Independent Software Engineering Preliminary Exam 2024

Question 1 (1 mark)

Which of these is NOT a feature of the Agile development approach?

The client is involved with the development process
Working versions of the software are regularly released for use
The nature of the final product is clearly understood at the start
Developers can incorporate changing requirements

Question 2 (1 mark)

What system modelling tool is represented by the symbols?

Context diagram
Data flow diagram
Structure chart
Storyboard

Question 3 (1 mark)

Which of the following only contains primitive data types?

Boolean, integer, character
String, array, floating-point
Floating-point, character, variable
Binary, octal, decimal

Question 4 (1 mark)

Consider the following Python code:

class Animal:
   def __init__(self, name):
       self._name = name

   def make_sound(self):
       raise NotImplementedError("Subclass must implement method")


class Dog(Animal):
   def make_sound(self):
       return "Woof"


class Cat(Animal):
   def make_sound(self):
       return "Meow"


def describe_animal(animal):
   print(f"{animal._name} says {animal.make_sound()}")


dog = Dog("Buddy")
cat = Cat("Whiskers")
describe_animal(dog)
describe_animal(cat)

Which of the following statements is correct?

The make_sound method in Animal class is an example of inheritance
The Animal class is an example of generalisation because it hides the details of the _name attribute
The describe_animal function demonstrates abstraction by working with specific types Dog and Cat
The Dog and Cat classes demonstrate polymorphism by implementing the make_sound method differently

Question 5 (1 mark)

Which of the following best describes the facade design pattern in object-oriented programming?

It allows objects to communicate directly, bypassing the need for a mediator
It provides a simplified interface to a complex subsystem, making it easier to use
It ensures that a class has only one instance and provides a global point of access to it
It defines a family of algorithms, encapsulates each one, and makes them interchangeable

Question 6 (1 mark)

Which of the following concepts in object-oriented programming refers to the bundling of data and methods within a single unit?

Inheritance
Abstraction Encapsulation Polymorphism

Question 7 (1 mark)

The crane shown is used to move containers off ships and onto trucks. The crane has how many degrees of freedom?

2 3 4 6

Question 8 (1 mark)

What is the function of resistors in an electrical circuit?

To store and release electrical energy
To increase power or current in a circuit
To restrict current flow to a single direction
To limit the flow of electrical current in a circuit

Question 9 (1 mark)

Which of the following statements represents an Assembly language statement?

x = 2
MOV EAX, 5
001 1 0010
#include

Question 10 (1 mark)

What control structures are present in the following flowchart algorithm?

Sequence Binary selection
Multiway selection
Pre-test repetition
Post-test repetition
Counted loop
Subroutine

Question 11 (1 mark)

You are evaluating the following Python code. The code is intended to verify user credentials and handle login attempts.


def login(username, password):
   # Dummy user credentials
   stored_username = "admin"
   stored_password = "password123"

   if username == stored_username and password == stored_password:
       return "Login successful"
   else:
       return "Invalid credentials"


# Example usage
print(login("admin", "password123"))  # Expected output: Login successful
print(login("user", "pass"))  # Expected output: Invalid credentials

Which of the following statements are correct regarding the effectiveness of this code implementation?

The code effectively handles valid and invalid login attempts based on the hardcoded credentials
The implementation incudes mechanisms for password encryption and secure storage of user credentials
The code has been tested with a variety of input scenarios to ensure that it behaves correctly in all cases
The code is designed to handle various types of input, including special characters and different username formats
The code uses hardcoded credentials, which is a security risk and does not follow best practices for managing sensitive information
The code is simple and easy to understand but lacks functionality for handling multiple users or password complexity requirements

Question 12 (1 mark)

Which of the following are features of closed loop control systems?

System stability as operation is adjusted continually to maintain a steady state
Inputs are not altered by the system, hence outputs are predictable
Automatic adaptation to changes in the environment
Simplicity as tasks are completed sequentially based on preset inputs
Feedback loop continually monitors the output and adjusts the inputs accordingly
Differences between the desired and actual output are not detected

Question 13 (1 mark)

Match each set of data to the most appropriate data structure.

	Stack	File	2D Array	Record	Tree	Array
Details for a single student (such as name and date of birth)
Average daily temperatures across a month
High score data for a game
File directory structure in a computer
Sequence of operations performed by a calculator
The squares on a chessboard

Question 14 (1 mark)

Match the description with the corresponding type of testing.

	White box testing	Grey box testing	Black box testing	System testing	Subsystem testing	Unit testing
Testing the software with no knowledge of the internal workings or structure, focusing only on the outputs in response to selected inputs
Testing the software with partial knowledge of the internal workings, often used to design test cases while having an understanding of the code or logic
Testing individual components or modules of a system in isolation to ensure they work correctly
Testing the complete and integrated system to evaluate the system's compliance with its specified requirements
Testing the software with full knowledge of the internal workings, focusing on the flow of inputs and outputs through the code, ensuring all paths are tested
Testing a combination of integrated modules or components to verify interactions between them

Question 15 (1 mark)

Match each electronics symbol with the correct name.

	Diode	One way switch	Capacitor	Motor	Lightbulb	Resistor	Two way switch	LED	Amplifier
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Question 16 (2 marks)

Is a structured approach more suited to the development of large, critical software systems? Justify your response.

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Question 17 (2 marks)

Describe the purpose of the testing stage of software development.

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Question 18 (3 marks)

Distinguish between syntax and logic errors, providing an example of each.

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Question 19 (3 marks)

def findMaximum(numbers):
   max_value = numbers[0]
   for num in numbers:
       if num > max_value:
           max_value = num
       else:
           max_value = numbers[0]
   return max_value

Perform a desk check of the Python code provided, when numbers = [2, 4, 8, 6].

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Question 20 (5 marks)

A 'magic square' is a grid with a width and height of n, containing the numbers from 1 to n². Each row, column, and diagonal adds up to the same sum. For example, in the grid below, n is 3; the grid contains the numbers 1–9, and every row, column, and diagonal adds up to 15.

Write an algorithm in pseudocode for a function which, when passed a 2D array of integers called "square", will return True if the square is "magic" and False otherwise.

Question 21 (2 marks)

Describe ONE technique for optimising code performance.

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Question 22 (2 marks)

Describe how version control systems support collaborative code development.

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Question 23 (3 marks)

Contrast top-down design and bottom-up design in software development.

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Question 24 (3 marks)

You are part of a development team working on a project to create a new feature for a library management system. The feature involves implementing a user interface for managing book reservations. The system should include functionalities for reserving, cancelling, and viewing reservations.

Write a task definition for the book reservation feature. Include the objective, functional and non-functional requirements, constraints, and acceptance criteria.

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Question 25 (5 marks)

Consider the following class diagram which models an employee management system:

You can assume:

The display_info() method prints the properties of the object created from that class.
The Manager has a property called subordinates which stores an array of Employee objects representing the employees who report to that manager.
The add_subordinate() method adds a given Employee object to the subordinates property of that Manager object.
You do not need to enforce the relationship cardinalities (1..1, 1..*) between Employee and Manager objects.

Provide Python implementation for each of the Employee, Manager and Developer classes.

# Output

Question 26 (2 marks)

Describe one of the fields that make up Mechatronics.

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Question 27 (2 marks)

An analogue to digital converter converts analogue signals to digital signals. Describe the process of converting analogue sound to digital.

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Question 28 (3 marks)

Distinguish between sensors and actuators. Give an example of a sensor and an actuator in your answer.

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Question 29 (3 marks)

Explain how Opcodes and Operands create a link between programmers and the CPU. Give an example of an assembly language statement in your answer identifying the Opcode and Operand.

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Question 30 (5 marks)

Discuss how Mechatronics systems have changed the manufacturing industry over the last 20 years using examples.

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General Instructions

Total marks: 60

Question 1 (1 mark)

Question 2 (1 mark)

Question 3 (1 mark)

Question 4 (1 mark)

Question 5 (1 mark)

Question 6 (1 mark)

Question 7 (1 mark)

Question 8 (1 mark)

Question 9 (1 mark)

Question 10 (1 mark)

Question 11 (1 mark)

Question 12 (1 mark)

Question 13 (1 mark)

Question 14 (1 mark)

Question 15 (1 mark)

Question 16 (2 marks)

Question 17 (2 marks)

Question 18 (3 marks)

Question 19 (3 marks)

Question 20 (5 marks)

Question 21 (2 marks)

Question 22 (2 marks)

Question 23 (3 marks)

Question 24 (3 marks)

Question 25 (5 marks)

Question 26 (2 marks)

Question 27 (2 marks)

Question 28 (3 marks)

Question 29 (3 marks)

Question 30 (5 marks)

General Instructions

Total marks: 60

Question 1 (1 mark)

Question 2 (1 mark)

Question 3 (1 mark)

Question 4 (1 mark)

Question 5 (1 mark)

Question 6 (1 mark)

Question 7 (1 mark)

Question 8 (1 mark)

Question 9 (1 mark)

Question 10 (1 mark)

Question 11 (1 mark)

Question 12 (1 mark)

Question 13 (1 mark)

Question 14 (1 mark)

Question 15 (1 mark)

Question 16 (2 marks)

Question 17 (2 marks)

Question 18 (3 marks)

Question 19 (3 marks)

Question 20 (5 marks)

Question 21 (2 marks)

Question 22 (2 marks)

Question 23 (3 marks)

Question 24 (3 marks)

Question 25 (5 marks)

Question 26 (2 marks)

Question 27 (2 marks)

Question 28 (3 marks)

Question 29 (3 marks)

Question 30 (5 marks)

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