Group-A

2016
● (i) The most important feature of the spiral model is (c) Risk management.
The Spiral model focuses on identifying and mitigating potential risks throughout the software
development lifecycle.
● (ii) To achieve good design, modules should have (b) Low coupling, high cohesion.
Low coupling means modules are independent, and high cohesion means elements within a
module are functionally related. This leads to maintainable and understandable software.
● (iii) Equivalence class partitioning is followed in (b) Black box testing.
Equivalence partitioning divides inputs into groups that should produce similar results, a
technique used in black-box testing where internal code is not considered.
● (iv) Project planning does not include (b) Design.
Design is a separate phase in software development, not part of the initial project planning.
● (v) A COCOMO model is (c) Constructive cost estimation model.
COCOMO (Constructive Cost Model) is used to estimate effort, cost, and duration of software
projects.
● (vi) Each time a defect gets detected and fixed, the reliability of a software product (b)
increases.
Fixing defects reduces the chances of failures, thus increasing the reliability of the software.
● (vii) All critical path activities have slack time of (a) 0.
The critical path determines the shortest possible project duration, and activities on it cannot
be delayed without impacting the overall timeline.
● (viii) Alpha critical path activities have slack time of (a) Acceptance testing.
This seems incorrect. Alpha testing is typically done early and might have some slack time,
but it's not a defining characteristic. Critical path activities always have zero slack time.
● (ix) In function point analysis, the number of adjustment factors based on system
characteristics to refine unadjusted function point is (d) 14.
Function Point Analysis uses these 14 factors to adjust the initial count and arrive at a more
accurate measure of software size.
● (x) CASE Tool is (a) Computer Aided Software Engineering.
CASE tools are software applications that assist in various software development activities
like design, coding, and testing.

2017
● (i) DFD shows (d) all of these.
DFD (Data Flow Diagram) illustrates the flow of data, processes performed on the data, and
where the data is stored.
● (ii) Coding and testing are done in which of the following manner? (a) Adhoc.
While there are structured approaches, coding and testing can often involve ad-hoc elements
depending on the project and methodology.
● (iii) The largest percentage of total life cycle cost of software is (a) Design cost.
Design is a crucial phase and often consumes a significant portion of the overall software
development budget.
● (iv) Software maintenance includes (d) Bug fixing.
 Software maintenance involves activities to correct defects, improve performance, and adapt
the software to changing needs.
● (v) The main difference between program testing and system testing is (a) System testing
focuses on testing the interfaces between programs, program testing focuses on
individual programs.
System testing looks at the integrated system as a whole, while program testing focuses on
individual modules or components.
● (vi) The most creative and challenging phase of the system life cycle is (a) Design.
Design involves making crucial decisions about the software's architecture, components, and
interactions, requiring creativity and problem-solving.
● (vii) The database design activity deals with the design of (c) both (a) and (b).
Database design includes both logical design (structure and relationships) and physical
design (storage and implementation).
● (viii) Coupling is a measure of (b) Interdependence among module.
Coupling refers to how much modules depend on each other. High coupling can make the
software harder to maintain.
● (ix) Decision support systems are used to (c) both (a) and (b).
Decision support systems help organizations analyze information and make informed
decisions, often for strategic planning and operational management.
● (x) Prototype is a (a) Working model of existing system.
A prototype is a preliminary version of the software that demonstrates functionality and allows
for user feedback.

2018
● (i) Tracking the correspondence between the design component and the SRS is known as (b)
traceability.
Traceability ensures that each design element can be traced back to a specific requirement in
the SRS.
● (ii) When the two bubbles are interconnected directly, it is referred to as (c) synchronous.
In a DFD, synchronous data flow means the processes connected by the data flow operate in
sync.
● (iii) DFD balancing means (c) must match the data flow at the next level of DFD.
DFD balancing ensures consistency in the representation of data flow across different levels
of the diagram.
● (iv) System Testing is performed by a friendly set of customers is known as (b) beta testing.
Beta testing involves releasing the software to a limited group of users outside the
development team for feedback.
● (v) Function point describes (d) the size of a software product direct from its
specification.
Function Point Analysis is a method to measure the size of software based on its functional
requirements.
● (vi) The potential risks are best detected by (a) spiral model.
The Spiral model explicitly includes risk analysis and mitigation as core activities in each
iteration.
● (vii) The most desirable form of cohesion is (d) functional cohesion.
Functional cohesion means all elements within a module contribute to a single, well-defined
task.
● (viii) Software testing is the (d) process of executing a program with the intent of finding
errors.
The primary goal of software testing is to identify defects and ensure the software functions
as expected.
● (ix) The best type of coupling is (d) functional.
Functional coupling occurs when modules communicate through well-defined interfaces with
minimal dependencies.
● (x) Big Bang Integration testing is useful for a project with (d) none of these.
Big Bang integration testing involves integrating all modules at once, which can be chaotic
and is generally not recommended for any project size.

2019
● (i) Expanded form of the term HIPO is (a) Hierarchical Input Process Output.
HIPO (Hierarchical Input Process Output) is a design and documentation technique that
represents the system's functions and their relationships.
● (ii) Software consists of (b) Programs + documentation + operating procedures.
Software is more than just code; it includes documentation and procedures for installation,
use, and maintenance.
● (iii) SRD stands for (b) Structured Requirements Definition.
SRD (Structured Requirements Definition) is a method for documenting software
requirements in a clear and organized manner.
● (iv) Which is not true in the context of Decision Tree? (d) Random forest tree is used for
regression type problem.
Random forest trees are indeed used for regression problems. Decision trees can be used for
both classification and regression tasks.
● (v) In software metrics, which metrics evaluate the track budget, schedule, and human
resource? (c) Process metrics.
Process metrics measure and track aspects of the software development process itself,
including budget, schedule, and resource utilization.
● (vi) From the following, which quality deals with maintaining the quality of the software
product? (b) Quality control.
Quality control involves activities like testing and inspection to ensure the software meets
quality standards.
● (vii) A COCOMO model is (b) Constructive Cost Estimation Model.
COCOMO (Constructive Cost Model) is used to estimate effort, cost, and duration of software
projects.
● (viii) Which depicts the flow of control in program modules? (a) Flowchart.
Flowcharts visually represent the steps and decisions in a program's execution flow.
● (ix) Which quality deals with maintaining the quality of the software product? (b) Quality
control.
Quality control involves activities like testing and inspection to ensure the software meets
quality standards.
● (x) Alpha and Beta testing are forms of (a) Acceptance testing.
Alpha and Beta testing are types of acceptance testing done before the final release of the
software.
● (xi) If every requirement stated in the software Requirement Specification (SRS) has only one
interpretation, SRS is said to be correct (a) Unambiguous.1
 An unambiguous SRS ensures that every requirement has a clear and single interpretation.
● (xii) Which of the following primary objectives have to be achieved for the requirement
model? (d) All of these.
A good requirement model should describe customer needs, provide a basis for design, and
define verifiable requirements.

2022
● (i) The CMMI was developed to combine multiple (b) Business maturity models into one
framework.
CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) integrates various process improvement
models.
● (ii) What is the use of CMMI? (d) All of the mentioned above.
CMMI helps decrease risks, encourage productivity, and streamline process improvement in
software development.
● (iii) Which of the following is a building block of UML? (d) All of the mentioned.
UML (Unified Modeling Language) uses things, relationships, and diagrams to represent
software systems.
● (iv) Amongst which of the following is / are the Verification and validation activities? (d) All of
the mentioned above.
Verification and validation include reviews, testing, and audits to ensure the software meets
requirements and quality standards.
● (v) To achieve good design, modules should have (b) Low coupling, high cohesion.
Low coupling means modules are independent, and high cohesion means elements within a
module are functionally related. This leads to maintainable and understandable software.
● (vi) The planning task is estimation of the resources required to accomplish the software
development effort. (a) True.
Planning involves estimating resources like time, budget, and personnel needed for the
project.
● (vii) Which of the following term is best defined by the statement: "a structural relationship
that specifies that objects of one thing are connected to objects of another"? (a) Association.
Association in UML represents a relationship between objects or classes.
● (viii) A typical Configuration Management (CM) operational scenario, who is in charge of a
software group? (a) Project manager.
The project manager is typically responsible for overseeing configuration management
activities.
● (ix) CASE tool is (a) Computer Aided Software Engineering.
CASE tools are software applications that assist in various software development activities.
● (x) All critical path activities have slack time of (a) 0.
Activities on the critical path have no slack time as they directly impact the project's
completion time.
● (xi) The SCM repository is the set of (b) Mechanisms and data structures.
The SCM (Software Configuration Management) repository stores and manages different
versions of software artifacts.
● (xii) Software configuration management is a set of (c) Tracking and control activities.
SCM involves tracking changes, managing versions, and controlling the software
development process.
 Group-B

2016
1. Characteristics of a good SRS document: An SRS (Software Requirements
Specification) document should be concise, complete, consistent, unambiguous,
verifiable, modifiable, traceable, and usable. It should clearly define the software's
purpose, features, functionalities, constraints, and acceptance criteria. It serves as a
communication tool between stakeholders and developers, ensuring everyone is on the
same page.
2. Capability Maturity Model (CMM): CMM is a framework that helps organizations improve
their software development processes. It outlines five maturity levels: Initial, Repeatable,
Defined, Managed, and Optimizing. Each level has key process areas and goals that
organizations should strive to achieve to enhance their software development capabilities.
CMM provides a roadmap for organizations to assess their current maturity level and
identify areas for improvement.
3. Difference between black-box and white-box testing:
○ Black-box testing focuses on testing the software's functionality without knowledge of its
internal code or structure. Testers provide inputs and observe outputs to ensure the
software meets requirements.
○ White-box testing involves testing the internal code and structure of the software.
Testers have access to the code and design tests to cover different code paths,
branches, and conditions.
4. Common risks in a software project:
○ Schedule risks: Delays due to unforeseen circumstances, resource unavailability, or
scope creep.
○ Budget risks: Cost overruns due to inaccurate estimations, changing requirements, or
unexpected issues.
○ Technical risks: Challenges with technology selection, integration, or performance.
○ Operational risks: Issues with deployment, user acceptance, or ongoing maintenance.
5. Use case diagram of a library management system: (Please refer to the actual PDF
document for the diagram as I cannot generate visual content.) The diagram would typically
include actors like Librarian, Member, and System, with use cases like Borrow Book, Return
Book, Search Catalog, and Manage Members.

2017
1. Spiral Model: The Spiral Model is an iterative software development approach that
combines elements of prototyping and the waterfall model. It emphasizes risk management
and involves cycles of planning, risk analysis, engineering, and evaluation. (Please refer to
the PDF document for the diagram.) The model is known for its flexibility and adaptability to
changing requirements.
2. Project Planning: Project planning is crucial for software development success. It involves
defining project scope, estimating effort and resources, creating a schedule, and identifying
 potential risks. A precedence diagram helps visualize the order of activities and their
dependencies.
3. Empirical Cost Estimation Techniques: These techniques rely on historical data and
statistical models to estimate software project costs. Examples include COCOMO
(Constructive Cost Model) and Function Point Analysis. These methods use project size,
complexity, and other factors to predict effort, cost, and duration.
4. Cohesion: Cohesion refers to the degree to which elements within a module are
functionally related. High cohesion is desirable as it indicates a well-defined module with a
clear purpose. Software should be designed with high cohesion to improve maintainability,
reusability, and understandability. Cohesion focuses on the internal elements of a module,
while coupling focuses on the relationships between modules.
5. Error vs. Failure: An error is a human mistake in the code, while a failure is the incorrect
behavior of the software due to the error. Testing detects failures, which can then be traced
back to errors in the code.

2018
1. Spiral Model is not a panacea: This means that the Spiral Model, while effective, is not a
solution for all software development challenges. It can be complex to manage and may not
be suitable for smaller projects with limited resources. It is called a meta-model because it
can incorporate other software development models within its framework.
2. Information elicitation: This involves gathering information about the software project from
stakeholders through techniques like interviews, questionnaires, workshops, and document
analysis. The goal is to understand user needs, business requirements, and project
constraints.
3. Metrics for software estimation: These metrics help measure and predict software project
parameters like size, effort, cost, and duration. Examples include Lines of Code (LOC),
Function Points (FP), and Story Points. Feature point metrics consider various aspects of
the software's functionality and complexity to estimate its size.
4. Major components of SRS: An SRS document typically includes sections on Introduction,
Overall Description, Specific Requirements, and Supporting Information. These sections
cover the software's purpose, functionality, constraints, and acceptance criteria.
5. Work breakdown structure for admission to an engineering college: (Please refer to
the PDF document for the detailed breakdown.) The major phases would be Exam
Preparation, Entrance Exam, Admission Criterion, and Counseling and Fees Payment.
Each phase would have tasks, subtasks, and deliverables.

2019
1. Spiral life cycle: (Please refer to the PDF document for the diagram.) The diagram shows
the iterative nature of the Spiral Model, with cycles of planning, risk analysis, engineering,
and evaluation.
2. Software validation and verification:
○ Validation ensures the software meets user needs and expectations.
○ Verification ensures the software is built correctly according to specifications.
3. Software quality assurance: This involves activities and processes aimed at ensuring the
quality of the software product. It includes planning, monitoring, and controlling processes
related to requirements, design, coding, testing, and maintenance.
4. White box and black box testing: (Refer to the answer in the 2016 section.)
5. Formal technical review (FTR): FTR is a structured review process to identify defects and
improve software quality. It involves a team of reviewers who examine the software artifacts
and documentation. Fault is a defect in the code, failure is the incorrect behavior of the
software, and error is the human mistake that led to the fault.

2022
1. Rayleigh curve: The Rayleigh curve is a statistical model used in software reliability
engineering to represent the failure rate of a software system over time. It is particularly
relevant for systems that exhibit a bathtub-shaped failure rate pattern.
2. Basic COCOMO model: The Basic COCOMO model is an empirical cost estimation
technique that uses the software project's size (in lines of code) to estimate effort, cost, and
duration. It is a simple model with a single equation and is suitable for initial cost
estimations.
3. Software Project plan: A Software Project plan is a comprehensive document that outlines
the project's objectives, scope, schedule, resources, risks, and deliverables. It serves as a
roadmap for the project team and stakeholders.
4. Re-engineering legacy systems: This involves updating or modifying older software
systems to improve their maintainability, functionality, or performance. It can include
restructuring code, migrating to new technologies, or enhancing existing features.
5. White box testing: (Refer to the answer in the 2016 section.)
 Group-C

I can answer some of the Group-C questions that don't require creating diagrams or performing
complex calculations. Here are the answers to those questions:

2016
● 7 (a) What is software engineering?
Software engineering is the application of engineering principles and practices to the design,
development, and maintenance of software systems. It involves1 a systematic approach to the
creation of software that meets specific requirements and quality standards.
● 7 (b) Discuss the software engineering process.
The software engineering process is a series of steps involved in the development of a
software system. These steps typically include requirements gathering and analysis, design,
implementation (coding), testing, deployment, and maintenance. The specific process model
used can vary (e.g., waterfall, agile), but the core principles of planning, execution, and
control remain the same.
● 11 (b) What is software reliability?
Software reliability is the probability that a software system will perform its intended function
without failure for a specified period of time under defined conditions. It is a measure of the
software's dependability and trustworthiness.

2017
● 9 (a) What is SDLCM?
SDLCM stands for Software Development Life Cycle Model. It is a framework that outlines the
phases involved in the development of a software system. Different SDLCMs (e.g., waterfall,
spiral, agile) provide different approaches to the software development process, each with its
own advantages and disadvantages.

2018
● 7 What is cost-benefit analysis?
Cost-benefit analysis is a process of evaluating the costs and benefits of a project or decision.
In the context of software development, it involves assessing the financial and non-financial
costs of developing and maintaining a software system compared to the potential benefits it
will bring to the organization.
● 9 (c) What are the propositions of Putnam's model?
Putnam's model is a software estimation model that relates effort, development time, and
project size. Its main proposition is that there is a trade-off between these factors, meaning
that a project can be completed faster by increasing effort, but this will also increase the
overall cost.

2019
● 1 (a) Explain when and why you will use PART charts and when and why you will use
 Gantt charts while you are a project manager.
PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) charts are used to visualize project
activities, their dependencies, and the critical path. Gantt charts are used to track project
progress and resource allocation over time. A project manager might use PERT charts for
planning and scheduling, while Gantt charts are more useful for monitoring and reporting.
● 2 What is reliability?
Reliability is the probability that a software system will perform its intended function without
failure for a specified period of time under defined conditions. It is a measure of the software's
dependability and trustworthiness.
● 10 (a) Why is intermediate COCOMO expected to give more accurate estimates than
the basic COCOMO?
Intermediate COCOMO is an extension of the basic COCOMO model that incorporates
additional factors, such as product attributes, platform characteristics, and personnel
experience, to provide more accurate cost estimations.

2022
● 3 (b) Discuss why "low coupling and high cohesion" are features of good design.
Low coupling means that modules are relatively independent of each other, while high
cohesion means that elements within a module are functionally related. These features lead
to software that is easier to understand, maintain, and modify.
● 5 (a) 'Software doesn't wear out' justify.
Unlike hardware, software does not degrade over time due to physical wear and tear.
However, it can become outdated or deteriorate due to changes in requirements, operating
environments, or the accumulation of bugs.