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Purdue CS 307 Midterm Study Guide
2025/2026 Exam Questions and Verified
Answers | Already Graded A+
What is software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Computer programs, procedures, and
associated documentation pertaining to the *operation* of a *computer system*.
What are some traits of software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*intangible*, hard to
understand the development effort required.
*reproducible*, cost is in development.
What are some types of software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Applications (CAD, video
games)
System (OS, drivers)
Embedded (microcode)
Real Time (safety critical)
How can we classify software that is being developed? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Custom
(for a specific customer)
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STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,2
Generic (sold on open market)
Embedded (tied closely to hardware)
What is the goal of software engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔To solve problems!
Within:
*cost*
*time*
*customer*
*others*
How does systematic development and evolution relate to software? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔An engineering *process* involves *well-understood techniques* in an
*organized* and *disciplined* way.
Most development is evolutionary.
What are some of the important details about engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Engineering is a licensed profession, with a goal of protecting the public. Thus,
ethical practices is also a key tenet of the profession.
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STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,3
How is software engineering different from other forms of engineering? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔Focused on *CS*, rather than natural sciences. [discrete rather than
continuous]
Concentrates on *abstract/logical* ideas rather than *concrete/physical* ones.
Maintenance is evolution, not wear and tear.
What are some commonalities between the forms of engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Series of decision, need to perform a trade off analysis, work as part of a team.
Use *tools* that apply to *processes* systematically.
What are ethics? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A theory of system of moral values, that help
govern an individual or group.
What codes of ethics govern software engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Code of
ethics described by ACM/IEEE Join Task Force
What are the eight principals of the ethics code? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Public
Client/Employer
Product
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STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, 4
Judgement
Management
Profession
Colleagues
Self
Why do software engineers have so much responsibility? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Have
significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, as well as *enable* or
*influence* others to do the same
Who are the different stakeholders? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Users, Customers, Software
Developers, Development Managers
Who are the users? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *use* the software
Who are the customers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *pay* for the software (e.g.
Gmail, we are not the customers, advertisers are [we're users])
Who are the software developers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *create* and
*maintain* the software
Who are the development managers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Project coordinators, those
who *supervise* the development process
4
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Purdue CS 307 Midterm Study Guide
2025/2026 Exam Questions and Verified
Answers | Already Graded A+
What is software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Computer programs, procedures, and
associated documentation pertaining to the *operation* of a *computer system*.
What are some traits of software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔*intangible*, hard to
understand the development effort required.
*reproducible*, cost is in development.
What are some types of software? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Applications (CAD, video
games)
System (OS, drivers)
Embedded (microcode)
Real Time (safety critical)
How can we classify software that is being developed? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Custom
(for a specific customer)
1
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,2
Generic (sold on open market)
Embedded (tied closely to hardware)
What is the goal of software engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔To solve problems!
Within:
*cost*
*time*
*customer*
*others*
How does systematic development and evolution relate to software? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔An engineering *process* involves *well-understood techniques* in an
*organized* and *disciplined* way.
Most development is evolutionary.
What are some of the important details about engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Engineering is a licensed profession, with a goal of protecting the public. Thus,
ethical practices is also a key tenet of the profession.
2
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
,3
How is software engineering different from other forms of engineering? - 🧠
ANSWER ✔✔Focused on *CS*, rather than natural sciences. [discrete rather than
continuous]
Concentrates on *abstract/logical* ideas rather than *concrete/physical* ones.
Maintenance is evolution, not wear and tear.
What are some commonalities between the forms of engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER
✔✔Series of decision, need to perform a trade off analysis, work as part of a team.
Use *tools* that apply to *processes* systematically.
What are ethics? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔A theory of system of moral values, that help
govern an individual or group.
What codes of ethics govern software engineering? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Code of
ethics described by ACM/IEEE Join Task Force
What are the eight principals of the ethics code? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Public
Client/Employer
Product
3
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, 4
Judgement
Management
Profession
Colleagues
Self
Why do software engineers have so much responsibility? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Have
significant opportunities to do good or cause harm, as well as *enable* or
*influence* others to do the same
Who are the different stakeholders? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Users, Customers, Software
Developers, Development Managers
Who are the users? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *use* the software
Who are the customers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *pay* for the software (e.g.
Gmail, we are not the customers, advertisers are [we're users])
Who are the software developers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Those who *create* and
*maintain* the software
Who are the development managers? - 🧠 ANSWER ✔✔Project coordinators, those
who *supervise* the development process
4
COPYRIGHT©NINJANERD 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
