Coupling and cohesion in Software Engineering - Practice Problems & Coding Challenges

Challenge - 5 Problems

🧠 Conceptual

intermediate

Understanding Coupling Types

Which of the following best describes loose coupling in software design?

A Modules depend heavily on each other's internal details.

B Modules are combined into a single large block of code.

C Modules interact through well-defined interfaces with minimal dependencies.

D Modules share global variables extensively.

💡 Hint

Think about how modules should communicate to reduce problems when one changes.

Loose coupling means modules interact through clear interfaces and avoid depending on internal details, making the system easier to maintain and change.

📋 Factual

intermediate

Identifying Cohesion Levels

Which of the following is an example of functional cohesion in a software module?

A A module that processes a customer order from start to finish.

B A module that contains utility functions for different unrelated calculations.

C A module that performs several unrelated tasks like logging, data validation, and user input.

D A module that only stores global variables.

💡 Hint

Functional cohesion means all parts of the module work together to perform one clear task.

Functional cohesion means the module's parts all contribute to a single well-defined task, like processing a customer order.

🔍 Analysis

advanced

Analyzing Coupling Impact

Consider two modules: Module A calls Module B's internal functions directly, and Module C calls Module D only through a public interface. Which statement is true about their coupling?

A Module A and B have loose coupling; Module C and D have tight coupling.

B Module A and B have tight coupling; Module C and D have loose coupling.

C Both pairs have loose coupling.

D Both pairs have tight coupling.

💡 Hint

Directly calling internal functions increases dependency and coupling.

When one module calls another's internal functions directly, it creates tight coupling. Using only public interfaces reduces coupling, making it loose.

❓ Comparison

advanced

Comparing Cohesion Types

Which of the following best compares logical cohesion and functional cohesion?

A Logical cohesion groups unrelated tasks triggered by the same event; functional cohesion groups tasks that contribute to a single function.

B Logical cohesion groups tasks that perform one function; functional cohesion groups unrelated tasks.

C Logical cohesion means modules have no cohesion; functional cohesion means modules are tightly coupled.

D Logical cohesion and functional cohesion are the same.

💡 Hint

Think about whether tasks are related by purpose or just by timing.

Logical cohesion groups tasks that are related logically (like all input handling) but may perform different functions, while functional cohesion groups tasks that all contribute to one specific function.

❓ Reasoning

expert

Evaluating Design for Maintainability

A software system has modules with high cohesion but also high coupling. What is the most likely impact on maintainability?

A The system is easy to maintain because high coupling improves module communication.

B The system is easy to maintain because high cohesion always ensures low coupling.

C The system is hard to maintain because high cohesion causes modules to be too independent.

D The system is hard to maintain because high coupling causes changes in one module to affect many others despite high cohesion.

💡 Hint

Consider how coupling affects the impact of changes across modules.

High cohesion means modules do one thing well, but high coupling means modules depend heavily on each other, so changes can cause widespread problems, making maintenance difficult.