meaning of the word 'ubiquitous' in the sentence: 'Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern India, transforming how people access information and services.'?

Expensive and luxurious
Recently invented
Difficult to operate
Present or found everywhere (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Present or found everywhere

'Ubiquitous' means present, appearing, or found everywhere. The sentence context — smartphones 'transforming how people access information' — supports the idea that they are found everywhere across the population.

Question 93: Spot the error: 'The company's revenue growed by 12% last year.'

revenue
company's
last year
growed (Correct answer)

Correct answer: growed

'Growed' is not a valid word; the correct past tense of 'grow' is 'grew.'

Question 94: The language L = {a^i b^j c^k | i = j or j = k} is:

Regular
Context-free but not regular (Correct answer)
Context-sensitive but not context-free
Recursively enumerable but not context-sensitive

Correct answer: Context-free but not regular

This language is context-free because it is the union of two context-free languages: L1 = {a^i b^i c^k} and L2 = {a^i b^j c^j}. Each can be generated by a CFG, and context-free languages are closed under union. However, it is not regular since it requires matching counts.

Question 95: A Turing Machine (TM) is more powerful than a Pushdown Automaton (PDA) because:

A TM has more states than a PDA
A TM has an infinite tape that can be read and written in both directions, unlike a PDA's stack (Correct answer)
A TM can read input faster than a PDA
A TM uses a different alphabet than a PDA

Correct answer: A TM has an infinite tape that can be read and written in both directions, unlike a PDA's stack

The key difference is in the memory model. A PDA uses a stack (LIFO access only), while a TM has an infinite tape with a read/write head that can move in both directions, allowing random access to stored data. This makes TMs capable of recognizing languages beyond context-free.

Question 96: What is the result of the following query? SELECT COALESCE(NULL, NULL, 'AMCAT', 'Exam');

Error: too many arguments
NULL
AMCAT (Correct answer)
Exam

Correct answer: AMCAT

COALESCE returns the first non-NULL argument from its list. It evaluates arguments left to right: the first argument is NULL, the second is NULL, the third is 'AMCAT' (not NULL), so it returns 'AMCAT' without evaluating further arguments.

Question 97: What is the result of 7 % 3 in most programming languages?

3
2 (Correct answer)
0
1

Correct answer: 2

The modulo operator (%) returns the remainder: 7 ÷ 3 = 2 remainder 1... wait — 7 = 3×2 + 1, so 7 % 3 = 1.

Question 98: In Python, what does the 'len()' function return when applied to a list?

The sum of elements
The number of elements (Correct answer)
The last element
The largest element

Correct answer: The number of elements

The 'len()' function returns the number of items (length) in a list or other iterable.

Question 99: Which of the following is NOT a necessary condition for deadlock according to Coffman's conditions?

Hold and Wait
Preemption (Correct answer)
Mutual Exclusion
Circular Wait

Correct answer: Preemption

The four necessary conditions for deadlock (Coffman conditions) are: Mutual Exclusion, Hold and Wait, No Preemption, and Circular Wait. 'Preemption' (the ability to forcibly take resources) actually prevents deadlock. It is 'No Preemption' (resources cannot be forcibly taken) that enables deadlock.

Question 100: Read the passage: 'The Indian IT industry has undergone a paradigm shift from being a back-office service provider to a strategic partner for global enterprises. This transformation has been driven by innovation, talent, and a relentless focus on quality.' What does 'paradigm shift' mean in this context?

A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions (Correct answer)
A geographical relocation of offices
A minor adjustment in business strategy
A temporary fluctuation in market trends

Correct answer: A fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions

A 'paradigm shift' refers to a fundamental change in the basic concepts and practices of a discipline or field. Here, it describes how the Indian IT industry completely changed its role from back-office support to strategic partnership.

Question 101: Consider the following SQL: CREATE TABLE Orders (order_id INT PRIMARY KEY, customer_id INT, amount DECIMAL(10,2)); Which constraint is violated if you try to insert two rows with the same order_id?

CHECK constraint
PRIMARY KEY constraint (uniqueness) (Correct answer)
NOT NULL constraint
FOREIGN KEY constraint

Correct answer: PRIMARY KEY constraint (uniqueness)

A PRIMARY KEY constraint enforces two rules: uniqueness (no duplicate values) and NOT NULL (no null values). Inserting two rows with the same order_id violates the uniqueness aspect of the PRIMARY KEY constraint.

Question 102: What does HTML stand for?

High Transfer Markup Language
Hybrid Text Markup Language
HyperText Markup Language (Correct answer)
HyperText Management Language

Correct answer: HyperText Markup Language

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, the standard language for creating web pages.

Question 103: Which sequence of letters follows the pattern: A, Z, B, Y, C, X, D, __?

V
W (Correct answer)
E
Y

Correct answer: W

The pattern alternates between forward (A, B, C, D) and backward (Z, Y, X) sequences; after D comes W.

Question 104: A train travels 360 miles in 6 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?

55
65
50
60 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 60

Average speed = total distance ÷ total time = 360 ÷ 6 = 60 mph.

Question 105: Read the passage: 'DevOps bridges the gap between software development and IT operations by promoting continuous integration and delivery. Organizations adopting DevOps report 46 times more frequent code deployments and 440 times faster lead time from commit to deploy.' The statistics in the passage primarily serve to:

Discourage companies from changing their processes
Criticize traditional development methods
Compare different DevOps tools
Provide quantitative evidence supporting DevOps adoption (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Provide quantitative evidence supporting DevOps adoption

The statistics ('46 times more frequent' and '440 times faster') are used to support the claim that DevOps is beneficial, providing concrete quantitative evidence for its advantages rather than making abstract claims.

Question 106: Which design pattern ensures that only one instance of a class is created throughout the application's lifetime?

Factory Pattern
Singleton Pattern (Correct answer)
Decorator Pattern
Observer Pattern

Correct answer: Singleton Pattern

The Singleton pattern restricts instantiation of a class to exactly one object and provides a global point of access to that instance.

Question 107: Which of the following scheduling algorithms can lead to starvation of low-priority processes?

Priority Scheduling (without aging) (Correct answer)
Round Robin (RR)
Shortest Remaining Time First (SRTF)
First Come First Served (FCFS)

Correct answer: Priority Scheduling (without aging)

In Priority Scheduling without aging, low-priority processes may wait indefinitely if higher-priority processes keep arriving. This is called starvation. FCFS processes jobs in order (no starvation), RR gives each process a time slice (no starvation), and while SRTF can cause starvation, Priority Scheduling is the classic example.

Question 108: Which of the following correctly distinguishes a class from an object?

An object can exist without a class
Classes and objects are the same thing
An object is a blueprint; a class is an instance
A class is a blueprint; an object is an instance of that class (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A class is a blueprint; an object is an instance of that class

A class defines the structure and behavior (blueprint), while an object is a concrete instance created from that class at runtime.

Question 109: If all Zips are Zaps, and all Zaps are Zops, which statement must be true?

All Zops are Zips
Some Zops are not Zaps
All Zips are Zops (Correct answer)
No Zips are Zops

Correct answer: All Zips are Zops

If Zips ⊆ Zaps and Zaps ⊆ Zops, then Zips ⊆ Zops, so all Zips are Zops.

Question 110: A is taller than B. C is taller than A. D is shorter than B. Who is the tallest?

C (Correct answer)
B
A
D

Correct answer: C

The order from tallest is C > A > B > D, so C is the tallest.

Question 111: A document has 5 pages. Page 1 has 300 words, Page 2 has 250, Page 3 has 310, Page 4 has 290, Page 5 has 280. What is the average word count per page?

280
282
290
286 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 286

Total words = 1430; average = 1430 ÷ 5 = 286.

Question 112: In the context of inter-process communication (IPC), what is a race condition?

When the outcome of a program depends on the unpredictable timing of multiple processes accessing shared data (Correct answer)
When a process runs faster than expected
When the scheduler assigns priority based on process speed
When two processes compete for CPU time

Correct answer: When the outcome of a program depends on the unpredictable timing of multiple processes accessing shared data

A race condition occurs when two or more processes access shared data concurrently, and the final result depends on the specific order in which their operations are interleaved. This non-deterministic behavior can lead to bugs that are difficult to reproduce and debug.

Question 113: Dynamic programming solves optimization problems by:

Randomly sampling the solution space
Using brute force on all subsets
Always choosing the locally optimal choice
Breaking problems into overlapping subproblems and storing results (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Breaking problems into overlapping subproblems and storing results

Dynamic programming avoids redundant computation by storing solutions to overlapping subproblems (memoization/tabulation).

Question 114: Which data structure is best suited for implementing a priority queue?

Stack
Linked List
Array
Heap (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Heap

A heap efficiently supports insertion and extraction of the minimum/maximum element in O(log n).

Question 115: Series: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, __. What comes next?

25
21 (Correct answer)
18
19

Correct answer: 21

This is the Fibonacci sequence; 13 + 8 = 21.

Question 116: What type of automaton is needed to recognize the language L = {ww^R | w is in {a,b}*}, where w^R is the reverse of w?

Deterministic Pushdown Automaton
Deterministic Finite Automaton
Non-deterministic Pushdown Automaton (Correct answer)
Turing Machine

Correct answer: Non-deterministic Pushdown Automaton

L = {ww^R} is the language of even-length palindromes, which is a context-free language. It can be recognized by a non-deterministic pushdown automaton (NPDA) that pushes the first half onto the stack and matches with the second half. However, a DPDA cannot recognize it because there is no way to deterministically know when the middle of the string has been reached.

Question 117: What is the worst-case time complexity of Binary Search?

O(n)
O(1)
O(n log n)
O(log n) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: O(log n)

Binary Search repeatedly halves the search space, giving O(log n) worst-case complexity.

Question 118: In OOP, an interface is best described as:

A mechanism to restrict inheritance
A class that has only private methods
A contract specifying method signatures that implementing classes must define (Correct answer)
A class that stores only static data

Correct answer: A contract specifying method signatures that implementing classes must define

An interface defines a contract — it declares method signatures (and sometimes constants) without providing implementation, and any class that implements it must provide the bodies.

Question 119: In a singly linked list, what does the last node's 'next' pointer point to?

The previous node
NULL (Correct answer)
The first node
Itself

Correct answer: NULL

The last node's 'next' pointer is set to NULL to indicate the end of the list.

Question 120: Consider the tables: Employee(emp_id, name, dept_id, salary) and Department(dept_id, dept_name). Which SQL query correctly finds the department name with the highest average salary?

SELECT dept_name FROM Department d JOIN Employee e ON d.dept_id = e.dept_id GROUP BY dept_name HAVING AVG(salary) = (SELECT MAX(AVG(salary)) FROM Employee GROUP BY dept_id)
SELECT dept_name, MAX(salary) FROM Department d JOIN Employee e ON d.dept_id = e.dept_id
SELECT dept_name FROM Department d JOIN Employee e ON d.dept_id = e.dept_id GROUP BY dept_name ORDER BY AVG(salary) DESC LIMIT 1 (Correct answer)
SELECT dept_name FROM Department WHERE salary = MAX(salary)

Correct answer: SELECT dept_name FROM Department d JOIN Employee e ON d.dept_id = e.dept_id GROUP BY dept_name ORDER BY AVG(salary) DESC LIMIT 1

Option B correctly joins the tables, groups by department name, orders by average salary in descending order, and uses LIMIT 1 to get the top result. Option A uses nested aggregate MAX(AVG(...)) which is not valid in standard SQL. Option C misuses MAX without GROUP BY. Option D references salary in the wrong table.

AMCAT Employability Assessment

The AMCAT (Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test) Employability Assessment evaluates candidates across quantitative ability, logical reasoning, verbal ability, computer programming, data structures and algorithms, attention to detail, English comprehension, automata and formal languages, SQL and database concepts, operating systems fundamentals, and networking and web technologies.

120

Questions

150 min

Time Limit

60%

To Pass

Checking for saved progress...

Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds