iSQI CTFL_Syll2018 - ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (Syllabus 2018)

In the context of software testing, the correct sequence of events typically starts with a mistake, which is a human error made during the software development process. This mistake can lead to a fault in the code, which is a defect or bug that exists in the software. If this fault is executed, it may cause a failure, which is an instance where the software does not perform its intended function.

References: The ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 documents provide detailed explanations of these terms and their sequence. Specifically, the syllabus outlines the fundamental concepts of software testing, including the definitions and differences between errors, faults, and failures.

 According to the syllabus, dynamic analysis tools are tools that perform testing or analysis by executing the software or a part of it. Dynamic analysis tools can help detect defects or problems that only appear during runtime, such as memory leaks, performance issues, concurrency errors, etc. The answer A is correct because it suggests using a dynamic analysis tool for detecting a memory leak during performance testing. A memory leak is a situation where a code component fails to release memory after it has finished using it, causing memory exhaustion and degradation of performance. A dynamic analysis tool can monitor the memory usage of the code component and identify any memory leaks. The other answers are incorrect because they suggest using tools that are not suitable for detecting memory leaks during performance testing. A test execution tool is a tool that executes test cases automatically or semi-automatically. A configuration management tool is a tool that controls and tracks changes to the software components and documentation. A coverage measurement tool is a tool that measures how much of the code or functionality has been exercised by a test suite.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 4.6.1, page 53-54.

I and III are “testing general principles”. These principles state that exhaustive testing is impossible and testing can show the presence of defects but cannot demonstrate their absence. These principles reflect the limitations and objectives of testing software systems4 states these principles as follows:

Exhaustive testing is impossible: Testing everything (all combinations of inputs and preconditions) is not feasible except for trivial cases. Instead of exhaustive testing, risk analysis and priorities should be used to focus testing efforts.

Testing shows the presence of defects: Testing can show that defects are present, but cannot prove that there are no defects. Testing reduces the probability of undiscovered defects remaining in the software but, even if no defects are found, it is not a proof of correctness.

B, C, and D are incorrect answers. II and IV are not “testing general principles”. These statements are false or misleading. The defects found during the pre-release tests or the operational failures are not uniformly distributed across the system’s software modules (II), as they tend to cluster in certain areas or components. Testing is not context-independent (IV), as it depends on the specific objectives, requirements, risks, and characteristics of the system under test.

 According to the syllabus, the choice of a particular type of software development life cycle (SDLC) model depends on various factors, such as project size, complexity, scope, budget, schedule, quality requirements, risk level, customer involvement, etc. The type of product being developed is one of the most important factors that influences the selection of an SDLC model, as different products may have different characteristics, expectations, and challenges that require different approaches to development. For example, a product that has well-defined and stable requirements may benefit from a sequential SDLC model like waterfall or V-model, while a product that has vague or changing requirements may benefit from an iterative SDLC model like incremental or agile. The answer D is correct because it best reflects the reason for selecting a particular type of SDLC model. The other answers are incorrect because they are not good reasons for selecting a particular type of SDLC model. Tester skill level with the SDLC model (A) may affect the effectiveness and efficiency of testing activities, but it should not be the primary factor for choosing an SDLC model. Testers should be able to adapt to different SDLC models depending on the project context and objectives. The project manager’s preference (B) may reflect their personal experience or opinion, but it should not be the sole factor for choosing an SDLC model. The project manager should consider various factors and consult with other stakeholders before selecting an SDLC model. The project team’s overall familiarity with the model © may affect the productivity and collaboration of the team members, but it should not be the main factor for choosing an SDLC model. The project team should be able to learn and apply different SDLC models depending on the project context and objectives.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 1.1.1, page 9-10.

Equivalence partitioning is a technique to divide a set of possible inputs or outputs into classes that are expected to behave similarly or produce similar results. For each equivalence class, only one test case is required to represent the whole class. In this case, we can identify the following equivalence classes for the input field ‘ZIP code’:

Valid ZIP code format and valid ZIP code value (e.g., 12345)

Valid ZIP code format and invalid ZIP code value (e.g., 99999)

Invalid ZIP code format and valid ZIP code value (e.g., 1234)

Invalid ZIP code format and invalid ZIP code value (e.g., ABCDE)

Therefore, four test cases are required to test this field using equivalence partitioning.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 4.4.1

The statement that component testing tests interfaces between modules and interactions of different parts of a system does not describe component testing. Component testing is the process of testing individual software components that are separately testable, such as modules, programs, objects, classes, etc. Component testing verifies the functionality and quality of the components in isolation from other components. Component testing does not test the interfaces or interactions between components, as this is done in integration testing.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 5.1.2

The order in which the specifications for test cases, test conditions and test procedures are developed as a part of the test development process is as follows:

Test Condition: A test condition is an item or event of a component or system that could be verified by one or more test cases, such as a function, transaction, feature, quality attribute, or structural element.

Test Case: A test case is a set of input values, execution preconditions, expected results and execution postconditions, developed for a particular objective or test condition, such as to exercise a particular program path or to verify compliance with a specific requirement.

Test Procedure: A test procedure is a document providing detailed instructions for the execution of one or more test cases.

Therefore, the correct order is test condition --> test case --> test procedure.

References: [Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus], Section 4.2.1 and Glossary

Code coverage can be used to ensure that all code is exercised by tests, because it measures how much of the code or functionality of the software under test has been exercised by the test cases . Code coverage can help to identify untested or dead code, improve test design, and assess test quality . The other options are not true statements about code coverage. Option A is false, because 100% code coverage does not imply 100% coverage of requirements, as there may be defects or gaps in the requirements or in the mapping between requirements and code . Option B is false, because 100% code coverage does not guarantee that there are no coding errors, as there may be logical or functional errors that are not detected by code coverage . Option D is false, because code coverage does not ensure that all decisions are correctly implemented in the code, as it only measures whether the decisions are executed or not, but not whether they produce the correct results .

The correct answer is B, as it achieves the highest equivalence partition coverage. Equivalence partitioning is a black-box test technique that divides the input domain into partitions of equivalent data from which test cases can be derived1. In this case, the input domain is the numerical grades, and the partitions are the ranges of grades that correspond to different letter grades. Option B covers all five partitions, as it includes test inputs from each range. Option A covers only four partitions, as it does not include any test input from the range above 89. Option C covers only three partitions, as it does not include any test input from the ranges above 79 and below 60. Option D covers only two partitions, as it does not include any test input from the ranges below 79. References: 1, Section 4.2.3

The statement that environmental conditions only affect the hardware - not the software is not a good explanation why software failures can be caused by environmental conditions. Environmental conditions can affect both the hardware and the software, as they can influence the performance, reliability, and functionality of the system. For example, factors like magnetism, radiation, pollution, heat, humidity, vibration, etc. can affect electronic devices and the embedded software that runs on them. Software failures caused by environmental conditions can have serious consequences, especially for safety-critical systems. References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 1.2.2