Sample Exam #1 (ASTQB)

Which document specifies the inputs and outputs for a test? a. Test design specification b. Test case specification c. Test procedure specification d. Test plan

B is correct. The inputs and outputs are defined in the test case.

Which of the following is the purpose of a proof-of-concept for a new tool? a. To verify that the licensing cost is affordable b. To verify that the tool will work effectively within the current infrastructure c. To verify that the vendor will provide adequate support d. To verify that the return on investment will be sufficient

B is correct. The proof-of-concept is to ensure that the tool will work with the system under test and within the current infrastructure. A, C and D are all important to verify, but are not activities covered within the proof-of-concept.

Which of the following is a good reason to use experience-based testing? a. You can find defects that might be missed by more formal techniques b. You can test for defects that only experienced users would encounter c. You can target the developer's efforts to the areas that users will be more likely to use d. It is supported by strong tools and can be automated

A is correct. Experience-based testing is often used to fill in the gaps left by the more formal testing techniques. B is not correct because it is used by experienced testers and has nothing to do with the experience level of the users. C is not correct because it is a test technique, not a development technique. D is not correct. There is not much tool support for these techniques and automation is not usually a goal because the effectiveness depends on the experience of the tester.

Which of the following is the correct list of the triggers for maintenance testing? a. A component in production is modified, migrated or retired b. A fix has been received for a product that is in development c. A regression has been discovered in a set of fixes just received from the developer d. A new requirement has been received for the software that is currently under test that may result in an architectural change

A is correct. Maintenance testing is conducted for products that have been released to production that have been modified, migrated or had some component retired. B is not correct because the product is still in development, not in production. C is not correct because the product is still in testing and has not been released yet (we hope!). D is not correct because this is a product that is still in development that has not yet been released to production.

If you are applying risk-based testing, which type of test approach are you using? a. Analytical b. Methodical c. Regulatory d. Model-based

A is correct. Risk-based testing is an analytical approach to testing based off the risk analysis.

Which of the following is a correct statement? a. A developer makes a mistake which causes a defect that may be seen as a failure during dynamic testing b. A developer makes an error which results in a failure that may be seen as a fault when the software is executed c. A developer has a failure which results in a defect that may be seen as a mistake during dynamic testing d. A developer makes a mistake which causes a bug that may be seen as a defect when the software is executed

A is correct. The developer makes a mistake/error which causes a defect/fault/bug which may cause a failure when the code is dynamically tested or executed. B is incorrect because fault and failure are reversed. C is incorrect because failure and mistake are reversed. D is incorrect because it's a failure that's seen during execution, not the defect itself. The failure is a symptom of the defect.

Which of the following is a task that a test leader would be expected to do? a. Write a test strategy b. Set up a test environment c. Prepare test data d. Automate tests

A is correct. The others are tasks that would be expected of a tester.

If a test tool is causing a probe effect, what does this mean? a. The outcome of the test may be influenced by the use of the tool b. The tool is used to continuously probe the software for defects c. The tool is used primarily to assist with exploratory testing d. The tester will require special training to be able to effectively use the tool

A is correct. The probe effect means that the tool has been intrusive and may influence the results of the test and the way the software works.

Why is it important to define usage guidelines for a new tool? a. Because this is a proven success factor in tool deployment b. Because this will ensure the licensing restrictions are enforced c. Because management needs to understand the details of the tool usage d. Because this will provide the information needed for the cost/benefit analysis

A is correct. This is one of the success factors in tool deployment. B is not correct because the usage guidelines are for the actual users, not the overall organization which is where the licensing requirements might be a concern. C is not correct because management is not focusing on the details. D is not correct because the cost/benefit information needs to be gathered long before the tool is procured.

Which of the following is the lowest level of independence? a. Tests are designed by the person who wrote the code b. Tests are designed by a developer other than the one who wrote the code c. Tests are designed by an independent test team d. Tests are designed by an outsourced test team

A is correct. When the person who wrote the code is the person designing the tests, that is the lowest level of independence possible. The higher levels of independence come from separating the test design from the development of the code.

Consider the following high level program design and assume you can provide the values for today, A, B and C: Start; Do until B = C If today = Monday set A = 1 else if today = Wednesday Set A = 2 Set B = C Endif; If B < C B = B + 1 Endif; Endloop; End; Which of the following sets of values will achieve 100% decision coverage with the least number of test cases (the order of the values is today, A, B, C)? a. Monday, 1, 3, 3; Monday 3, 2, 4; Wednesday, 1, 2, 3; Tuesday, 5, 4, 3 b. Monday, 1, 2, 4; Wednesday 1, 2, 4 c. Monday, 5, 1, 1; Tuesday, 5, 1, 2; Wednesday, 5, 1, 2 d. Monday, 5, 3, 2; Monday, 5, 1, 1; Monday 5, 2, 3; Tuesday, 4, 4, 3; Wednesday, 1, 2, 3

A is correct. You have to do and not do the loop and try Wednesday and a not Monday/Wednesday.

Which of the following is a true statement about test planning? a. It should be done at the beginning of the project b. It should be a continuous activity throughout the project c. It should be started during design and finished before execution d. It should be used as input for the test strategy

B is correct per the syllabus. D is backwards - the test strategy influences the test plan.

Usability testing is an example of which type of testing? a. Functional b. Non-functional c. Structural d. Change-related

B is correct.

If test cases are derived from looking at the code, what type of test design technique is being used? a. Black-box b. White-box c. Specification-based d. Behavior-based

B is correct. A, C and D are all black-box and use the specifications or requirements for the test design.

How does a test condition relate to a test case? a. A test condition defines the test case b. A test case tests a test condition c. A test condition is the output from a test case d. A test case creates test conditions

B is correct. A test condition is what a test case targets for testing.

Which of the following is a true statement about exhaustive testing? a. It is a form of stress testing b. It is not feasible except in the case of trivial software c. It is commonly done with test automation d. It is normally the responsibility of the developer during unit testing

B is correct. Exhaustive testing, all combinations of inputs and preconditions, is not feasible unless the software is trivially simple. Otherwise it would take too long and might not even be possible.

Given the following program fragment: if day = Monday then statement a else statement b end if if day = Tuesday then statement c end if What is the minimum number of test cases needed to achieve 100% statement coverage? a. 1 b. 2 c. 3 d. 4

B is correct. Only two tests are needed, one with day = Monday and one with day = Tuesday. The Tuesday test will test the first else statement and the second if statement.

Which testing technique would be most effective in determining and improving the maintainability of the code (assuming developers fix what is found)? a. Peer reviews b. Static analysis c. Dynamic testing d. Unit testing

B is correct. Static analysis with tools will give the best results for improving maintainability and ensuring adherence to good coding practices. A may help, but depending on the peer, it may just reinforce bad habits. C is unlikely to help because only failures will be observed, not the underlying code. D may help, but since it's usually done by the developer who wrote the code, it's unlikely to highlight maintenance issues.

Designing and prioritizing high level test cases occurs during which activity in the fundamental test process? a. Test planning b. Test analysis and design c. Test implementation and execution d. Evaluating exit criteria

B is correct. The design and prioritization of the high level test cases happens during test analysis and design. Prioritization of the test procedures happens during implementation and execution.

In a V-model lifecycle, what should testers be doing when the design documents are available? a. Preparing unit test code b. Preparing functional and non-functional test cases c. Reviewing the high-level requirements documents d. Preparing system acceptance tests

B is correct. When the design documents are finished, the tester should have enough information to be writing the functional and non-functional test cases. This can also be used as a way to review the design documents. A is not correct because this is the developer's job. C is not correct because this should have been done before the requirements documents were signed off and design started. D is not correct because this could have been done from the requirements documents and should already be complete at this point.

You are testing a machine that scores exam papers and assigns grades. Based on the score achieved the grades are as follows: 1-49 = F, 50-59 = D-, 60-69 = D, 70-79 = C, 80-89 = B, 90-100=A If you apply equivalence partitioning, how many test cases will you need to achieve minimum test coverage? a. 6 b. 8 c. 10 d. 12

B is correct. You need a test for the invalid too low (0 or less), one for each valid partition, and one for invalid too high (>100).

Which of the following is a type of issue that is best found in static analysis? a. An inaccurate formula b. A memory leak c. A piece of dead code d. A problem with the code not matching the requirements

C is correct. Dead code should be detected by a static analysis tool and it can be quite hard to find any other way. A is not correct because this is better found by a code review or dynamic testing. B is better found by dynamic testing. D is best found in a code review where humans are checking the code against the requirements. This could also be caught during system testing.

Which of the following is an example of debugging? a. A tester finds a defect and reports it b. A tester retests a fix from the developer and finds a regression c. A developer finds and fixes a defect d. A developer performs unit testing

C is correct. Debugging is what the developer does to identify the cause of the defect, analyze it and fix it. D may involve debugging, if the developer finds a defect, but the act of unit testing is not the same as debugging.

In a formal review, which role is normally responsible for documenting all the open issues? a. The moderator b. The author c. The scribe d. The manager

C is correct. The scribe is normally responsible for documenting all issues, problems and open points. The author may take notes as well, but that is not their primary role.

Which of the following is a true statement about test automation scripts that are captured using a capture/replay tool? a. The scripts are easy to maintain b. The scripts are data-driven c. The scripts may be unstable d. The scripts are created by experienced automators

C is correct. The scripts tend to be unstable and easily broken when changes to the system occur. A is not correct because the scripts are notoriously difficult to maintain. B is not correct because the data is hard coded in the scripts. D is not correct because experienced automators will write scripts using shells rather than just using the script created by the capture/replay tool.

What is covered in the variances section of the Test Summary Report? a. The variances between the weekly status reports and the final summary report b. The variances between the defects found and the defects fixed c. The variances between what was planned for testing and what was actually tested d. The variances between the test cases executed and the total number of test cases

C is correct. The variances section talks about the differences between the test plan and the testing that was actually done.

When should the testers start reviewing project documents? a. When they have been baselined and approved b. After the first revision c. As soon as a draft is available d. When the developers have started coding

C is correct. This allows testers to have input into the quality of the document as well as the work products that will result from the documentation. Reviewing at the draft stage will require subsequent reviews as the document matures, but better to get a look at it while it's still being changed to provide input.

If you are using error guessing to target your testing, which type of testing are you doing? a. Specification-based b. Structure-based c. Experience-based d. Reference-based

C is correct. This is an experience-based technique.

You have been given the following conditions and results from those condition combinations. You can only have one form of payment. A PIN is only needed for a debit card. Given this information, using the decision table technique, what is the minimum number of test cases you would need to test these conditions? Conditions: Valid cash Valid credit card Valid debit card Valid PIN Bank accepts Valid Selection Item in Stock Results: Reject Cash Reject Card Error Message Return Cash Refund Card Sell Item a. 7 b. 13 c. 15 d. 18

C is correct. See table.

Which of the following is a project risk? a. A module that performs incorrect calculations due to a defect in a formula b. A failed performance test c. An issue with the interface between the system under test and a peripheral device d. A problem with the development manager which is resulting in his rejecting all defect reports

D is a project risk. The other three are product risks.

When following the fundamental test process, when should the test control activity take place? a. During the planning activities b. During the implementation and execution activities c. During the monitoring activities d. During all the activities

D is correct. Control occurs throughout the project to ensure that it is staying on track based on the plan and to take any corrective steps that may be necessary. The monitoring information is used to determine if control actions are needed.

If you are testing a module of code, how do you determine the level of decision coverage you have achieved? a. By taking the number of decisions you have tested and dividing that by the total number of executable statements in the module b. By taking the number of decisions you have tested and dividing that by the total number of decisions in the module c. By taking the number of decisions you have tested and dividing that by the total lines of code in the module d. By taking the number of decision outcomes you have tested and dividing that by the total number of decision outcomes in the module

D is correct. Decision coverage looks at the number of decision outcomes, not just the decision statements.

You have been given the following set of test cases to run. You have been instructed to run them in order by risk and to accomplish the testing as quickly as possible to provide feedback to the developers as soon as possible. Given this information, what is the best order in which to run these tests? a. 2, 4, 5, 6, 1, 3 b. 4, 3, 2, 5, 6, 1 c. 2, 5, 6, 4, 1, 3 d. 6, 1, 3, 2, 4, 5

A is correct because it addresses the highest risk and fastest tests first. It runs a fast medium test before a slow and more dependent high risk test because this will give feedback to the developers more quickly.

You have been tasked with organizing a set of test cases into a test procedure that will indicate the order in which the test cases will be run. The order of execution is important because you are trying to test end-to-end transactions in this e-commerce book sales application, but you must also consider the priority of the test cases as some are more critical than others. Given the test cases in this table, what would be the best order for execution to achieve both goals? (Note: 1 is the highest risk) a. 4, 6, 1, 3, 2, 5, 7 b. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 c. 1, 3, 4, 6, 1, 2, 5, 6, 7 d. 1, 3, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

C is correct. This meets the requirements of the end to end testing and does the highest priority test cases first in each set. A is not correct because it only considers priority, not the need to run the test cases in transactional order. B is not correct because it does not consider priority in the separate tasks and runs the low priority refund test twice. D is not correct because it does not consider the end to end flow.

You have received the following description section in an incident report. The report executed per the attached steps, but the data was incorrect. For example, the information in column 1 was wrong. See the attached screenshot. This report is critical to the users and they will be unable to do their jobs without this information. What is the biggest problem with this incident report? a. The developer won't know how important the problem is b. The developer won't know how to repeat the test c. The developer won't be able to see what the tester is saying is wrong d. The developer doesn't know what the tester expected to see

D is correct. From this information, the developer only knows the tester thinks the information is wrong, but it's not clear what was expected. A is incorrect because, although vague, the incident report seems to indicate this is an important problem. B is incorrect because the steps are attached (or so it says). C is incorrect because the screen shot should indicate column 1 that is wrong.

Which of the following is most correct regarding when functional tests may be executed? a. Unit and integration b. Integration and system c. System and acceptance d. All levels

D is correct. Functional testing should be conducted at all levels.

When test cases are designed early in the lifecycle, verifying the test basis via the test design, which common test objective is being achieved? a. Gaining confidence b. Finding defects c. Preventing defects d. Providing information for decision making

C is correct per the syllabus. The other three are achieved primarily by doing dynamic testing. This is a tricky one because you are very likely to find defects while doing this analysis and this may lead to either gaining or destroying confidence and needing to supply information to the decision makers. However, the wording of the question matches the wording in the syllabus that defines preventing defects.

A metric that tracks the number of test cases executed is gathered during which activity in the test process? a. Planning b. Implementation c. Execution d. Reporting

C is correct. Test execution metrics are gathered during the Test Execution activity. These metrics are used in reporting.

Which of the following is most correct regarding when non-functional tests may be executed? a. Unit and integration b. Integration and system c. System and acceptance d. All levels

D is correct. Non-functional testing should be conducted at all levels.

You are testing a machine that scores exam papers and assigns grades. Based on the score achieved the grades are as follows: 1-49 = F, 50-59 = D-, 60-69 = D, 70-79 = C, 80-89 = B, 90-100=A If you apply boundary value analysis, how many test cases will you need to achieve minimum test coverage? a. 8 b. 10 c. 12 d. 14

D is correct. You need the following test cases: 0, 1, 49, 50, 59, 60, 69, 70, 79, 80, 89, 90, 100, 101