Practice Free CTFL_SYLL_4.0 Exam Online Questions
Which ONE of the following elements is TYPICALLY part of the test plan?
- A . The budget and schedule for the test project.
- B . A detailed report on the test results after the test project is completed.
- C . A list of test logs from the test execution.
- D . A detailed analysis of the defects found and their causes.
A
Explanation:
Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:
The test plan is a key document in test management that outlines how testing will be performed for a particular project or product. According to the ISTQB CTFL Syllabus:
“A test plan is a work product that describes the objectives, scope, approach, and focus of a software testing effort… It typically includes details such as schedule, budget, resources, deliverables, risks, and entry and exit criteria.”
(ISTQB CTFL Syllabus v4.0, Section 5.1.1 C Purpose and Content of a Test Plan, Page 47)
Options B, C, and D are not part of the test plan but belong to test reportsortest execution documentation.
A requirement specifies that a certain identifier (ID) must be between 5 and 10 characters long, must contain only alphanumeric characters, and its first character must be a letter. As a tester, you want to apply one-dimensional equivalence partitioning to test this ID. This means that you have to apply equivalence partitioning individually: to the length of the ID, the type of characters contained within the ID, and the type of the first character of the ID.
What is the number of partitions to cover?
- A . 7
- B . 6
- C . 5
- D . 3
A
Explanation:
To determine the number of partitions using one-dimensional equivalence partitioning, we need to consider each aspect of the ID requirement individually.
Length of the ID:
Valid partitions: 5 to 10 characters (1 partition)
Invalid partitions: Less than 5 characters, more than 10 characters (2 partitions)
Type of characters:
Valid partitions: Alphanumeric characters (1 partition)
Invalid partitions: Non-alphanumeric characters (1 partition)
Type of first character:
Valid partitions: First character is a letter (1 partition)
Invalid partitions: First character is not a letter (1 partition)
Adding these together, we have a total of 1 (valid length) + 2 (invalid lengths) + 1 (valid type) + 1 (invalid type) + 1 (valid first character) + 1 (invalid first character) = 7 partitions.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus, section on equivalence partitioning and test design techniques.
An agile software development organization has recently hired a senior tester. The organization has distributed teams spread across time zones. They need to share test status with various stakeholders including upper management and customers at a regular interval.
Which of the following statements seems to be correct with regards to the communication?
- A . Since the stakeholders include upper management, formal reports delivered face-to-face are critical.
- B . Distributed nature of teams working in various time zones means email communication will work better.
- C . Agile nature of the project means very less documentation and hence the status need not be documented and shared in a formal manner
- D . Since the stakeholders include customers frequent informal communication without a specific frequency works better.
B
Explanation:
In an agile software development environment with distributed teams, effective communication is crucial. Given the distributed nature and the time zone differences, asynchronous communication methods such as emails are more practical and effective. They ensure that information can be shared and accessed by team members and stakeholders at their convenience, regardless of time zone differences. Regular email updates also provide a documented trail of communication, which can be reviewed and referred back to as needed. Formal face-to-face meetings can be challenging to coordinate across time zones and are not as flexible as email communications.
The whole-team approach:
- A . promotes the idea that all team members should have a thorough understanding of test techniques
- B . is a consensus-based approach that engages the whole team in estimating the user stories
- C . promotes the idea that all team members should be responsible for the quality of the product
- D . is mostly adopted in projects aimed at developing safety-critical systems, as it ensures the highest level of testing independence
C
Explanation:
This answer is correct because the whole-team approach is a way of working in agile projects where all team members share the responsibility for the quality of the product, and collaborate on delivering value to the customer. The whole-team approach involves testers, developers, business analysts, product owners, and other stakeholders in planning, designing, developing, testing, and delivering the product. The whole-team approach fosters communication, feedback, learning, and continuous improvement within the team.
Reference: ISTQB Glossary of Testing Terms v4.0, ISTQB Foundation Level Syllabus v4.0, Section 3.1.1.1
Which ONE of the following elements is TYPICALLY used to guide testing during exploratory testing?
- A . A test charter that defines the testing objectives for the test session.
- B . A comprehensive specification that must be fully available before testing begins.
- C . A detailed test script that prescribes all the steps to be performed.
- D . A predefined test case that must be executed exactly as documented.
A
Explanation:
Exploratory testing is an unscripted approach where testers actively design and execute tests based on their intuition, experience, and knowledge of the system. A test charter (A)provides a guideline on what areas to explore, defining test objectives but leaving room for dynamic adaptation.
(B), (C), and (D) contradict exploratory testing principles, which focus on freedom rather than rigid documentation.
Exploratory testing is especially useful in agile environments, usability testing, and uncovering unexpected defects.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Syllabus, Section 4.4.2 C Exploratory Testing
Which ONE of the following elements is TYPICALLY used to guide testing during exploratory testing?
- A . A test charter that defines the testing objectives for the test session.
- B . A comprehensive specification that must be fully available before testing begins.
- C . A detailed test script that prescribes all the steps to be performed.
- D . A predefined test case that must be executed exactly as documented.
A
Explanation:
Exploratory testing is an unscripted approach where testers actively design and execute tests based on their intuition, experience, and knowledge of the system. A test charter (A)provides a guideline on what areas to explore, defining test objectives but leaving room for dynamic adaptation.
(B), (C), and (D) contradict exploratory testing principles, which focus on freedom rather than rigid documentation.
Exploratory testing is especially useful in agile environments, usability testing, and uncovering unexpected defects.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Syllabus, Section 4.4.2 C Exploratory Testing
An anti-intrusion system is battery powered and is activated by pressing the only available button. To deactivate the system, the operator must enter a PIN code. The system will stay in alert mode within a configurable timeout and an alarm bell will ring if the system is not deactivated before the timeout expires.
The following state transition diagram describes the behavior of the system:

What is the minimum number of test cases needed to cover every unique sequence of exactly 4 states/3 transitions starting and ending in the “Inactive” state? (note that “Inactive” is not a final state in the diagram)
- A . 1
- B . 2
- C . 3
- D . 4
C
Explanation:
In the given state transition diagram, we need to identify the minimum number of test cases required to cover every unique sequence of exactly 4 states/3 transitions starting and ending in the "Inactive" state.
The states are:
Inactive
Active
Alert Mode
Alarm bell rings
Inactive -> Active -> Inactive -> Active -> Inactive
Sequence: Press Button, Enter PIN, Press Button, Enter PIN
Inactive -> Active -> Alert Mode -> Inactive
Sequence: Press Button, Sensor Activated, Enter PIN
Inactive -> Active -> Alert Mode -> Alarm bell rings -> Inactive
Sequence: Press Button, Sensor Activated, Timeout expired, Press Button
Test Case Analysis: These sequences cover every unique combination of exactly 4 states and 3 transitions starting and ending in the "Inactive" state.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL Syllabus Section 4.2 on state transition testing.
From a testing perspective, configuration management:
- A . allows the expected results to be compared with the actual results
- B . allows the tracking of all changes to versions of the test ware
- C . includes all activities that direct and control an organization with regard to quality
- D . focuses on configuring static analysis tools to choose the most suitable breadth and depth of analysis
B
Explanation:
Configuration management (CM) in the context of testing involves the process of managing changes to the software and its associated artifacts, such as test plans, test cases, test scripts, and test results. It ensures that all changes are systematically tracked and controlled throughout the software development lifecycle.
Option A: Incorrect. While CM supports consistency in test environments, it is not specifically about comparing expected and actual results.
Option B: Correct. CM allows tracking all changes to versions of testware, ensuring that the correct versions are used and any changes are documented and managed.
Option C: Incorrect. This describes quality management, not configuration management.
Option D: Incorrect. Configuration management does not focus on configuring static analysis tools.
Which ONE of the following statements BEST applies to checklist-based testing?
- A . Checklists should contain general guidelines to ensure that all aspects of the software are covered.
- B . Checklists should contain specific test conditions that can be individually and directly checked.
- C . Checklists should primarily consist of automated test cases to maximize efficiency.
- D . Checklists should be used exclusively for functional testing, as they are unsuitable for non-functional testing.
B
Explanation:
Checklist-based testing uses specific test conditions(B) that help testers ensure key aspects are validated. The checklist items can be derived from past defects, requirements, or regulatory standards.
(A) is incorrect because general guidelines lack specificity.
(C) is incorrect because checklists can be used for both manual and automated testing.
(D) is incorrect because checklists are useful for both functional and non-functional testing (e.g., security, performance).
Checklists help ensure completeness without enforcing strictly scripted execution.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Syllabus, Section 4.4.3 C Checklist-Based Testing
Which ONE of the following statements BEST applies to checklist-based testing?
- A . Checklists should contain general guidelines to ensure that all aspects of the software are covered.
- B . Checklists should contain specific test conditions that can be individually and directly checked.
- C . Checklists should primarily consist of automated test cases to maximize efficiency.
- D . Checklists should be used exclusively for functional testing, as they are unsuitable for non-functional testing.
B
Explanation:
Checklist-based testing uses specific test conditions(B) that help testers ensure key aspects are validated. The checklist items can be derived from past defects, requirements, or regulatory standards.
(A) is incorrect because general guidelines lack specificity.
(C) is incorrect because checklists can be used for both manual and automated testing.
(D) is incorrect because checklists are useful for both functional and non-functional testing (e.g., security, performance).
Checklists help ensure completeness without enforcing strictly scripted execution.
Reference: ISTQB CTFL v4.0 Syllabus, Section 4.4.3 C Checklist-Based Testing
