EDPT Reading Comprehension and Critical Analysis 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A technical manual states: 'Batch processing collects data over a period of time and processes it all at once, whereas real-time processing handles data immediately as it is received.' Which scenario best illustrates a limitation of batch processing?
- A bank updates all account balances at midnight, so a customer cannot see a deposit made at 11:59 PM reflected until the next day (Correct answer)
- A supermarket scanner reads barcodes and displays prices instantly at checkout
- An airline reservation system confirms seat availability within seconds of a booking request
- A hospital monitoring system alerts nurses the moment a patient's vitals become abnormal
Correct answer: A bank updates all account balances at midnight, so a customer cannot see a deposit made at 11:59 PM reflected until the next day
Batch processing delays reflect updates until the scheduled run, so time-sensitive transactions like late deposits are not visible immediately.
Question 2: Read the following excerpt: 'Redundancy in data storage does not imply inefficiency; rather, strategic redundancy ensures data availability when primary storage fails.' What is the author's primary purpose?
- To argue that all data should be stored in multiple locations regardless of cost
- To correct the misconception that redundancy is always wasteful by highlighting its protective value (Correct answer)
- To explain how to implement a redundant storage system step by step
- To compare the cost of redundant storage with that of primary storage
Correct answer: To correct the misconception that redundancy is always wasteful by highlighting its protective value
The author reframes redundancy as a deliberate protective strategy rather than a sign of inefficiency.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'A flowchart uses standardized symbols—ovals for start/end, rectangles for processes, diamonds for decisions—to map the sequence of steps in a program.' A programmer draws a shape with four equal sides and right angles to represent a decision point. Based on the passage, this choice is:
- Correct, because squares and diamonds have the same number of sides
- Incorrect, because a square is not the standardized symbol for a decision; a diamond is (Correct answer)
- Acceptable, because any quadrilateral can represent a decision in a flowchart
- Correct, because the passage does not distinguish between squares and diamonds
Correct answer: Incorrect, because a square is not the standardized symbol for a decision; a diamond is
The passage specifies diamonds for decisions; a square, while a quadrilateral, is not the standardized symbol described.
Question 4: An EDPT reading passage states: 'Data integrity refers to the accuracy and consistency of data over its entire lifecycle.' A database administrator discovers that the same customer record shows two different birth dates in two tables. This MOST directly represents a failure of:
- Data redundancy
- Data encryption
- Data integrity (Correct answer)
- Data compression
Correct answer: Data integrity
Conflicting values for the same attribute across tables violate accuracy and consistency, which are the defining elements of data integrity.
Question 5: The following argument appears in a passage: 'Because computers never make arithmetic errors, any numerical output from a computer program must be correct.' Which critical flaw does this argument contain?
- It correctly identifies that computers are infallible arithmetic processors
- It ignores the possibility that incorrect input data or flawed program logic can produce wrong outputs despite accurate arithmetic (Correct answer)
- It overstates the speed of computer calculations
- It fails to consider that some computers are slower than others
Correct answer: It ignores the possibility that incorrect input data or flawed program logic can produce wrong outputs despite accurate arithmetic
The argument commits a 'garbage in, garbage out' fallacy by assuming arithmetic accuracy guarantees overall correctness regardless of input quality or logic errors.
Question 6: A technical document explains: 'An algorithm must be finite, meaning it must terminate after a limited number of steps.' A developer writes a loop that continues executing as long as a counter variable remains less than zero, but the counter is never modified inside the loop. Based on the document's definition, this loop:
- Satisfies the finite requirement because the loop has a defined condition
- Violates the finite requirement because the loop will never terminate (Correct answer)
- Satisfies the finite requirement because the counter is an integer
- Violates the finite requirement because the condition uses a less-than operator
Correct answer: Violates the finite requirement because the loop will never terminate
Since the counter never changes, the condition is always true and the loop runs indefinitely, violating the requirement that an algorithm must terminate.
Question 7: A passage concludes: 'The widespread adoption of cloud storage has reduced the need for large on-site server rooms in many organizations.' Which additional piece of information would MOST strengthen this conclusion?
- Cloud storage providers charge monthly subscription fees based on data volume
- Survey data showing that organizations using cloud storage have significantly reduced their on-site server hardware investments (Correct answer)
- A description of how cloud storage encrypts data during transmission
- A list of the largest cloud storage providers ranked by revenue
Correct answer: Survey data showing that organizations using cloud storage have significantly reduced their on-site server hardware investments
Direct survey evidence of reduced hardware investment causally links cloud adoption to decreased on-site server needs, directly supporting the conclusion.
EDPT Reading Comprehension and Critical Analysis 4
A technical manual states: 'Batch processing collects data over a period of time and processes it all at once, whereas real-time processing handles data immediately as it is received.' Which scenario best illustrates a limitation of batch processing?