CCP Systems & Software Engineering 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which design principle states that software entities should be open for extension but closed for modification?
- Single Responsibility Principle
- Open/Closed Principle (Correct answer)
- Liskov Substitution Principle
- Dependency Inversion Principle
Correct answer: Open/Closed Principle
The Open/Closed Principle (OCP), part of SOLID, means you should be able to add new functionality without altering existing code.
Question 2: In structured systems analysis, what is a Data Flow Diagram (DFD) used for?
- Modeling database schemas
- Illustrating how data moves through a system (Correct answer)
- Designing network topologies
- Documenting test cases
Correct answer: Illustrating how data moves through a system
A DFD graphically represents how data flows through a system, including processes, data stores, external entities, and data flows.
Question 3: What is the key difference between black-box testing and white-box testing?
- Black-box testing uses automated tools; white-box uses manual methods
- Black-box testing examines internal code structure; white-box tests external behavior
- Black-box testing tests external behavior without knowledge of internals; white-box tests internal logic (Correct answer)
- Black-box testing is done by developers; white-box testing by end users
Correct answer: Black-box testing tests external behavior without knowledge of internals; white-box tests internal logic
Black-box testing treats the system as opaque, testing inputs/outputs; white-box testing uses knowledge of the internal implementation to design tests.
Question 4: Which software process model is best suited for large, complex projects with high risk and where requirements are not fully understood upfront?
- Waterfall model
- Spiral model (Correct answer)
- Incremental model
- RAD model
Correct answer: Spiral model
The Spiral model combines iterative development with systematic risk management, making it ideal for large, high-risk projects.
Question 5: In UML, which diagram type is used to show the sequence of messages exchanged between objects over time?
- Class diagram
- Use case diagram
- Sequence diagram (Correct answer)
- State machine diagram
Correct answer: Sequence diagram
A UML sequence diagram shows object interactions arranged in time sequence, illustrating how operations are carried out.
Question 6: What is the primary goal of configuration management in software engineering?
- Optimizing system performance
- Controlling changes to software artifacts and maintaining integrity throughout the lifecycle (Correct answer)
- Managing end-user configurations
- Scheduling software releases
Correct answer: Controlling changes to software artifacts and maintaining integrity throughout the lifecycle
Configuration management (CM) ensures that changes to software are tracked, controlled, and that product integrity is maintained.
Question 7: Which coupling type is considered the most desirable in software design?
- Content coupling
- Common coupling
- Data coupling (Correct answer)
- Control coupling
Correct answer: Data coupling
Data coupling, where modules share only necessary data through parameters, is the most desirable as it minimizes dependencies between modules.
CCP Systems & Software Engineering 3
Which design principle states that software entities should be open for extension but closed for modification?