PDA - Implementation and Testing Revision Quiz

Ava is searching for her favorite book in a stack of books. Which one of the following describes why an efficient search method needs a Boolean variable?

• To store where the book is found

• To stop searching when she reaches the end of the stack

• To count the number of books found

• To stop searching when the book is found

Answer explanation

An efficient search method uses a Boolean variable to stop searching when the book is found, preventing unnecessary checks and improving efficiency.

Priya is organizing a book fair and wants to arrange the books in order of their popularity. She uses a simple sorting algorithm to sort the following list of book popularity scores (82 55 64 42 29 22 98 70 61 73). Which one of the following lists will be correct after the first pass through the list?

• 98 55 64 42 29 22 82 70 61 73

• 22 64 42 29 55 73 70 61 82 98

• 98 82 73 70 64 61 55 42 29 22

• 998 42 29 22 64 70 61 73 82 55

Answer explanation

After the first pass of a simple sorting algorithm like bubble sort, the largest element (98) moves to the end. The correct order after the first pass is 22 64 42 29 55 73 70 61 82 98, as 98 is placed last.

Amelia is developing a software application for a local library. Why should she ensure that her program includes input validation?

• Output is within specified limits

• Input data is restricted to characters only

• Program produces the correct output

• Input data is within specified limits

Answer explanation

Input validation ensures that the data entered into the program is within specified limits, preventing errors and ensuring the program functions correctly. This is crucial for maintaining data integrity and application reliability.

Harry is following a recipe to bake a cake. Which of the following describes the process he is using?

• Alteration in the flow of control based upon the test of a condition

• The execution of program statements in order, from beginning to end

• Exiting a loop structure after a sequence of instructions

• The repetitive execution of a sequence of instructions

Answer explanation

Harry is following a recipe, which involves executing steps in a specific order to bake a cake. This aligns with 'The execution of program statements in order, from beginning to end', as he follows the recipe sequentially.

Priya is organizing her bookshelf and wants to categorize her books. Which three of the following are characteristics of an array data structure that can help her organize the books?

• The name of the array

• Contains a collection of elements

• The range of values

Answer explanation

An array is characterized by containing a collection of elements, which allows Priya to group her books efficiently. The name of the array and the range of values are not defining characteristics of an array.

Samuel is looking through a list of names to find his friend ‘John’. The list is as follows: (Alistair, Chloe, Hamish, Bob, John, Ruth, Anwar, Salma, Dallas). How many comparisons will be required to find the name ‘John’?

• 2

• 7

• 5

• 8

Answer explanation

To find 'John', Samuel compares names sequentially. He checks Alistair (1), Chloe (2), Hamish (3), Bob (4), and finally finds John (5). Thus, it takes 5 comparisons to locate 'John' in the list.

Arjun is writing a program to automate his daily tasks. Which one of the following is a correct statement about a function in his program?

• A section of code that performs several tasks

• A function cannot be defined by a user

• A function returns a single value

• A function does not need to be declared

Answer explanation

The correct choice is 'A section of code that performs several tasks' because a function is designed to encapsulate code that can be reused to perform specific operations, which may involve multiple tasks.

Students in a class have the following information stored about them: name, nationality, previous exam scores, and student ID. Which one of the following is the best way of storing this data?

• A set of four variables for each student

• An array of records

• A single record structure

• Four separate arrays

Answer explanation

An array of records is the best choice as it allows grouping all related information (name, nationality, scores, ID) for each student in a single structure, making data management and access more efficient compared to separate variables or arrays.

Evie is creating a digital banner for a school event, and she wants it to display the message: HAVEAGOODDAY. Which one of the following constructs would be best for her to use to produce the above message?

• A set of instructions executed one after the other in sequence

• A fixed loop

• A nested loop

• A conditional loop

Answer explanation

A fixed loop is ideal for displaying a static message like HAVEAGOODDAY, as it allows the same instruction to be executed a set number of times, ensuring the message is shown completely and consistently.

Anaya is writing a program to analyze her test scores. The image below shows part of her program. Which one of the following states the purpose of this section of code?

• Finding the maximum number in the list

• Finding the minimum number in the list

• Sorting the list in ascending order

• Calculating the sum of the list

Answer explanation

The code section is designed to identify the highest score in Anaya's list of test scores, which aligns with the purpose of finding the maximum number in the list.