[Year 12 SofDev] Sample questions and examination advice

Tue May 1 13:38:15 EST 2007

Thanks for the expert advice, Kevork!  I could still argue about Q8 
though: it's not good.  If the examiners were aiming for an "A+ student 
discriminator question" they could have chosen a better one.

Kevork Krozian wrote:
> Hi Folks,
> 
>    I agree with the answers except ...
>  
>  Q7: the double negative in Answer B adds to the confusion. In the agile and RAD models allow for coding while designing. Coding means testing . Who writes hundreds of lines of code without compiling or some early testing ?
> I don't know about D. If it were true, no system every developed by the Waterfall model would be current. C is rather extreme as well. Is it really impossible to get one phase perfect before moving on to the next ? It maybe hard but not impossible. B is my preference on the grounds the waterfall model does not allow for coding/testing until Analysis and Design are complete while the Agile and RAD models do allow it testing without completing the Design phase.
> 
>  Q 8. You really need all 4 of encryption, firewall, anti-virus and backup.  I would argue for backup and encryption definitely as you can't take payment without encryption and who can argue against backup ? That means B or D. The only issue is, firewall or anti - virus ?  
> What are the examiners thinking here , that a server where orders are taken is not a typical client and therefore would not normally risk a virus infection through browsing or receiving an email ? But, a server needs to have browsers for downloading patches, checking newsgroups for solutions , perhaps an email client for receiving messages or the like. All our servers have anti virus software and check for viruses each time a file is stored on the server. 
> 
> What does a firewall do  ? Block IP addresses ( layer 3 ) or ports ( layer 4 ) or specific directions of traffic eg. inbound disallowed unless initiated by outbound traffic. If we only have a web server running on a machine it should only have port 80 open. If it is receiving payment and using encryption it should use port 443. So presumably there will be a firewall of some type to stop people trying to telnet, ftp or otherwise access open but vulnerable ports that may be a weakness in the system for hackers to get through.
> 
> As usual I know what happens in reality and I know what answer the examiners want. 
> Under the circumstances if forced to give an answer I would select B.
> 
> Q 19 is D. See System Documentation Methods by Judy Adams for more info. ISBN 1875886184.
> 
> Q 20  A bad question from 2005 Section B Question 12. Of the answers D is the only correct one. This type of network forcing all internet traffic through a server was retired last decade and is not built anymore. The server should just be like one more workstation in the star network. In all humility and sincerity, I may take this up with higher authorities as the message is not getting through. 
> 
> Section B
> Q2:  Are we looking for simple data type eg. integer, real, string for data type and organisation of data as in cells, or elements accessed by an index ?
>  What about records ? Holds a collection of fields, each of which can be a different data type and organisation as being in a file or an array of records ?
>  And linked list ? Like a record but with a pointer to connect to next record ?
>  A column for an example would have been fairer here so students can be specific rather than use definitions that makes it a little harder to express unless you are programming with these data structures .
> 
> Best wishes
> Kevork
> 
> 
> 
>>>> kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au 29/04/2007 9:19 am >>>
> Hi Gordon
> 
> Oops!  Q1 was a typo - I meant to say 1B, so we agree there.
> 
> Q7 - how can you test *before* analysis and design? No product has been 
> developed yet - it can't be tested if it doesn't exist  :-)
> 
> Q19 - is tricky.  I categorised 'system flow charts' as more of a 
> procedural design tool.  Might be wrong there.
> 
> Q20 - the firewall should be the first device exposed to the internet, 
> so I'm confident it has to be 'D'.  Also, it has to be a switch that 
> feeds the workstations, not a firewall.
> 
> Cheers
> Mark
> 
> gordonp at horsham-college.vic.edu.au wrote:
>> 16/20 by my count Mark - but i'll have a few wrong too!
>> differences: 1B   7B   19D   20A
>>
>> i found question 8 the most difficult
>>
>> multi choice sux - except for machine marking        
>>                     cheers gordon
>>
>>
>> Mark Kelly <kel at mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au> on Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:40:47 +1000 wrote:
>>> OK.  Like a lamb to the slaughter, I propose these answers for section A
>>>
>>> 1C
>>> 2D
>>> 3C
>>> 4A
>>> 5C
>>> 6B
>>> 7D
>>> 8C - ?
>>> 9D
>>> 10D
>>> 11A
>>> 12D
>>> 13B
>>> 14A
>>> 15B
>>> 16A
>>> 17B
>>> 18C
>>> 19C - ?
>>> 20D
>>>
>>> Christophersen, Paula P wrote:
>>>> Dear colleagues
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>>> Attached is the sample questions and examination advice for Software 
>>>> development. Please note that the format of the paper has changed for 
>>>> this year. There will be *three *sections: Section A multiple choice; 
>>>> Section B short answer (like previous Section A); Section C case study 
>>>> (like previous Section B). You will note that some of the sample 
>>>> multiple choice questions are based on short answer questions from past 
>>>> papers âˆ’ this technique should provide a source for you to develop 
>>>> further multiple choice questions.
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>>> Regards
>>>>
>>>> Paula
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>>> Paula Christophersen
>>>>
>>>> ICT Curriculum Manager
>>>>
>>>> Victorian Curriculum and Assessment
>>>>
>>>> Authority
>>>>
>>>> 41 St Andrews Place
>>>>
>>>> EAST MELBOURNE 3002
>>>>
>>>> Phone: 03 9651 4378
>>>>
>>>> Fax: 03 9651 4324
>>>>
>>>>  
>>>>
>>>> *Important - *This email and any attachments may be confidential. If 
>>>> received in error, please contact us and delete all copies. Before 
>>>> opening or using attachments check them for viruses and defects. 
>>>> Regardless of any loss, damage or consequence, whether caused by the 
>>>> negligence of the sender or not, resulting directly or indirectly from 
>>>> the use of any attached files our liability is limited to resupplying 
>>>> any affected attachments. Any representations or opinions expressed are 
>>>> those of the individual sender, and not necessarily those of the 
>>>> Department of Education.
>>>>
>>>> nï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½iï¿½ï¿½0ï¿½ï¿½nï¿½+-ï¿½ï¿½&jï¿½mï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½vï¿½bï¿½ï¿½ï¿½fï¿½ï¿½Jï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ 
>>>> ï¿½Þ-ï¿½fz{Lj)bï¿½ï¿½ï¿½"ï¿½ï¿½rï¿½ï¿½iï¿½ï¿½^uï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½kyï¿½ï¿½ï¿½0ï¿½Æšï¿½'væ®†ï¿½iï¿½ï¿½0ï¿½ï¿½jï¿½yÛšï¿½ï¿½ï¿½hï¿½&ï¿½ 
>>>> ï¿½ï¿½Ë¥ï¿½fï¿½t,zï¿½&z{@ï¿½ï¿½hï¿½+rjw[ï¿½ï¿½kyï¿½ï¿½ï¿½0ï¿½+mjï¿½ï¿½jï¿½mï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½/ï¿½ï¿½Zï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½!4ï¿½V'-ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ß¢ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½*'Mï¿½!ï¿½ï¿½hï¿½$ï¿½iï¿½^ï¿½ï¿½,ï¿½ï¿½"jØ̈ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½mml==
>>> -- 
>>> Mark Kelly
>>> Manager - Information Systems
>>> McKinnon Secondary College
>>> McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
>>> Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
>>> School Phone +613 8520 9000
>>> School Fax +613 95789253
>>>
>>> Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au 
>>> IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com 
>>> Moderator: IT Applications Mailing List
>>>
>>> There are 10 kinds of people in the world: those who understand binary
>>> and those who don't.
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.edulists.com.au 
>>> IT Software Development Mailing List kindly supported by
>>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
>>
>> ---
>> Gordon Poultney
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.edulists.com.au 
>> IT Software Development Mailing List kindly supported by
>> http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au - Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and
>> http://www.vitta.org.au  - VITTA Victorian Information Technology Teachers Association Inc
>>
>>
> 
> 

-- 
Mark Kelly
Manager - Information Systems
McKinnon Secondary College
McKinnon Rd McKinnon 3204, Victoria, Australia
Direct line / Voicemail: 8520 9085
School Phone +613 8520 9000 << new number!
School Fax   +613 9578 9253

Webmaster - http://www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au
IT Lecture notes: http://vceit.com
Moderator: IPM Mailing List

Doctor - We must all face reality sooner or later.
Dowd   - I wrestled with reality for 35 years, doctor, and I'm happy to 
say I won out over it.  ('Harvey', 1950)