Skip to main content

ISTQB-CTFL Real Exam Questions

ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL v4.0)

419 questions available · Page 1 of 42

Updated Exam DumpsVerified AnswersPass Guarantee

Get Complete Exam Dumps
Question 1 Single choice

Which of the following statements about branch coverage is true?

  1. A

    The minimum number of test cases needed to achieve full branch coverage, is usually lower than that needed to achieve full statement coverage

  2. B

    If full branch coverage has been achieved, then all unconditional branches within the code have surely been exercised

  3. C

    If full branch coverage has been achieved, then all combinations of conditions in a decision table have surely been exercised

  4. D

    Exercising at least one of the decision outcomes for all decisions within the code, ensures achieving full branch coverage

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

Exercising at least one of the decision outcomes for all decisions within the code, ensures achieving full branch coverage, which is a test coverage criterion that requires that all branches in the control flow of the code are executed at least once by the test cases. A branch is a basic block of code that has a single entry point and a single exit point, and a decision is a point in the code where the control flow can take more than one direction, such as an if-then-else statement, a switch-case statement, a loop statement, etc. The decision outcomes are the possible paths that can be taken from a decision, such as the then branch or the else branch, the case branch or the default branch, the loop body or the loop exit, etc. The other statements are false, because:

The minimum number of test cases needed to achieve full branch coverage, is usually higher than that needed to achieve full statement coverage, which is a test coverage criterion that requires that all executable statements in the code are executed at least once by the test cases. This is because branch coverage is a stronger criterion than statement coverage, as it implies statement coverage, but not vice versa. For example, a single test case can achieve full statement coverage for an if-then-else statement, but two test cases are needed to achieve full branch coverage, as both the then branch and the else branch need to be exercised. If full branch coverage has been achieved, then all unconditional branches within the code have not necessarily been exercised, as unconditional branches are branches that do not depend on any decision, and are always executed, such as a goto statement, a break statement, a return statement, etc. Unconditional branches are not part of the branch coverage criterion, as they do not represent different paths in the control flow of the code. However, they are part of the statement coverage criterion, as they are executable statements in the code.
If full branch coverage has been achieved, then all combinations of conditions in a decision table have not necessarily been exercised, as a decision table is a test design technique that represents the logical relationships between multiple conditions and their corresponding actions, in a tabular format. A decision table can have more combinations of conditions than the number of decision outcomes in the code, as each condition can have two or more possible values, such as true or false, yes or no, etc. For example, a decision table with four conditions can have 16 combinations of conditions, but the corresponding code may have only two decision outcomes, such as pass or fail. To exercise all combinations of conditions in a decision table, a stronger test coverage criterion is needed, such as condition combination coverage, which requires that all possible combinations of condition outcomes in the code are executed at least once by the test cases.
References:
ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 sources and documents: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Chapter 2.3.1, Test Coverage Criteria Based on the Structure of the Software ISTQB Glossary of Testing Terms v4.0, Branch Coverage, Statement Coverage, Branch, Decision, Decision Outcome, Unconditional Branch, Decision Table, Condition Combination Coverage

Question 2 Single choice

Which of the following statements best describes how configuration management supports testing?

  1. A

    Configuration management helps reduce testing effort by identifying a manageable number of test environment configurations in which to test the software, out of all possible configurations of the environment in which the software will be released

  2. B

    Configuration management is an administrative discipline that includes change control, which is the process of controlling the changes to identified items referred to as Configuration Items'

  3. C

    Configuration management is an approach to interoperability testing where tests are executed in the cloud, as the cloud can provide cost-effective access to multiple configurations of the test environments

  4. D

    Configuration management helps ensure that all relevant project documentation and software items are uniquely identified in all their versions and therefore can be unambiguously referenced in test documentation

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: D

Explanation

This answer is correct because configuration management is a process of establishing and maintaining consistency of a product's performance, functional, and physical attributes with its requirements, design, and operational information throughout its life. Configuration management helps ensure that all relevant project documentation and software items are uniquely identified in all their versions and therefore can be unambiguously referenced in test documentation. This supports testing by providing traceability, consistency, and control over the test artifacts and the software under test.
References:
ISTQB Glossary of Testing Terms v4.0, : ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Section
2.2.2.2

Question 3 Single choice

Which of the following is an example of black-box dynamic testing?

  1. A

    Functional Testing

  2. B

    Code inspection

  3. C

    Checking memory leaks for a program by executing it

  4. D

    Coverage analysis

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

Functional testing is an example of black-box dynamic testing. Black-box testing (also known as specification-based testing) is a type of testing that does not consider the internal structure or implementation of the system under test, but rather its external behavior or functionality. Dynamic testing is a type of testing that involves executing the system under test with various inputs and observing its outputs. Functional testing is a type of black-box dynamic testing that verifies that the system under test performs its intended functions according to its requirements or specifications. Functional testing can be performed at various levels and scopes depending on the objectives and criteria of testing. The other options are not examples of black-box dynamic testing. Code inspection is an example of white-box static testing. White-box testing (also known as structure-based testing) is a type of testing that considers the internal structure or implementation of the system under test. Static testing is a type of testing that does not involve executing the system under test, but rather analyzing it for defects, errors, or violations of standards. Code inspection is a type of white-box static testing that involves examining the source code of the system under test for quality, readability, maintainability, etc. Checking memory leaks for a program by executing it is an example of white-box dynamic testing. Memory leaks are defects that occur when a program fails to release memory that it has allocated but no longer needs. Checking memory leaks for a program by executing it requires knowledge and access to the internal structure or implementation of the program, such as memory allocation and deallocation mechanisms, pointers, references, etc. Coverage analysis is an example of white-box static testing. Coverage analysis is a technique that measures how much of the code or structure of the system under test has been exercised by a test suite. Coverage analysis requires knowledge and access to the internal structure or implementation of the system under test, such as statements, branches, paths, conditions, etc. Verified References: A Study Guide to the ISTQB Foundation Level 2018 Syllabus - Springer, page 7.

Question 4 Single choice

Which of the following activities does NOT belong to a typical technical review?

  1. A

    Pre-meeting preparation by reviewers

  2. B

    Using checklists during the meeting

  3. C

    Inviting end-users to the meeting

  4. D

    Preparation of a review report

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Explanation

Technical reviews are structured meetings that aim to examine various aspects of a product or project to identify any defects or improvements. Options A (Pre-meeting preparation by reviewers), B (Using checklists during the meeting), and D (Preparation of a review report) are typical activities in a technical review process. Inviting end-users to the meeting (C), however, is generally not part of a typical technical review, as these reviews are usually more focused on the technical aspects and are conducted by peers or experts within the development or testing teams rather than end-users.

Question 5 Single choice

Your manager asked you when testing will be complete. In order to answer this question, you'll most likely use:

  1. A

    Test progress reports

  2. B

    Your colleagues advice

  3. C

    A conversion spreadsheet

  4. D

    A Test Oracle

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

When a manager asks when testing will be complete, the most appropriate and informative resource to provide an answer is test progress reports (Option A). Test progress reports contain detailed information on the status of testing activities, including what has been accomplished, what remains to be done, the results of the tests conducted, and any issues or risks that might impact the completion of testing. These reports allow for an informed assessment of the testing progress and estimation of when testing might be completed. Options B, C, and D do not provide the structured, detailed, and specific information required to accurately answer the manager's question about the completion of testing.

Question 6 Single choice

Which of the following s the most correct statement about state testing techniques?

  1. A

    Static techniques can be used before all code is ready for execution

  2. B

    Static techniques find more detects then dynamic techniques.

  3. C

    Static techniques can be used by inexperienced users.

  4. D

    Static techniques are always cheaper than dynamic techniques.

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

State testing techniques are a type of dynamic testing techniques that are based on the behavior of the system under test for different input conditions and events. Dynamic testing techniques require the system to be executed with test cases, whereas static testing techniques do not. Static testing techniques can be applied before the code is ready for execution, such as reviews, inspections, walkthroughs, and static analysis. Static testing techniques can help find defects early in the development process, improve the quality of the code, and reduce the cost and effort of dynamic testing.
References:
ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 Syllabus, Chapter 4, Section 4.2.1, Page 281
ISTQB Glossary of Testing
Terms v4.0, Page 292

Question 7 Single choice

You are testing the download process of a mobile phone application.

For which to the following capabilities to the system you need to design a nonfunctional test?

  1. A

    It was easy to locate, download and install the application

  2. B

    The application was correctly downloaded

  3. C

    The application created an installation log file in a given folder

  4. D

    The application installed only after the user's approval

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

This question asks for a non-functional aspect of testing the download process of a mobile application.
Option A, "It was easy to locate, download and install the application," refers to usability, which is a non- functional quality attribute. Non-functional testing involves testing the system's attributes, such as usability, performance, reliability, etc., rather than specific behaviors or functions. Options B, "The application was correctly downloaded," C, "The application created an installation log file in a given folder," and D, "The application installed only after the user's approval," describe functional aspects, focusing on what the software does rather than how it performs or is experienced by the user.

Question 8 Single choice

Which of the following metrics relates to the number of defects per unit size of a work product?

  1. A

    Requirement coverage

  2. B

    Average operating time until failure

  3. C

    Fault density

  4. D

    Number of executed test cases in relation to non-executed test cases

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: C

Question 9 Single choice

As the last stage of a test cycle of an embedded device, you are performing exploratory testing. You observed that some character. (A, X and Z) sent via a serial port to the device do not get registered on the device whereas they should be.
You suspect that this could be due to a wrong configuration of the "bit parity" parameter.

Which of the following items of an incident report would you be UNABLE to write down based on this information?

  1. A

    Expected result

  2. B

    Test case identifier

  3. C

    Test setup details

  4. D

    Actual result

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: B

Explanation

An incident report is a document that records the details of an incident. An incident report typically contains the following items:

Identifier: A unique identifier for the incident report Summary: A concise summary of the incident Description: A detailed description of the incident, including the steps to reproduce it, the expected and actual results, and any relevant screenshots or logs Severity: The degree of impact that the incident has on the system Priority: The level of urgency for resolving the incident Status: The current state of the incident, such as new, open, resolved, closed, etc.
Resolution: The action taken to resolve the incident, such as fix, workaround, reject, etc. Based on the information given in the question, the tester would be able to write down all of these items except for the test case identifier. A test case identifier is a unique identifier for a test case that is used to link it to other test artifacts, such as test plans, test scripts, test results or incident reports. However, since the tester is performing exploratory testing, there is no predefined test case that can be associated with the incident.
Exploratory testing is an approach to testing that emphasizes learning, test design and test execution at the same time. Exploratory testing relies on the tester's skills, creativity and intuition to explore the software under test and discover defects. Exploratory testing does not use formal test cases or scripts, but rather uses test charters or missions that guide the tester's actions and objectives.

References:
A Study Guide to the ISTQB Foundation Level 2018 Syllabus - Springer, Chapter 3, page 32-33
Chapter 5, page 47-48.

Question 10 Single choice

Why should you choose a test technique?

  1. A

    Because you need to match the way you test to the content of the product under test

  2. B

    Because of the time constraints that usually accompany a test project

  3. C

    Because this way you cover the full scope of the product's functionality

  4. D

    Because choosing a test technique is a common practice in software testing

Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: A

Explanation

You should choose a test technique because you need to match the way you test to the content of the product under test. A test technique is a method or process for deriving and selecting test cases based on some criteria or rules. Different test techniques are suitable for different types of software products, depending on their characteristics, functionalities, requirements, specifications, risks, etc. Choosing a test technique helps to ensure that the test cases are relevant, effective, and efficient for the product under test. The other options are not correct reasons to choose a test technique. Time constraints are not a factor for choosing a test technique, but rather for prioritizing or optimizing testing activities. Covering the full scope of the product's functionality is not a guarantee of choosing a test technique, but rather a goal of testing. Choosing a test technique is not a common practice in software testing, but rather a professional skill and responsibility.
References:
A Study Guide to the ISTQB Foundation Level 2018 Syllabus - Springer, page 31.