AS Level Computer Science chapter 12: Software development MCQs with answers
By Team Megalecture · Updated 4 Nov 2026
32 exam-style questions on Software development, each with the answer and a short explanation. Ten of them are below to try. The chapter test draws ten fresh questions each time and is marked the moment you finish, with your score by topic.
Try each one, then open the answer. These ten stay the same; the test draws new ones every time.
1. On a structure chart, a small arrow beside a connecting line has a hollow (empty) circle at its tail. What does it show?
A
a Boolean flag passed between modules
B
a data parameter passed between modules
C
a module that is called repeatedly
D
a choice of which module is called
Show answer
Answer: B. An arrow with an empty circle is a data couple (a parameter). A filled circle marks a flag, a Boolean value such as Found.
2. Which is a drawback of RAD?
A
users do not see the system until it is completely finished
B
the requirements cannot be changed once analysis is over
C
it always takes longer to deliver than the waterfall model
D
it needs users to be available often to give feedback
Show answer
Answer: D. RAD depends on frequent user involvement, and speed can mean less documentation and weaker structure. Late user involvement is a waterfall problem.
3. What is the usual order of the stages of the program development life cycle?
A
design, analysis, coding, testing, maintenance
B
analysis, coding, design, testing, maintenance
C
analysis, design, coding, testing, maintenance
D
analysis, design, testing, coding, maintenance
Show answer
Answer: C. First find out what is needed (analysis), then plan the solution (design), write it (coding), test it, and maintain it once it is in use.
4. What would a test plan contain for each test?
A
the full source code of the module being tested
B
the names and email addresses of every system user
C
the test data, its type and the expected result
D
the licence under which the program will be sold
Show answer
Answer: C. A test plan lists each test with its purpose, the test data, the type of data (normal, abnormal, extreme) and the expected result; actual results are added later.
5. Which task is carried out in the design stage?
A
interviewing users to find what the system must do
B
writing the program code in a high-level language
C
correcting errors reported after the system is in use
D
producing structure charts and pseudocode for the modules
Show answer
Answer: D. Design plans how the requirements will be met: module structure, algorithms, data structures and interfaces. Interviews belong to analysis.
6. Which is a drawback of the waterfall model?
A
it is hard to manage because all the stages overlap
B
it has no clear milestones for managers to check against
C
users see a working program late, so changes are costly
D
it is only suitable for projects with very small teams
Show answer
Answer: C. Users do not see a working system until near the end, so changing requirements are expensive to include. Its clear stages make it easy to manage.
7. What is the purpose of a program development life cycle?
A
to list the hardware a program needs before it can run
B
to give a structured set of stages for planning a project
C
to describe how the CPU fetches and executes instructions
D
to set out the licence under which the software is sold
Show answer
Answer: B. A life cycle sets out the stages of developing a program, so the work can be planned, managed and checked at each point.
8. In which stage is the current system investigated and a requirements specification produced?
A
analysis
B
design
C
coding
D
maintenance
Show answer
Answer: A. Analysis investigates the problem, for example by interviews and observation, and records what the new system must do.
9. What is beta testing?
A
testing by the developers' own staff inside the company
B
formal testing by the client to agree the system is complete
C
testing by selected real users before general release
D
testing each separate module on its own with test data
Show answer
Answer: C. Beta testing uses real users outside the development team to find faults in real conditions. In-house testing is alpha; the client's sign-off is acceptance testing.
10. Which is most likely to cause a run-time error?
A
a misspelt keyword such as ENDIFF in an IF statement
B
an incorrect formula that gives the wrong total
C
a comment that no longer describes what the code does
D
accessing Data[11] in an array declared ARRAY[1:10]
Show answer
Answer: D. Going beyond the array bounds is only detected when the program runs and may crash it. A misspelt keyword is a syntax error found during translation.
32, each with the answer and a short explanation, across 3 topics: Program development life cycle, Program design, Program testing and maintenance. Every chapter test draws ten of them, so you can take it many times.
Is the AS Level Computer Science chapter 12 test free?
Yes. The test, the answers and the explanations are free and need no sign-up. Sign in only if you want your scores kept across devices.
How is the chapter test marked?
The moment you press Finish: your score, the right answer and an explanation for every question, and the ones you got wrong saved in My mistakes to retry.
