ISTQB Fundamentals of Software Testing 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a characteristic of a GOOD test case?
- It tests as many features as possible in a single test
- It has a clear expected result defined before execution (Correct answer)
- It only tests positive (happy path) scenarios
- It is written after the defect is found
Correct answer: It has a clear expected result defined before execution
A good test case has a clearly defined expected result specified before execution so the tester can objectively determine pass or fail.
Question 2: What does 'risk-based testing' prioritize?
- Tests that are easiest to automate first
- Tests addressing the highest product risks first (Correct answer)
- Tests with the highest number of test steps
- Tests in the order they appear in the requirements document
Correct answer: Tests addressing the highest product risks first
Risk-based testing prioritizes test effort toward areas of highest product risk (probability × impact) to maximize defect detection value.
Question 3: In ISTQB, what is the definition of 'quality'?
- The absence of all defects in a software product
- The degree to which a component or system satisfies stated and implied needs (Correct answer)
- A metric that measures test coverage percentage
- The number of features delivered on time
Correct answer: The degree to which a component or system satisfies stated and implied needs
Quality is defined as the degree to which a work product satisfies stated and implied needs of its stakeholders when used under specified conditions.
Question 4: Which document describes the scope, approach, resources, and schedule of testing activities?
- Test case specification
- Test summary report
- Test plan (Correct answer)
- Defect report
Correct answer: Test plan
The test plan documents the scope, objectives, approach, resources, and schedule of a testing effort.
Question 5: What is 'exploratory testing'?
- Testing performed without any prior knowledge of the system
- Simultaneous test design, execution, and learning, often time-boxed (Correct answer)
- Automated testing that discovers new test paths at runtime
- Testing performed exclusively by end users in production
Correct answer: Simultaneous test design, execution, and learning, often time-boxed
Exploratory testing is a simultaneous process of test design and execution where the tester learns about the system and adapts tests dynamically.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a typical objective of testing?
- Finding defects
- Gaining confidence in the quality of the software
- Providing information for decision-making
- Proving the software is completely defect-free (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Proving the software is completely defect-free
Testing cannot prove software is defect-free; it can only show the presence of defects, not their absence.
Question 7: In a state transition diagram used for test design, what does a 'transition' represent?
- A stable condition of the system
- A movement from one state to another triggered by an event (Correct answer)
- A final state from which no further changes occur
- A list of all valid input values
Correct answer: A movement from one state to another triggered by an event
A transition represents a change from one state to another, triggered by an event and possibly resulting in an action.
ISTQB Fundamentals of Software Testing 4
Which of the following is a characteristic of a GOOD test case?