Question 1

Terms used as synonyms for arguments are actual arguments and actual parameters.

Accepted Answer

Actual arguments and actual parameters both refer to the actual values or references passed to a function or procedure at the time of call, making them synonyms in the context of programming.

Question 2

Pass by value is also referred to as pass by reference.

Accepted Answer

Pass by value and pass by reference are two different parameter passing techniques. Pass by value copies the actual value of an argument into the formal parameter of the function, while pass by reference copies the address of an argument into the formal parameter, allowing the function to modify the original variable.

Question 3

Parameters are sometimes referred to as actual parameters.

Accepted Answer

Parameters are often referred to as formal parameters, while the values passed to them are called actual parameters or arguments.

Question 4

Parameters are sometimes referred to as formal arguments.

Accepted Answer

Parameters are indeed sometimes referred to as formal arguments, especially in the context of defining functions or methods in programming, where they specify the kind of data that the function expects to receive.

Question 5

The function declarator is sometimes referred to as function prototype.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The function declarator is sometimes referred to...

Question 6

Random numbers are a series of numbers whose order cannot be predicted.

Accepted Answer

Random numbers are generated in such a way that each number in the series is independent of the others and their arrangement does not follow a predictable pattern, making their sequence unpredictable.

Question 7

Pseudorandom numbers are numbers which are not really random, but are sufficiently random for the task at hand.

Accepted Answer

Pseudorandom numbers are generated through algorithms, making them deterministic and not truly random, but they are designed to appear random and unpredictable for practical applications.

Question 8

In earlier versions of C, function prototypes were required.

Accepted Answer

In earlier versions of C, specifically before the ANSI C standard in 1989, function prototypes were not required. Functions could be declared without specifying the types of their arguments.

Question 9

In earlier versions of C, if a function header line omitted a return data type, the return value was, by default, implicitly declared as being of type void.

Accepted Answer

In earlier versions of C, if a function header line omitted a return data type, the return value was, by default, implicitly declared as being of type int, not void.

Question 10

In C, it is permitted to nest one function inside another.

Accepted Answer

In C programming, you cannot define one function inside another function; functions must be defined separately.

Question 11

Each C function is a separate and independent entity with its own parameters and variables.

Accepted Answer

Each C function is defined as a separate entity with its own set of parameters and local variables, allowing it to operate independently from other functions.

Question 12

When you write a function, you are formally creating a function definition.

Accepted Answer

Writing a function involves creating a function definition, which specifies the name, parameters, and the block of code that performs a specific task when the function is called.

Question 13

The function's prototype, along with pre- and postcondition comments should provide a programmer with all the information necessary to call the function successfully.

Accepted Answer

The function's prototype defines the function's interface, specifying the types and number of arguments it expects and the type of value it returns. Precondition comments describe what must be true before the function is called (e.g., constraints on the input values), and postcondition comments describe what is true after the function has executed (e.g., the state of the output or any side effects), together providing a complete guide for using the function correctly.

Question 14

Postconditions are any set of conditions required by a function to be true if it is to operate correctly.

Accepted Answer

Postconditions are conditions that must be true after the execution of a function if the function has completed its task correctly. They are not requirements for the function to operate but rather the state that should be achieved after the function's execution.

Question 15

All preprocessor directives, variables, named constants, and functions, except main(), must be either declared or defined before they can be used.

Accepted Answer

In C and C++ programming languages, preprocessor directives (like #include and #define), variables, named constants, and functions must be declared or defined before they are used in the code. This is because the compiler processes the code sequentially from top to bottom, so it must be aware of these elements before they are utilized. The exception is the `main()` function, which is the entry point of a program and does not need to be declared before use.

Question 16

A function returning a value must specify, in its header line, the data type of the value that will be returned.

Accepted Answer

In programming languages like C, C++, and Java, the function declaration must include the return type to specify the data type of the value that will be returned by the function.

Question 17

The parentheses in a return statement are required.

Accepted Answer

The parentheses in a return statement are not required unless they are needed to indicate the return value explicitly, such as when returning a tuple or when the return expression is complex and requires them for clarity.

Question 18

Failure to exactly match the return value with the function's declared data type can lead to undesired results because the return value is always converted to the data type declared in the function's header line.

Accepted Answer

When a function in programming languages like C or C++ is declared with a specific return type, any value it returns is automatically converted to that type, which can lead to data loss or unexpected behavior if the conversion is not compatible with the original data.

Question 19

The value of an expression can be explicitly converted into another type using the cast operator.

Accepted Answer

The cast operator in programming languages like C and C++ allows for the explicit conversion of the value of an expression to a specific type.

Question 20

A basic rule of testing states that each function should only be tested in a program in which all other functions are known to be correct.

Accepted Answer

This is a basic rule of testing, as it helps to isolate the function being tested from any other potential sources of error.

Quiz 6: Modularity Using Functions: Part I