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2.1 Software development process Read Online
2.2 Requirements analysis Read Online
2.3 Software design Read Online
2.4 Software construction Read Online
2.5 Software testing Read Online
2.6 Software maintenance Read Online
2.7 Software configuration management Read Online
Virtually all countries now depend on complex computer-based systems. More and more products incorporate computers and controlling software in some form. The software in these systems represents a large and increasing proportion of the total system costs. Therefore, producing software in a cost-effective way is essential for the functioning of national and international economies.
Software engineering is an engineering discipline whose goal is the cost-effective development of software systems. Software is abstract and intangible. It is not constrained by materials, governed by physical laws or by manufacturing processes. In some ways, this simplifies software engineering as there are no physical limitations on the potential of software. In other ways, however, this lack of natural constraints means that software can easily become extremely complex and hence very difficult to understand.
Software engineering is still a relatively young discipline. The notion of ‘software engineering’ was first proposed in 1968 at a conference held to discuss what was then called the ‘software crisis’. This software crisis resulted directly from the introduction of powerful, third generation computer hardware. Their power made hitherto unrealisable computer applications a feasible proposition. The resulting software was orders of magnitude larger and more complex than previous software systems.
Early experience in building these systems showed that an informal approach to software development was not good enough. Major projects were sometimes years late. They cost much more than originally predicted, were unreliable, difficult to maintain and performed poorly. Software development was in crisis. Hardware costs were tumbling whilst software costs were rising rapidly. New techniques and methods were needed to control the complexity inherent in large software systems.
These techniques have become part of software engineering and are now widely although not universally used. However, there are still problems in producing complex software which meets user expectations, is delivered on time and to budget. Many software projects still have problems and this has led to some commentators (Pressman, 1997) suggesting that software engineering is in a state of chronic affliction.
As our ability to produce software has increased so too has the complexity of the software systems required. New technologies resulting from the convergence of computers and communication systems place new demands on software engineers. For this reason and because many companies do not apply software engineering techniques effectively, we still have problems. Things are not as bad as the doomsayers suggest but there is clearly room for improvement.
Question: After entering numbers and using the SUM function to sum the numbers, when is the function updated if one of the numbers changes?
Choices:
When you refresh the worksheet
At once
When the file is saved
When you close the file
Question: The entry =PMT(C5/12,C6*12,C7):
Choices:
Computes an annual payment
Is invalid because the cell reference C7 is not absolute
Is invalid because the value in C7 is negative
Divides the interest rate in C5, multiplies the number of periods in C6, and C7 is the loan amount
Question: Given the function =VLOOKUP(C6,D12:F18,3):
Choices:
The entries in cells D12 through D18 are in descending order.
The entries in cells D12 through D18 are in ascending order.
The entries in cells F12 through F18 are in descending order.
The entries in cells F12 through F18 are in ascending order.
Question: If you wanted the contents of only a column to stay the same throughout the copy process, you would use which of the following?
Choices:
Absolute reference
This is not possible
Mixed reference
Relative reference
Question: The small black square in the bottom-right corner of a cell is called what?
Choices:
Fill handle
Pointer
Crosshair
Select box
Question: If you see the term "C3" used in relation to Excel, it refers to what?
Choices:
Cell reference
Absolute reference
Worksheet reference
Mixed reference
Question: Which of the following returns the system date?
Choices:
The Today() function
Date arithmetic
The Date() function
The Insert Date command
Question: Pointing is a technique to:
Choices:
Select a range of contiguous cells
Select a single cell
Select ranges of noncontiguous cells
All of the above
Question: Which of the following references would indicate that the column would not change during the copy process?
Choices:
$C4
=C4
C$4
$C$4
Question: Which of the following is an example of an absolute cell reference?
Choices:
$C$4
C4
=C4
$C4
Question: Which of the following must be entered when creating a formula?
Choices:
A mathematical operator
The equal sign
Nothing special is required.
A function