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Software Engineering Question Paper

Software Engineering

Course:Bachelor Of Electrical And Electronics Engineering

Institution: Moi University question papers

Exam Year:2011

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2011/2012 ACADEMIC YEAR.
FOURTH YEAR FIRST SEMESTER EXAMINATION
FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING IN ELECTRICAL AND COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEERING.

COURSE CODE: COE 481
COURSE TITLE: SOFTWARE ENGINEERING

INSTRUCTION TO CANDIDATES
- QUESTION ONE IS COMPULSORY.
- ANSWER ANY OTHER FOUR QUESTIONS.

Question One (Compulsory)

a. Software engineering has been described as a "soft" engineering discipline but nonetheless an engineering discipline on its own merit. By giving concise examples from the discipline, explain why this is so. (6mks)

b. It has been argued that "software reuse is the only realistic approach to bring about the gains of productivity and quality that the software industry needs". Comment on this statement, making arguments for and against its validity. (5mks)

c. You have been asked to develop the following software project:

Moi University Cafeteria Enquiries and Orders Information Management System

The client wants development of a new management information system (MIS) to enable multi-user data entry and querying. It is expected that the system will encompass the following areas:
- User friendly interface
- Data entry validation
- Defined reports, especially job control sheets, which the client already uses on paper
- Querying of data to produce reports.

The client has a SQL server system that should be the database and will support intranel access from several desks.

The development models suggested for this project are: incremental development using a series of prototypes and waterfall model with progression through analysis, design, coding, testing and maintainance.

Determine the suitability of each of these two life cycles models for this project. Use appropriate examples to support your answers. (7mks)

Question Two
a. In the context of software design, define the following principles and illustrate each with an appropriate example:

i. Requirements traceability (2mks)
ii. Modularity (2mks)

b.
i. List three benefits of software reuse (3mks)

ii. Explain the concept of "design pattern" in software engineering, clearly showing how it can support software reuse. (6mks)

Question Three
a. It has been asserted that "Software testing can only detect errors present in a software system; it is not possible to show through testing that a system is 100% error free".

Discuss the validity of this statement with respect to modern software engineering testing practices.

b. Write test cases for the login page for a social networking service (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, etc.). Include both positive and negative test cases. (6mks)

Question Four
a. Quality can be described in many ways, some of which are given below:

- Quality means " to make without any errors";
- Quality means "to make fit for the client''s purpose";
- Quality means "to make each producat statistically the same as the previous product"

By justifying your answers, discuss the view (s) of quality which best address (s) the development of software. (6mks)

b. Briefly describe three roles that the customer plays in software validation (3mks)

c. Prove that the cyclomatic number for a flow graph is the number of the binary decisions +1 for all flow graphs with exactly one entry point and exactly one exit point. (4mks)

Question Five
a. Carefully compare Function Points with Lines of Code as techniques to estimate the cost of a software project. Indicate which method is more reliable and how you would improve its reliability. Justify your answers.

b. Define coupling and cohesion and explain what kinds of coupling and cohesion are desirable in a software design. (6mks)

Question Six
a. Distinguish between functional and non-functional requirements. (3mks)

b. State two advantages and two disadvantages of specifying requirements by using models as a complement to natural language. (4mks)

c. Describe three different methods that an analyst can use for getting requirements for an information system from an organisation. (6mks)

Software Engineering Question Paper

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