CTFL_Syll2018 iSQI ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (Syllabus 2018) Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

The best way to take advantage of the different mindsets of testers and developers is to bring the two mindsets together. Testers and developers have different perspectives and skills that can complement each other and improve the quality of the software. Testers tend to focus on finding defects and verifying the software against the requirements and specifications, while developers tend to focus on creating and implementing the software according to the design and architecture. By collaborating and communicating with each other, testers and developers can share their knowledge, feedback, and ideas, and resolve issues more efficiently and effectively.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 2.2

The test manager is not right because there is no direct relationship between branch coverage and statement coverage. Branch coverage measures how many branches in the control flow have been executed by a set of test cases, while statement coverage measures how many statements in the code have been executed by a set of test cases. It is possible to achieve high branch coverage without achieving high statement coverage, if some statements are not part of any branch condition or are not reachable by any test case.

Checklist-based testing is an experience-based test technique whereby the experienced tester uses a high-level list of items to be noted, checked or remembered, or a set of rules or criteria against which a product has to be verified. Checklist-based testing can help the tester to focus on important aspects of the test object and to ensure that nothing is overlooked or forgotten. Checklist-based testing can also help the tester to communicate and report the test results and coverage more effectively.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 4.6.1

According to the user story checklist, the user story must contain the reason for the need, which is usually expressed by using the word “so that” or “because”. For example, the user story could be rewritten as:

User Story US2018 As a bank account customer, I would like to transfer money from one account to another using the mobile banking application by using the drag and drop feature, so that I can easily manage my finances.

This way, the user story provides a clear value proposition and a justification for the need. The reason also helps to define the scope and priority of the user story, as well as to verify the acceptance criteria.

References: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 Syllabus, Chapter 5.2.1 User Stories, p. 62-631; ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) v4.0 Sample Exam Questions and Answers, Question 83, p. 232

The software not being able to meet the desired response time is an example of a failure. A failure is an event in which a component or system does not perform a required function within specified limits. A failure is observable by end users or testers as a deviation from expected results. defines a failure as follows:

Failure: Deviation of the component or system from its expected delivery, service or result.

B, C, and D are incorrect answers. The software not being able to meet the desired response time is not an example of a defect (B), an error ©, or not a defect (D). A defect is a flaw in a component or system that can cause it to fail to perform its required function. An error is a human action that produces an incorrect result. Not a defect is a term used to describe an incident report that is rejected or closed as invalid or out of scope. defines these terms as follows:

Defect: A flaw in a component or system that can cause the component or system to fail to perform its required function.

Error: A human action that produces an incorrect result.

Not a defect: An incident report status indicating that there is no defect in relation to this incident report.

A test harness is a test environment comprised of stubs and drivers needed to execute a test, especially when testing components or interfaces. Therefore, option D is correct. Option A is incorrect, as a test harness is not a topic for the final Test Report. Option B is incorrect, as a test harness is not a general name for test data. Option C is incorrect, as a test harness is not a detailed description of a test case.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 5.3

Every executable statement is covered is the statement that is guaranteed to be true if a program got 100% decision coverage in a test. Decision coverage is a structure-based testing technique that measures how many decision outcomes have been exercised by a set of test cases. A decision is a control structure that has two or more possible outcomes (e.g., if-then-else, switch-case, etc.). Decision coverage requires that each decision outcome is executed at least once by a test case. If a program got 100% decision coverage in a test, it means that every possible outcome of every decision in the code has been covered by at least one test case. This also implies that every executable statement in the code has been covered by at least one test case, since every statement belongs to some decision outcome2 explains decision coverage as follows:

Decision Coverage (also known as Branch Coverage) is a white box testing technique which measures how many decision outcomes have been tested by a set of test cases.

A decision is any control structure where there are two or more possible paths through it (e.g., if-then-else statements, switch-case statements, etc.). Each path through such control structures represents an outcome.

Decision Coverage requires that each outcome from each decision point be executed at least once by one or more test cases.

Decision Coverage can be calculated as follows:

Decision Coverage = (Number of Decision Outcomes Executed / Total Number of Decision Outcomes) * 100%

If Decision Coverage is 100%, it means that every possible outcome from every decision point has been tested by at least one test case. This also means that every executable statement has been tested by at least one test case.

A, B, and C are incorrect answers. Every output equivalence class has been tested (A), every input equivalence class has been tested (B), and the “dead” code has not been covered © are statements that are not guaranteed to be true if a program got 100% decision coverage in a test. Equivalence classes are groups of inputs or outputs that are expected to produce similar results or behavior from the system under test. Equivalence partitioning is a specification-based testing technique that uses equivalence classes to design test cases. Decision coverage is a structure-based testing technique that does not consider equivalence classes, but only the outcomes of the decisions in the code. Therefore, achieving 100% decision coverage does not ensure that every output or input equivalence class has been tested. Dead code is code that can never be executed, regardless of the input values or conditions. Dead code can be caused by logic errors, redundant statements, unreachable branches, etc. Decision coverage does not detect or cover dead code, since it only considers the outcomes of the decisions that can be executed. Therefore, achieving 100% decision coverage does not imply that the dead code has not been covered.

A test case is a set of preconditions, inputs, actions, expected results and postconditions developed based on test conditions. A test condition is a statement about what to test in terms of measurable coverage criteria from analysis of the test basis. A test plan is a description of the test objectives to be achieved and the means and the schedule for achieving them. A test oracle is a source to determine expected results to compare with the actual result of the system under test.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 4.2.1 and Glossary

Functional and structural testing can both be applied at all test levels, from component testing to acceptance testing1 . Functional testing verifies whether the software meets the specified requirements and user expectations, while structural testing verifies whether the software meets the specified design and code standards1 . Both types of testing can be useful at any stage of the software development life cycle, depending on the test objectives and scope1 . The other options are incorrect, because they limit the application of functional and structural testing to certain test levels only.

The correct answer is D, as DT1 and DT4 would achieve full coverage of the full decision table when combined with the test cases that have already been generated for rules 1 and 4. Decision table testing is a black-box test technique that uses a table to show combinations of inputs and their associated outputs1. In this case, the inputs are the account type, the amount entered, and the expected result. The outputs are the actions taken by the ATM system. The decision table has eight rules, each corresponding to a possible combination of inputs and outputs. The test cases that have already been generated for rules 1 and 4 are:

TC1: Account = Checking, Amount = $600, Expected Result = Process the transaction

TC4: Account = Savings, Amount = Not entered, Expected Result = Generate an error message

The additional test cases are:

DT1: Account = Checking, Amount = Not entered, Expected Result = Generate an error message

DT2: Account = Savings, Amount = $100, Expected Result = Process the transaction

DT3: Account = Checking, Amount = $100, Expected Result = Process the transaction

DT4: Account = Savings, Amount = $600, Expected Result = Generate an error message

To achieve full coverage of the full decision table, two more test cases are needed that cover the remaining six rules. DT1 and DT4 cover these rules, as shown in the table below:

Therefore, option D is the correct answer. Options A, B, and C are incorrect, as they do not cover all the rules in the decision table. References: 1, Section 4.2.5

Functional test is the type of test that is created when a test case is based on a use case. A use case is a description of how a system interacts with one or more actors (users or other systems) to achieve a specific goal or function. A functional test is a test that verifies that a system or software component performs its specified functions according to its requirements. Functional tests can be derived from use cases by identifying test scenarios and test cases that cover the main flow and alternative flows of each use case2 explains this as follows:

Use cases are one of the most commonly used techniques for analyzing and modeling functional requirements for a system. A use case describes how an actor interacts with a system to accomplish a specific goal.

Functional Testing is a type of software testing whereby the system is tested against the functional requirements/specifications. Functions are tested by feeding them input and examining the output.

Use cases can be used as a source for deriving functional tests by identifying test scenarios and test cases that cover the main flow and alternative flows of each use case.

A, C, and D are incorrect answers. Structural test, performance test, and regression test are not types of tests that are created when a test case is based on a use case. Structural test is a type of test that is based on the internal structure and logic of the code rather than the functionality or requirements. Performance test is a type of test that measures the speed, responsiveness, scalability, or stability of a system under various workloads or conditions. Regression test is a type of test that verifies that previously working functionality still works after changes are made to the system or its environment.

Functional testing is the most appropriate type of testing to review first, after a record of poor-quality software releases. Functional testing is a type of testing that verifies the functionality and behavior of the software against its requirements and specifications. Functional testing can help detect defects such as incorrect menu selection options, new features that do not work, users allowed to change security levels without administrator rights, etc. Functional testing can also help improve the user satisfaction and confidence in the software. Therefore, functional testing should be reviewed first to ensure that it is done effectively and efficiently, and that it covers all the relevant aspects of the software functionality.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 2.3 and 5.2.2

To achieve 100% statement coverage, we need to execute every statement in the code at least once. To achieve 100% decision coverage, we need to execute every possible outcome of every decision in the code at least once. In this case, we can use the following test cases to cover both statement and decision coverage:

A = true, B = true

A = false, B = false

These two test cases will cover all the statements and all the possible outcomes of the decisions in the code. Therefore, the minimum number of test cases required to achieve both statement and decision coverage is two.

References: Certified Tester Foundation Level Syllabus, Section 4.3.1

Statement testing is a white box test technique2. A white box technique is a technique that uses the internal structure or logic of a system as a test basis to derive test cases and measure test coverage2. Statement testing is a technique that uses executable statements in the source code as a test basis to measure the coverage achieved by a test suite2. A statement is an instruction or command that performs an action or calculation in the source code2. Statement testing requires every statement in the source code to be executed at least once by a test suite2. Therefore, statement testing is a white box test technique.

The correct answer is A, as it describes error guessing. Error guessing is an experience-based test technique that involves designing tests based on experience, defect data, or common knowledge about why software fails1. Error guessing can be used to complement other more formal test techniques by focusing on areas that are more likely to contain defects1. Option B is incorrect, as error guessing does not involve building test cases based on the various experiences of developers, architects, users, and other stakeholders on project teams, but based on the tester’s own experience and knowledge1. Option C is incorrect, as error guessing is not a suitable test technique that can be used effectively in place of more formal techniques, but a supplementary technique that can be used in addition to more formal techniques1. Option D is incorrect, as error guessing is not a valid and useful white-box test technique due to its high degree of statement coverage, but an experience-based test technique that does not rely on the structure of the software1. References: 1, Section 4.2.6

The test execution schedule that meets the test plan requirements and logical dependencies is e, a, d, c, b. This schedule follows the order of re-tests first (e), followed by the highest priority tests (a and d), and then creates test data for subsequent tests (c and b). This schedule also respects the logical dependencies, as test case a creates an admin user, which is necessary for test case d to create a standard user, which is necessary for test cases c and b to perform other actions1 .

Test planning and control, Test analysis and design, Test implementation and execution, Evaluating exit criteria and reporting, Test closure activities are the phases of the ISTQB fundamental test process. The fundamental test process is a generic model that describes the basic activities and tasks involved in testing software systems. defines these phases as follows:

Test planning and control: This phase involves defining test objectives, scope, strategy, resources, schedule, risks, metrics etc., as well as monitoring and controlling test activities throughout the test process.

Test analysis and design: This phase involves reviewing test basis such as requirements specifications or user stories , identifying test conditions based on analysis of test items , specifications , behavior and structure of software , designing high-level test cases based on test conditions and designing techniques , evaluating testability of requirements and system under test , defining exit criteria .

Test implementation and execution: This phase involves developing and prioritizing test cases , creating test data and writing test procedures , checking test environment has been set up correctly , executing test cases

The total number of combinations of valid equivalence classes of age and gender is eight. There are four valid equivalence classes for the age parameter, based on the criteria given in the image: size 1 (0 < age <= 4 months), size 2 (4 < age <= 8 months), size 3 (8 < age <= 15 months), and size 4 (15 < age <= 24 months). There are two valid equivalence classes for the gender parameter, based on the note given in the image: boy and girl. The total number of combinations of valid equivalence classes can be calculated by multiplying the number of valid equivalence classes for each parameter: 4 x 2 = 8.

B, C, and D are incorrect answers. B implies that there are two invalid equivalence classes for the age parameter: age <= 0, and age > 25, which is not true as there are three invalid equivalence classes: age <= 0, age > 0 and age <= 4 months, and age > 24 months. C implies that all combinations of valid equivalence classes could be covered with four test cases, which is not true as there are eight combinations of valid equivalence classes. D implies that all valid equivalence classes could be covered with six test cases, which is not true as there are four valid equivalence classes for the age parameter and two valid equivalence classes for the gender parameter.

Provides developers with information to isolate the failure is the incident report objective that this excerpt satisfies, because it gives details about how to recreate the failure using a specific test file and location . An incident report is a document that records any event that deviates from the expected or desired behaviour of the software under test . One of its objectives is to provide developers with information to isolate the failure, which means to identify and locate the cause of the failure in the software . The other options are not incident report objectives that this excerpt satisfies. Option B is wrong, because this excerpt does not belong to an incident report, but rather to a test report. A test report is a document that summarizes the results and outcomes of testing activities . Option C is wrong, because this excerpt does not provide project managers with information on the project risks, which means to identify and assess the potential threats or uncertainties that may affect the project objectives or outcomes . Option D is wrong, because this excerpt does not provide test managers with information to report test progress, which means to measure and communicate how much of the planned testing activities have been completed or remain to be done .