Aug 1997 SW204: Software And Files Design (Question 1) Suggested Solutions

	Multiple choice question (1 mark per question)
	Choose one answer for each question.

	(a) All of the following statements about master files are true EXCEPT
		(i) master files contain important data pertaining to an application area such as payrolls.
		(ii) master files must be updated so that they are current.
		(iii) transaction data contains changes to master files.
		(iv) batch processing is always used to update master files.
		(v) an example of a master file is an inventory file.
	(iv) batch processing is always used to update master files.

	(b) Which of the following is least likely to be a master file?
		(i) an employee data file.
		(ii) an inventory file.
		(iii) a customer name and address file.
		(iv) a supplier name and address file.
		(v) a sales file.
	(v) a sales file

	(c) If the records in a student file are stored in order of the values of a key field, such as student identification numbers, the file organization is
		(i) sequential.
		(ii) reverse indexed.
		(iii) random.
		(iv) direct.
		(v) miscellaneous.
	(i) sequential

	(d) A sequential file can be searched
		(i) sequentially only.
		(ii) randomly only.
		(iii) direct only.
		(iv) directly or randomly.
		(v) sequentially or randomly.
	(i) sequentially only

	(e) All of the following statements about expert systems are true EXCEPT
		(i) an expert system is used as a substitute for a consultant or an adviser to users.
		(ii) expert system software models or simulates the performance of a human expert.
		(iii) a medical diagnosis system was one of the first expert systems to be developed.
		(iv) expert systems are becoming popular in many technical fields.
		(v) expert system shells are classified as peripheral equipment.
	(v) expert systems shells are classified as peripheral equipment.

	(f) The software component of an expert system that draws conclusions is the
		(i) user interface.
		(ii) database.
		(iii) inference engine.
		(iv) I/O controller.
		(v) model base.
	(iii) inference engine.

	(g) All of the following statements about packaged software are true EXCEPT
		(i) packaged software is usually less expensive than custom software.
		(ii) packaged software is immediately available.
		(iii) packaged software has been tested.
		(iv) packaged software usually satisfies all of an individual's needs.
		(v) packaged software is typically supported by features such as tutorials.
	(iv) packaged software usually satisfies all of an individual's needs.

	(h) All of the following statements about assembly language are true EXCEPT
		(i) assembly language is a second generation language.
		(ii) assembly language is now standardized for all computers.
		(iii) words such as ADD are used in assembly language.
		(iv) programming in assembly language is easier than programming in machine language.
		(v) programming in assembly language takes longer than programming in third generation language.
	(ii) assembly language is now standardised for all computers.

	(i) All of the following statements about interpreters are true EXCEPT
		(i) an interpreter translates one statement at a time as the program executes.
		(ii) an interpreter is more sophisticated than an assembler.
		(iii) an interpreter produces object code.
		(iv) an interpreter translates a high level language into machine language.
		(v) an interpreter takes less space in memory than a compiler.
	(iii) an interpreter produces object code.

	(j) A compiler
		(i) translates machine language into a high level language.
		(ii) translates one statement at a time as the program executes.
		(iii) takes less space in memory than an interpreter.
		(iv) produces object code.
		(v) is less sophisticated than an assembler.
	(iv) produces object code.

	(k) All of the following are characteristics of third generation languages EXCEPT
		(i) they are transportable.
		(ii) they are non procedural.
		(iii) they are relatively easy to learn.
		(iv) they must be translated to machine language before programs can run.
		(v) they are relatively easy to use.
	(ii) they are non procedural.

	(l) Another name for the operating system's user interface is the
		(i) supervisor.
		(ii) kernel.
		(iii) operating environment.
		(iv) system interrupt.
		(v) partition.
	(iii) operating environment.

	(m) If several application programs are placed in the computer's primary storage at the same time and the CPU divides its time between these programs, the technique is called
		(i) multiprogramming.
		(ii) user interfacing.
		(iii) kerneling.
		(iv) operating environmenting.
		(v) switching,
	(i) multiprogramming.

	(n) The technique that extends storage capacities of main memory beyond the actual size of the main memory is called
		(i) multitasking.
		(ii) virtual storage.
		(iii) multiprocessing.
		(iv) multiprogramming.
		(v) switching.
	(iii) virtual storage.

	(o) In the virtual environment, the process which moves application programs into main memory is called
		(i) partitioning.
		(ii) multipaging.
		(iii) swapping.
		(iv) multitasking.
		(v) multiprocessing.
	(iii) swapping.

	(p) A system software function which transfers output data at high speed to printed form in an off-line operation is called
		(i) linking.
		(ii) using device drivers.
		(iii) compressing.
		(iv) spooling.
		(v) knowledge analyst.
	(iv) spooling.

	(q) A computer professional who translates knowledge from human experts into rule sand strategies for an expert system is called a(n)
		(i) systems analyst.
		(ii) programmer.
		(iii) knowledge engineer.
		(iv) expert engineer.
		(v) knowledge analyst.
	(iii) knowledge engineer.

	(r) The main directory of a computer disk is also called the
		(i) root directory.
		(ii) main subdirectory.
		(iii) linking directory.
		(iv) root subdirectory.
		(v) file allocation table.
	(i) root directory.

	(s) References to each file on a disk are stored in a
		(i) file allocation table.
		(ii) root allocation table.
		(iii) linking directory.
		(iv) root directory.
		(v) directory allocation table.
	(i) file allocation table.

	(t) The part of the operating system called the kernel
		(i) manages the computer's resources.
		(ii) is always written in assembly language.
		(iii) allows the user to communicate with the hardware.
		(iv) is written by applications programmers.
		(v) is always written in C.
	(i) manages the computer's resources.