Foundations of Computer Science: Master the Core Concepts

Question 1

What is the defining characteristic of a recursive function?

Accepted Answer

Calls itself during execution

Answer

Uses a loop to iterate over values

Answer

Has a large number of parameters

Answer

Returns a constant value regardless of input

Question 2

What is the time complexity of finding an element in an unsorted, singly linked list with 'n' elements?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(Log n)

Answer

O(n Log n)

Question 3

What is a defining characteristic of a recursive algorithm?

Accepted Answer

B. It calls itself repeatedly until it reaches a base case.

Answer

A. It uses a loop to execute instructions repeatedly.

Answer

C. It uses a stack to track its progress.

Answer

D. It always runs in linear time.

Question 4

Which data structure allows direct access to elements based on their position or index?

Accepted Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Stack

Answer

Tree

Question 5

When analyzing algorithm efficiency, which of these asymptotic notations is uncommon?

Accepted Answer

X(n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

Ω(n)

Answer

Θ(n)

Question 6

Which data structure is designed to efficiently search and retrieve data using a specific key?

Accepted Answer

Hash table

Answer

Array

Answer

Tree

Answer

Database

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT an asymptotic bound?

Accepted Answer

2^n

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

Omega(n log n)

Answer

Theta(n)

Question 8

Which of the following is a user-defined data type, rather than a fundamental data structure in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Custom Object

Answer

Array

Answer

Hash Table

Answer

Queue

Question 9

In graph traversal, which data structure is utilized for implementing a breadth-first search?

Accepted Answer

Queue

Answer

Stack

Answer

Linked list

Answer

Tree

Question 10

When implementing the backtracking algorithm, which data structure is most suitable?

Accepted Answer

Stack

Answer

Array

Answer

Queue

Answer

Linked List

Question 11

Which data structure is designed to represent hierarchical relationships efficiently?

Accepted Answer

Tree

Answer

Array

Answer

Queue

Answer

Hash Table

Question 12

Analyze the complexity of the following function f(n) in terms of big-O notation:

def f(n):
    if n == 0:
        return 1
    else:
        return n * f(n-1)

Accepted Answer

O(n!)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(2^n)

Question 13

In object-oriented programming (OOP), polymorphism allows:

Accepted Answer

Objects of different classes to respond to the same message in different ways.

Answer

Hiding the implementation details of an object from other parts of the program.

Answer

Creating a new class based on an existing class, inheriting its properties and methods.

Answer

Breaking down complex problems into smaller, more manageable components.

Question 14

Which of the following is not a data structure?

Accepted Answer

Database

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Queue

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT an advantage of object-oriented programming (OOP)?

Accepted Answer

Increased code complexity

Answer

Encapsulation

Answer

Code reusability

Answer

Improved maintainability

Question 16

Which data structure adheres to the Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle?

Accepted Answer

Stack

Answer

Linked List

Answer

Queue

Answer

Binary Tree

Question 17

Which of the following represents the time complexity of an algorithm that performs a fixed number of steps, irrespective of the input size?

Accepted Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 18

In probability theory, which numerical value measures the likelihood of an event happening?

Accepted Answer

Probability

Answer

Uncertainty

Answer

Subjectivity

Answer

Always equal to 1

Question 19

Which notation is commonly used to represent the time complexity of an algorithm?

Accepted Answer

Asymptotic notations (O(), Ω(), Θ())

Answer

Direct mathematical equation

Answer

Table of values

Answer

Graph of running time versus input size

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental data structure in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Relational Database

Answer

Array

Answer

Queue

Answer

Tree

Question 21

In object-oriented programming, which concept combines data and methods to enhance data protection and security?

Accepted Answer

Encapsulation

Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Polymorphism

Question 22

Which operation in a queue data structure has the optimal time complexity for adding an element at the end of the queue?

Accepted Answer

Enqueue

Answer

Initialization

Answer

Dequeue

Answer

Search

Question 23

In graph theory, which of the following is NOT a valid representation of a graph?

Accepted Answer

Vertex List

Answer

Adjacency Matrix

Answer

Adjacency List

Answer

Edge List

Question 24

Which of the following is a characteristic of an asymptotically tight bound for an algorithm's time complexity?

Accepted Answer

It is an upper and a lower bound that is equal to the actual time complexity of the algorithm up to a constant factor.

Answer

It provides an upper bound that is always greater than or equal to the actual time complexity of the algorithm.

Answer

It provides a lower bound that is always less than or equal to the actual time complexity of the algorithm.

Answer

It is independent of the input size.

Question 25

In object-oriented programming, what's the primary role of a constructor?

Accepted Answer

Initializes object attributes upon creation

Answer

Defines class structure and behavior

Answer

Controls access to class members

Answer

Manages input and output operations

Question 26

In the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), which phase focuses on gathering and interpreting stakeholder needs?

Accepted Answer

Requirements Gathering and Analysis

Answer

Deployment

Answer

Design

Answer

Testing

Question 27

Which of the following is NOT a commonly used data structure in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Custom Data Structure

Answer

Binary Tree

Answer

Queue

Answer

Hash Table

Question 28

In a depth-first search (DFS) algorithm applied to a graph represented as an adjacency list, which operation primarily determines the algorithm's time complexity?

Accepted Answer

Visiting each node in the graph

Answer

Creating the adjacency list representation of the graph

Answer

Identifying cycles within the graph

Answer

Sorting the nodes of the graph

Question 29

In number theory, which theorem offers a systematic approach to finding the greatest common divisor (GCD) of two integers?

Accepted Answer

Euclidean Algorithm

Answer

Fermat's Last Theorem

Answer

Chinese Remainder Theorem

Answer

Primality Testing

Question 30

In a binary tree, which measure represents the longest path from the root node to any leaf node?

Accepted Answer

Height

Answer

Breadth

Answer

Order

Answer

Diameter

Question 31

In asymptotic analysis, why do we disregard constants and low-order terms when evaluating algorithm efficiency?

Accepted Answer

They minimally affect the overall growth rate of the running time.

Answer

Simplification of the analysis process

Answer

They are always insignificant compared to the input size.

Answer

Ensuring the running time is a whole number.

Question 32

Identify the option that does not represent a data structure:

Accepted Answer

Function

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked List

Question 33

A recursive function calculates the n-th Fibonacci number using the formula:
fib(n) = fib(n-1) + fib(n-2), for n >= 2
fib(0) = 0
fib(1) = 1
What's the time complexity of this function in terms of n?

Accepted Answer

O(2^n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(1)

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a fundamental principle of object-oriented programming?

Accepted Answer

Global variables

Answer

Encapsulation

Answer

Inheritance

Answer

Polymorphism

Question 35

How might quantum computing influence the future of artificial intelligence?

Accepted Answer

Enhance AI with more powerful machine learning algorithms.

Answer

Have no significant impact on AI due to the sufficiency of classical computers.

Answer

Hinder AI progress by introducing security vulnerabilities.

Answer

Primarily impact other fields, with limited implications for AI.

Question 36

What is the time complexity class of a bubble sort algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n!)

Question 37

Which data structure is best suited for storing a non-repetitive collection of elements?

Accepted Answer

set

Answer

array

Answer

linked list

Answer

queue

Question 38

Which programming paradigm prioritizes code reusability and maintainability?

Accepted Answer

object-oriented

Answer

procedural

Answer

functional

Answer

declarative

Question 39

What is the primary purpose of a compiler?

Accepted Answer

to convert high-level code into machine code

Answer

to interpret code at runtime

Answer

to check code for errors

Answer

to generate documentation

Question 40

Which of the following is not considered a fundamental data structure?

Accepted Answer

Function

Answer

Array

Answer

Stack

Answer

Tree

Question 41

The time complexity of the bubble sort algorithm, in the worst case, is:

Accepted Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n log n)

Answer

O(2^n)

Question 42

Which programming paradigm is characterized by its emphasis on code reusability, encapsulation, and inheritance?

Accepted Answer

Object-oriented programming

Answer

Functional programming

Answer

Procedural programming

Answer

Declarative programming

Question 43

A linked list is a data structure that stores data:

Accepted Answer

Non-contiguously in memory

Answer

Contiguously in memory

Answer

In a tree structure

Answer

In a graph structure

Question 44

In object-oriented programming, a class can be best described as a:

Accepted Answer

Blueprint for creating objects

Answer

Collection of related functions

Answer

Data structure

Answer

Unit of code

Question 45

The first high-level programming language that gained widespread adoption was:

Accepted Answer

FORTRAN

Answer

COBOL

Answer

BASIC

Answer

C

Question 46

Which programming paradigm emphasizes immutability and mathematical functions?

Accepted Answer

Functional Programming

Answer

Object-Oriented Programming

Answer

Logic Programming

Question 47

What is the time complexity of a binary search algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 48

Who is widely recognized as the 'pioneer of computer science' for developing the concept of the 'universal Turing machine'?

Accepted Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

Charles Babbage

Answer

Ada Lovelace

Answer

Bill Gates

Question 49

Which ethical issue in computing relates to the potential misuse of sensitive information collected online?

Accepted Answer

Privacy

Answer

Security

Answer

Intellectual property

Answer

Accessibility

Question 50

Which among the following is NOT considered a fundamental data structure in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Databases

Answer

Arrays

Answer

Trees

Answer

Linked Lists

Question 51

Determine the time complexity of a linear search algorithm operating on an array of size n.

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 52

Describe the key difference between a stack and a queue data structure.

Accepted Answer

Stacks adhere to LIFO (Last-In-First-Out), while queues follow FIFO (First-In-First-Out).

Answer

Stacks follow FIFO, while queues follow LIFO.

Answer

Both stacks and queues follow LIFO.

Answer

Both stacks and queues follow FIFO.

Question 53

Which sorting algorithm is known for maintaining the original order of equal elements in the input?

Accepted Answer

Merge Sort

Answer

Bubble Sort

Answer

Insertion Sort

Answer

Quick Sort

Question 54

In a programming language, what is the primary function of a compiler?

Accepted Answer

To translate high-level code into low-level machine code

Answer

To interpret code during runtime

Answer

To debug code

Answer

To optimize code performance

Question 55

What is the time complexity of the linear search algorithm, where n represents the number of elements in the list being searched?

Accepted Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(1)

Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Question 56

Which programming paradigm focuses on organizing code into reusable components called objects and classes?

Accepted Answer

Object-oriented

Answer

Procedural

Answer

Functional

Answer

Logic

Question 57

Who is widely recognized as the 'father of computer science' for their pioneering work in theoretical computing and artificial intelligence?

Accepted Answer

Alan Turing

Answer

Ada Lovelace

Answer

Charles Babbage

Answer

John von Neumann

Question 58

What is the primary function of a hash function in computer science?

Accepted Answer

To generate a unique value from a given input

Answer

To efficiently sort a large dataset

Answer

To reduce the size of a file by removing duplicate data

Answer

To encrypt sensitive information

Question 59

Which software development methodology emphasizes iterative development, continuous feedback, and flexibility to changing requirements?

Accepted Answer

Agile

Answer

Waterfall

Answer

RAD

Answer

Spiral

Question 60

Which of the following data structures is NOT a fundamental choice in computer science?

Accepted Answer

Database

Answer

Array

Answer

Linked list

Answer

Tree

Question 61

What is the time complexity of a binary search algorithm?

Accepted Answer

O(log n)

Answer

O(n)

Answer

O(n^2)

Answer

O(log n^2)

Question 62

Which programming paradigm focuses on object-oriented design principles?

Accepted Answer

Object-oriented programming

Answer

Procedural programming

Answer

Functional programming

Answer

Logic programming

Question 63

What is the primary purpose of a stack data structure?

Accepted Answer

To store and retrieve data in a last-in, first-out (LIFO) manner

Answer

To store and retrieve data in a first-in, first-out (FIFO) manner

Answer

To store data in a random order

Answer

To store data in a sorted order

Question 64

Which sorting algorithm is recognized for its efficiency and stability?

Accepted Answer

Merge sort

Answer

Bubble sort

Answer

Selection sort

Answer

Quick sort