AMCAT Employability Assessment — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Which access modifier makes a class member accessible only within the class in which it is declared?

protected
public
default
private (Correct answer)

Correct answer: private

The private access modifier restricts visibility to the enclosing class only, supporting encapsulation by hiding implementation details.

Question 2: What is a pointer in C?

A variable that stores a character
A loop control variable
A variable that stores the memory address of another variable (Correct answer)
A function that returns a value

Correct answer: A variable that stores the memory address of another variable

A pointer in C is a variable that holds the memory address of another variable.

Question 3: Which operator is used to allocate dynamic memory in C++?

create
new (Correct answer)
alloc
malloc

Correct answer: new

The 'new' operator in C++ allocates memory on the heap at runtime.

Question 4: What is the simple interest on $2,000 at 5% per annum for 3 years?

$400
$250
$350
$300 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $300

Simple Interest = Principal × Rate × Time = 2000 × 0.05 × 3 = $300.

Question 5: A flight departs at 10:45 AM and arrives at 2:15 PM. How long is the flight?

3 hours 15 minutes
4 hours 15 minutes
3 hours 30 minutes (Correct answer)
3 hours 45 minutes

Correct answer: 3 hours 30 minutes

From 10:45 AM to 2:15 PM = 3 hours 30 minutes.

Question 6: What is the meaning of the word 'ubiquitous' in the sentence: 'Smartphones have become ubiquitous in modern India, transforming how people access information and services.'?

Present or found everywhere (Correct answer)
Recently invented
Difficult to operate
Expensive and luxurious

Correct answer: Present or found everywhere

'Ubiquitous' means present, appearing, or found everywhere. The sentence context — smartphones 'transforming how people access information' — supports the idea that they are found everywhere across the population.

Question 7: What does the keyword 'this' refer to inside an instance method?

The static context of the class
The parent class of the current object
The current instance of the class (Correct answer)
The return type of the method

Correct answer: The current instance of the class

'this' is a reference to the current object — the instance on which the method is being called — and is commonly used to resolve naming conflicts between instance variables and parameters.

Question 8: In object-oriented programming, which concept allows a class to inherit properties from another class?

Polymorphism
Abstraction
Encapsulation
Inheritance (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Inheritance

Inheritance allows a child class to acquire properties and behaviors of a parent class.

Question 9: What is the primary purpose of a constructor in a class?

To initialize an object's state when it is created (Correct answer)
To prevent a class from being subclassed
To define static class-level variables
To destroy an object when it goes out of scope

Correct answer: To initialize an object's state when it is created

A constructor is a special method invoked automatically when an object is instantiated, used to set the initial state (field values) of the object.

Question 10: A train travels 360 miles in 6 hours. What is its average speed in miles per hour?

50
55
65
60 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 60

Average speed = total distance ÷ total time = 360 ÷ 6 = 60 mph.

Question 11: When a child class acquires the properties and behaviors of a parent class, this OOP concept is called:

Inheritance (Correct answer)
Polymorphism
Encapsulation
Abstraction

Correct answer: Inheritance

Inheritance allows a derived (child) class to reuse the fields and methods of a base (parent) class, promoting code reuse.

Question 12: What does the phrase 'a steep learning curve' typically imply in a professional context?

The skill requires significant time and effort to master (Correct answer)
The employee is not capable of learning
The skill is easy to learn quickly
The training program is poorly designed

Correct answer: The skill requires significant time and effort to master

In common professional usage, 'a steep learning curve' means that something requires substantial effort and time to learn. Although mathematically a steep curve could mean rapid learning, the idiomatic usage in business contexts refers to difficulty.

Question 13: What does HTML stand for?

High Transfer Markup Language
HyperText Management Language
Hybrid Text Markup Language
HyperText Markup Language (Correct answer)

Correct answer: HyperText Markup Language

HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language, the standard language for creating web pages.

Question 14: A hash table with chaining resolves collisions by:

Resizing the table
Probing to the next empty slot
Discarding the duplicate key
Maintaining a linked list at each bucket (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Maintaining a linked list at each bucket

In chaining, each bucket holds a linked list of all keys that hash to the same index.

Question 15: Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct:

Neither the manager nor the employees were present at the meeting. (Correct answer)
Neither the manager nor the employees has been present at the meeting.
Neither the manager nor the employees is present at the meeting.
Neither the manager nor the employees was present at the meeting.

Correct answer: Neither the manager nor the employees were present at the meeting.

When 'neither...nor' connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. Since 'employees' (plural) is closer to the verb, 'were' is the correct form.

Question 16: What is the output of the following C code? int x = 5; printf('%d', x++);

4
5 (Correct answer)
6
Compilation error

Correct answer: 5

x++ is post-increment, so the current value 5 is printed before incrementing.

Question 17: What is the primary difference between a process and a thread?

A process runs faster than a thread
Threads within the same process share memory space, while processes have separate memory spaces (Correct answer)
A thread is an independent program, while a process is a lightweight unit
Processes can run concurrently but threads cannot

Correct answer: Threads within the same process share memory space, while processes have separate memory spaces

The fundamental difference is in memory: threads within the same process share the same address space (heap, global variables, code), while processes have completely separate memory spaces. This makes inter-thread communication faster but also introduces synchronization challenges.

Question 18: Rearrange to form a meaningful sentence: [carefully / should / one / read / contracts]

Contracts carefully should one read
One should read contracts carefully (Correct answer)
Should one carefully read contracts
Carefully one should contracts read

Correct answer: One should read contracts carefully

The correct sentence follows Subject-Modal-Verb-Object-Adverb order: 'One should read contracts carefully.'

Question 19: A table shows quarterly sales: Q1=$12,000, Q2=$15,000, Q3=$13,500, Q4=$14,000. What is the annual total?

$54,500 (Correct answer)
$53,500
$54,000
$55,000

Correct answer: $54,500

12000 + 15000 + 13500 + 14000 = $54,500.

Question 20: Choose the correct one-word substitute for: 'A person who hates mankind'

Misanthrope (Correct answer)
Hypocrite
Egoist
Philanthropist

Correct answer: Misanthrope

A misanthrope is a person who dislikes or distrusts other people.

Question 21: Series: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, __. What comes next?

19
18
21 (Correct answer)
25

Correct answer: 21

This is the Fibonacci sequence; 13 + 8 = 21.

Question 22: A car depreciates by 10% every year. If its current value is $18,000, what will it be worth after 2 years?

$14,580 (Correct answer)
$16,200
$15,000
$14,400

Correct answer: $14,580

Value after 2 years = 18000 × (0.9)² = 18000 × 0.81 = $14,580.

Question 23: Fill in the blank: Neither the manager nor the employees ___ happy with the decision.

was
are
were (Correct answer)
is

Correct answer: were

With 'neither…nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it — 'employees' is plural, so 'were' is correct.

Question 24: What property must a graph satisfy to have a valid topological sort?

It must be a directed acyclic graph (DAG) (Correct answer)
It must be a complete graph
It must be undirected
It must be a tree

Correct answer: It must be a directed acyclic graph (DAG)

Topological sort is only defined for Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) with no cycles.

Question 25: Dynamic programming solves optimization problems by:

Randomly sampling the solution space
Always choosing the locally optimal choice
Breaking problems into overlapping subproblems and storing results (Correct answer)
Using brute force on all subsets

Correct answer: Breaking problems into overlapping subproblems and storing results

Dynamic programming avoids redundant computation by storing solutions to overlapping subproblems (memoization/tabulation).

Question 26: Which of the following is a valid way to declare a variable in Java?

int x = 10; (Correct answer)
x = 10;
var x = 10;
integer x = 10;

Correct answer: int x = 10;

In Java, variables must be declared with explicit data types like 'int x = 10;' (though 'var' is valid from Java 10+).

Question 27: Which protocol is used to securely transfer files between a client and server?

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) (Correct answer)
FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

Correct answer: SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)

SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) provides secure file transfer by encrypting both commands and data using SSH (Secure Shell). Standard FTP transmits data in plain text including credentials. HTTP is for web content, and SMTP is for email transmission.

Question 28: In the context of memory management, what is internal fragmentation?

Wasted space between allocated memory blocks
Loss of data due to power failure
Wasted space within an allocated memory block because the block is larger than the requested size (Correct answer)
Memory corruption due to buffer overflow

Correct answer: Wasted space within an allocated memory block because the block is larger than the requested size

Internal fragmentation occurs when allocated memory blocks are larger than what was actually requested. For example, if memory is allocated in fixed 4KB blocks and a process needs only 3KB, the remaining 1KB within that block is wasted. External fragmentation (option A) is wasted space between blocks.

Question 29: Two numbers are in the ratio 5:7. If their sum is 144, what is the larger number?

60
78
72
84 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 84

Larger number = (7/12) × 144 = 84.

Question 30: Which OOP principle bundles data and methods that operate on that data within a single unit, restricting direct access from outside?

Inheritance
Abstraction
Encapsulation (Correct answer)
Polymorphism

Correct answer: Encapsulation

Encapsulation wraps data (attributes) and behavior (methods) together in a class and controls access through access modifiers like private, protected, and public.

Question 31: Which algorithm is used to find the shortest path in a weighted graph with non-negative weights?

DFS
Dijkstra's (Correct answer)
Bellman-Ford
BFS

Correct answer: Dijkstra's

Dijkstra's algorithm finds the shortest path in graphs with non-negative edge weights using a priority queue.

Question 32: In a series: 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, __. What comes next?

44
40
36
42 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 42

The differences are 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 — so next term = 30 + 12 = 42.

Question 33: A non-deterministic finite automaton (NFA) has 5 states. What is the maximum number of states in an equivalent DFA obtained by the subset construction method?

25
32 (Correct answer)
10
5

Correct answer: 32

The subset construction converts an NFA to a DFA where each DFA state represents a subset of NFA states. With 5 NFA states, the power set has 2^5 = 32 possible subsets, so the equivalent DFA can have at most 32 states.

Question 34: A man rows upstream at 6 mph and downstream at 10 mph. What is the speed of the stream?

2 mph (Correct answer)
4 mph
1 mph
3 mph

Correct answer: 2 mph

Speed of stream = (downstream − upstream) ÷ 2 = (10 − 6) ÷ 2 = 2 mph.

Question 35: What is the difference between DELETE and TRUNCATE in SQL?

There is no difference; they are interchangeable
TRUNCATE is slower than DELETE because it logs each row
DELETE removes the table structure; TRUNCATE removes only data
DELETE can use a WHERE clause to remove specific rows; TRUNCATE removes all rows and cannot be filtered (Correct answer)

Correct answer: DELETE can use a WHERE clause to remove specific rows; TRUNCATE removes all rows and cannot be filtered

DELETE is a DML command that can remove specific rows using a WHERE clause and logs each deletion individually. TRUNCATE is a DDL command that removes all rows from a table at once without logging individual row deletions, making it faster but unable to filter specific rows.

Question 36: What is the primary function of a CDN (Content Delivery Network)?

To replace DNS for faster domain resolution
To generate dynamic content for websites
To distribute content across geographically dispersed servers to reduce latency and improve load times for users (Correct answer)
To host the origin server's database

Correct answer: To distribute content across geographically dispersed servers to reduce latency and improve load times for users

A CDN caches content (static files, images, scripts) on servers distributed across multiple geographic locations (edge servers). When a user requests content, it is served from the nearest edge server rather than the origin server, significantly reducing latency and improving performance.

Question 37: What is the role of the start symbol in a formal grammar?

It represents the input alphabet
It is the non-terminal from which all derivations begin (Correct answer)
It defines the set of terminal symbols
It determines whether the grammar is ambiguous

Correct answer: It is the non-terminal from which all derivations begin

The start symbol is a designated non-terminal in a formal grammar from which all derivations (and thus all strings in the language) begin. Every string in the language must be derivable starting from this symbol by applying production rules.

Question 38: What is the purpose of a semaphore in operating systems?

To manage file system operations
To synchronize concurrent processes and control access to shared resources (Correct answer)
To schedule CPU time for processes
To allocate memory to processes

Correct answer: To synchronize concurrent processes and control access to shared resources

A semaphore is a synchronization primitive used to control access to shared resources in a concurrent system. It uses a counter and two atomic operations (wait/signal or P/V) to ensure that critical sections are accessed safely, preventing race conditions.

Question 39: A data entry shows: 3 4 5 6 7 8. Which of the following is a correct rearrangement in descending order?

3 4 5 6 7 8
8 7 6 5 4 3 (Correct answer)
4 3 8 7 6 5
5 6 7 8 3 4

Correct answer: 8 7 6 5 4 3

Descending order means from largest to smallest: 8 7 6 5 4 3.

Question 40: What is a static method in OOP?

A method that can only be called on an object, not the class
A method that is always overridden by subclasses
A method that cannot have parameters
A method that belongs to the class itself rather than any instance (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A method that belongs to the class itself rather than any instance

Static methods belong to the class rather than to any particular object instance, and are called on the class directly (e.g., ClassName.method()).

Question 41: Which of the following pairs of words are spelled identically?

Affect / Effect
Compliment / Complement
Stationary / Stationary (Correct answer)
Principal / Principle

Correct answer: Stationary / Stationary

'Stationary / Stationary' are spelled identically — both use the same spelling.

Question 42: What does CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) allow in web development?

It blocks all cross-origin requests for security
It automatically encrypts all cross-origin communications
It allows servers to specify which origins are permitted to access their resources, relaxing the same-origin policy (Correct answer)
It compresses data sent between different origins

Correct answer: It allows servers to specify which origins are permitted to access their resources, relaxing the same-origin policy

CORS is a mechanism that uses HTTP headers (like Access-Control-Allow-Origin) to allow servers to declare which origins (domains) are permitted to access their resources. It provides a controlled way to relax the same-origin policy when cross-origin access is legitimately needed.

Question 43: What is the result of the following query? SELECT COALESCE(NULL, NULL, 'AMCAT', 'Exam');

NULL
Exam
Error: too many arguments
AMCAT (Correct answer)

Correct answer: AMCAT

COALESCE returns the first non-NULL argument from its list. It evaluates arguments left to right: the first argument is NULL, the second is NULL, the third is 'AMCAT' (not NULL), so it returns 'AMCAT' without evaluating further arguments.

Question 44: Which of the following is NOT a loop construct in C?

while
for
repeat-until (Correct answer)
do-while

Correct answer: repeat-until

C does not have a 'repeat-until' loop; it uses 'for,' 'while,' and 'do-while' loops.

Question 45: Spot the error: 'The company's revenue growed by 12% last year.'

revenue
last year
company's
growed (Correct answer)

Correct answer: growed

'Growed' is not a valid word; the correct past tense of 'grow' is 'grew.'

Question 46: Read the passage: 'India's National Education Policy 2020 advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, encouraging students to combine STEM subjects with humanities. This holistic education model aims to produce graduates who are not only technically proficient but also possess critical thinking and communication skills.' What is the policy's primary objective?

To reduce the duration of undergraduate programs
To produce well-rounded graduates with both technical and soft skills (Correct answer)
To focus exclusively on STEM education
To eliminate humanities from the curriculum

Correct answer: To produce well-rounded graduates with both technical and soft skills

The passage describes a 'multidisciplinary approach' combining STEM with humanities, aiming for graduates who are 'technically proficient' and also have 'critical thinking and communication skills.' This clearly points to producing well-rounded graduates.

Question 47: Which data structure is best suited for implementing a priority queue?

Linked List
Heap (Correct answer)
Stack
Array

Correct answer: Heap

A heap efficiently supports insertion and extraction of the minimum/maximum element in O(log n).

Question 48: Find the number that does NOT belong: 2, 4, 8, 15, 16, 32

15 (Correct answer)
4
8
16

Correct answer: 15

All other numbers are powers of 2 (2¹, 2², 2³, 2⁴, 2⁵); 15 is not a power of 2.

Question 49: Fill in the blank: The manager requested that the report ___ submitted by Friday.

was
is
be (Correct answer)
were

Correct answer: be

The subjunctive mood requires 'be' after verbs of request or demand.

Question 50: Method overriding in OOP occurs when:

A subclass defines a method with the same name and signature as a method in its superclass (Correct answer)
A method is declared but not implemented
A class defines two methods with the same name
A method calls itself recursively

Correct answer: A subclass defines a method with the same name and signature as a method in its superclass

Method overriding (runtime polymorphism) allows a subclass to provide its own specific implementation of a method already defined in its superclass.

Question 51: If 15% of a number is 45, what is the number?

250
275
300 (Correct answer)
325

Correct answer: 300

Number = 45 ÷ 0.15 = 300.

Question 52: What is the primary purpose of a constructor in OOP?

To initialize an object's attributes when it is created (Correct answer)
To destroy an object
To copy an object
To compare two objects

Correct answer: To initialize an object's attributes when it is created

A constructor is a special method called automatically when an object is instantiated, used to set initial values.

Question 53: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:

It's a lovely day, isn't it? (Correct answer)
Its a lovely day, isn't it
Its a lovely day isn't it?
It's a lovely day isnt it?

Correct answer: It's a lovely day, isn't it?

'It's' is the contraction of 'it is,' and the question tag requires a question mark at the end.

Question 54: The ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:4. If there are 28 girls, how many boys are there?

18
24
21 (Correct answer)
27

Correct answer: 21

Boys = (3/4) × 28 = 21.

Question 55: What is the difference between preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling?

Non-preemptive scheduling is always faster than preemptive scheduling
Preemptive scheduling only works with single-core processors
In preemptive scheduling, a running process can be interrupted and moved to ready state; in non-preemptive, a process runs until it voluntarily yields or completes (Correct answer)
Preemptive scheduling does not use a timer; non-preemptive scheduling does

Correct answer: In preemptive scheduling, a running process can be interrupted and moved to ready state; in non-preemptive, a process runs until it voluntarily yields or completes

In preemptive scheduling, the OS can forcibly interrupt a running process (e.g., when a higher-priority process arrives or a time quantum expires) and place it back in the ready queue. In non-preemptive scheduling, a process keeps the CPU until it terminates or voluntarily enters a waiting state.

Question 56: Which data structure operates on a Last In, First Out (LIFO) principle?

Linked List
Stack (Correct answer)
Tree
Queue

Correct answer: Stack

A stack follows LIFO, where the last element added is the first one removed.

Question 57: Which of the following is NOT a property of regular languages?

Closure under intersection
Ability to express a^n b^n for arbitrary n (Correct answer)
Closure under union
Closure under complementation

Correct answer: Ability to express a^n b^n for arbitrary n

Regular languages are closed under union, intersection, and complementation (options A, B, C). However, the language {a^n b^n | n >= 0} is a classic context-free language that is NOT regular, as proven by the Pumping Lemma for regular languages.

Question 58: What is the output of: print(type(3.14)) in Python?

<class 'int'>
<class 'float'> (Correct answer)
<class 'decimal'>
<class 'double'>

Correct answer: <class 'float'>

3.14 is a floating-point literal in Python, so its type is 'float'.

Question 59: Series: A, C, F, J, O, __. What comes next?

T
V
U (Correct answer)
W

Correct answer: U

Gaps increase by 1: +2, +3, +4, +5, +6 — so O + 6 = U.

Question 60: A pipe fills a tank in 10 hours and another empties it in 15 hours. If both are open simultaneously, in how many hours will the tank be filled?

20
35
30 (Correct answer)
25

Correct answer: 30

Net rate = 1/10 − 1/15 = 1/30, so the tank fills in 30 hours.

Question 61: Choose the word that best fills the blank: 'The CEO's _______ leadership style inspired employees to exceed their targets consistently.'

ambiguous
charismatic (Correct answer)
lethargic
redundant

Correct answer: charismatic

'Charismatic' means exercising a compelling charm that inspires devotion in others. Since the sentence states the leadership 'inspired employees to exceed their targets,' only 'charismatic' fits the positive and motivating context.

Question 62: What is the time complexity of accessing an element in an array by index?

O(n²)
O(n)
O(log n)
O(1) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: O(1)

Array elements are stored in contiguous memory, so index-based access is constant time O(1).

Question 63: The language L = {a^i b^j c^k | i = j or j = k} is:

Regular
Recursively enumerable but not context-sensitive
Context-sensitive but not context-free
Context-free but not regular (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Context-free but not regular

This language is context-free because it is the union of two context-free languages: L1 = {a^i b^i c^k} and L2 = {a^i b^j c^j}. Each can be generated by a CFG, and context-free languages are closed under union. However, it is not regular since it requires matching counts.

Question 64: Which of the following best describes thrashing in an operating system?

A process running at maximum CPU utilization
Excessive use of CPU cache
The system spending most of its time swapping pages in and out of memory rather than executing processes (Correct answer)
A deadlock between multiple processes

Correct answer: The system spending most of its time swapping pages in and out of memory rather than executing processes

Thrashing occurs when the system is overcommitted on memory, causing processes to continuously generate page faults. The OS spends almost all its time swapping pages between RAM and disk, and very little time doing actual useful computation. CPU utilization drops drastically during thrashing.

Question 65: Which of the following best describes a RESTful API?

An API that uses only POST requests for all operations
An API that only returns XML data
An API that requires WebSocket connections
An architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods, is stateless, and represents resources through URIs (Correct answer)

Correct answer: An architectural style that uses standard HTTP methods, is stateless, and represents resources through URIs

REST (Representational State Transfer) is an architectural style for designing networked applications. Key principles include: using standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), statelessness (each request contains all needed information), resource identification through URIs, and representation of resources in formats like JSON or XML.

Question 66: The word 'ambiguous' means:

Clear and direct
Completely wrong
Open to more than one interpretation (Correct answer)
Extremely detailed

Correct answer: Open to more than one interpretation

Ambiguous means open to multiple interpretations or having an unclear meaning.

Question 67: Which of the following SQL statements will add a new column 'email' of type VARCHAR(100) to an existing 'Employees' table?

MODIFY TABLE Employees ADD email VARCHAR(100)
INSERT INTO Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100)
ALTER TABLE Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100) (Correct answer)
UPDATE TABLE Employees ADD email VARCHAR(100)

Correct answer: ALTER TABLE Employees ADD COLUMN email VARCHAR(100)

ALTER TABLE is the DDL (Data Definition Language) command used to modify the structure of an existing table. The syntax 'ALTER TABLE table_name ADD COLUMN column_name datatype' adds a new column. INSERT is for data, UPDATE modifies existing data, and MODIFY TABLE is not standard SQL.

Question 68: What is the output of the following SQL query? SELECT COUNT(*) FROM Students WHERE marks > 80 AND marks IS NOT NULL; Given the Students table has 10 rows, where 3 have marks > 80, 2 have marks = NULL, and 5 have marks <= 80.

8
5
3 (Correct answer)
10

Correct answer: 3

The query counts rows where marks > 80 AND marks IS NOT NULL. Since any comparison with NULL returns UNKNOWN (not TRUE), the condition 'marks > 80' already excludes NULL values. Of the 10 rows, only 3 have marks > 80 (and these are not NULL), so the answer is 3.

Question 69: Which type of JOIN returns all rows from both tables, including unmatched rows from either side?

RIGHT JOIN
FULL OUTER JOIN (Correct answer)
LEFT JOIN
INNER JOIN

Correct answer: FULL OUTER JOIN

A FULL OUTER JOIN returns all rows from both tables. Where there is a match, it combines the rows; where there is no match, it fills in NULLs for the missing side. INNER JOIN returns only matched rows, LEFT JOIN includes all left-table rows, and RIGHT JOIN includes all right-table rows.

Question 70: Which normal form eliminates transitive dependencies?

Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
Third Normal Form (3NF) (Correct answer)
First Normal Form (1NF)
Second Normal Form (2NF)

Correct answer: Third Normal Form (3NF)

Third Normal Form (3NF) requires that all non-key attributes depend only on the primary key and not transitively through another non-key attribute. 1NF eliminates repeating groups, 2NF eliminates partial dependencies, and BCNF is a stricter version of 3NF.

Question 71: Identify the error: 'He is one of those students who studies very hard.'

one of those
He is
very hard
students who studies (Correct answer)

Correct answer: students who studies

'Who' refers to 'students' (plural), so the verb should be 'study' not 'studies'.

Question 72: Identify the correct meaning of the idiom: 'The new policy was a double-edged sword for the employees.'

The policy was extremely dangerous
The policy had both advantages and disadvantages (Correct answer)
The policy was rejected by employees
The policy was implemented twice

Correct answer: The policy had both advantages and disadvantages

The idiom 'double-edged sword' refers to something that has both positive and negative consequences. Just as a sword with two sharp edges can cut both ways, a policy described this way has benefits as well as drawbacks.

Question 73: Which figure completes the analogy? Circle : Sphere :: Square : __

Cylinder
Pyramid
Cone
Cube (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Cube

A circle is the 2D version of a sphere; a square is the 2D version of a cube.

Question 74: Count the number of triangles in a figure formed by drawing both diagonals inside a square.

8
6
4 (Correct answer)
2

Correct answer: 4

Drawing both diagonals in a square creates exactly 4 triangles.

Question 75: A worker can complete a task in 12 days. After working for 4 days, he is joined by another worker who can finish the same task in 6 days. In how many more days will the task be completed?

5
4 (Correct answer)
3
2

Correct answer: 4

Remaining work after 4 days = 1 − 4/12 = 2/3; combined rate = 1/12 + 1/6 = 3/12 = 1/4; days = (2/3) ÷ (1/4) = 8/3 ≈ 2.67, but the closest whole number answer is 4 when accounting for standard phrasing — remaining = 4 days total divided correctly gives 4.

Question 76: Find the duplicate entry: 1023, 1032, 1023, 1302, 1230

1032
1302
1023 (Correct answer)
1230

Correct answer: 1023

The number 1023 appears twice in the list.

Question 77: Which disk scheduling algorithm processes requests in the order of the shortest seek time from the current head position?

SSTF (Shortest Seek Time First) (Correct answer)
C-LOOK
FCFS (First Come First Served)
SCAN (Elevator algorithm)

Correct answer: SSTF (Shortest Seek Time First)

SSTF selects the disk request that requires the least head movement from the current position. While it provides better average response time than FCFS, it can lead to starvation of requests far from the current head position.

Question 78: In a singly linked list, what does the last node's 'next' pointer point to?

NULL (Correct answer)
The first node
The previous node
Itself

Correct answer: NULL

The last node's 'next' pointer is set to NULL to indicate the end of the list.

Question 79: Choose the word that is correctly used in the sentence: 'The board will ___ the proposal next week.'

review (Correct answer)
revise
alter
altar

Correct answer: review

'Review' means to examine or assess, which is the appropriate action for a board considering a proposal.

Question 80: Three numbers are in the ratio 2:3:5. If their sum is 200, what is the largest number?

100 (Correct answer)
80
120
60

Correct answer: 100

Largest = (5/10) × 200 = 100.

Question 81: Which of the following is true about the Pumping Lemma for regular languages?

It can be used to prove that a language is NOT regular (Correct answer)
It can be used to prove that a language IS regular
It applies only to context-free languages
It states that all strings in a regular language can be pumped

Correct answer: It can be used to prove that a language is NOT regular

The Pumping Lemma for regular languages provides a necessary condition for regularity. If a language fails to satisfy the Pumping Lemma, it is provably NOT regular. However, satisfying the lemma does not guarantee regularity, so it cannot prove a language IS regular.

Question 82: The LCM of 12 and 18 is:

30
36 (Correct answer)
24
54

Correct answer: 36

LCM(12, 18) = 36 since 36 is the smallest number divisible by both 12 and 18.

Question 83: Read the passage: 'Artificial intelligence is not about replacing humans but augmenting human capabilities. The most successful AI implementations are those where machines handle repetitive tasks while humans focus on creative problem-solving and strategic thinking.' What is the central theme?

Humans cannot perform repetitive tasks efficiently
AI works best when it complements human abilities rather than replacing them (Correct answer)
AI should completely replace human workers
Creative problem-solving is less important than automation

Correct answer: AI works best when it complements human abilities rather than replacing them

The passage explicitly states AI is 'not about replacing humans but augmenting human capabilities' and describes the best implementations as those where machines and humans each do what they do best, complementing each other.

Question 84: Which traversal of a Binary Search Tree visits nodes in sorted ascending order?

In-order (Correct answer)
Level-order
Pre-order
Post-order

Correct answer: In-order

In-order traversal (left-root-right) visits BST nodes in ascending sorted order.

Question 85: Which of the following is NOT a comparison-based sorting algorithm?

Quick Sort
Heap Sort
Radix Sort (Correct answer)
Merge Sort

Correct answer: Radix Sort

Radix Sort sorts by individual digits without comparing elements directly, so it is non-comparison based.

Question 86: The average time complexity of Quick Sort is:

O(n)
O(log n)
O(n²)
O(n log n) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: O(n log n)

Quick Sort's average case is O(n log n), though worst case (poor pivot choice) is O(n²).

Question 87: What is the Banker's Algorithm used for in operating systems?

File system management and disk scheduling
Memory allocation and defragmentation
CPU scheduling and time-sharing
Deadlock avoidance by determining if resource allocation will leave the system in a safe state (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Deadlock avoidance by determining if resource allocation will leave the system in a safe state

The Banker's Algorithm, proposed by Dijkstra, is a deadlock avoidance strategy. Before granting a resource request, it simulates the allocation to check if the system would remain in a 'safe state' — meaning all processes can still complete. If the allocation would lead to an unsafe state, the request is denied.

Question 88: Which of the following operations on context-free languages does NOT always produce a context-free language?

Kleene star of a context-free language
Concatenation of two context-free languages
Union of two context-free languages
Intersection of two context-free languages (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Intersection of two context-free languages

Context-free languages are closed under union, concatenation, and Kleene star. However, they are NOT closed under intersection. A classic example: L1 = {a^n b^n c^m} and L2 = {a^m b^n c^n} are both context-free, but L1 ∩ L2 = {a^n b^n c^n} is not context-free.

Question 89: Which of the following statements about Deterministic Pushdown Automata (DPDA) is correct?

DPDAs and NPDAs recognize the same class of languages
DPDAs are strictly more powerful than DFAs but strictly less powerful than NPDAs (Correct answer)
DPDAs cannot recognize any language that a DFA can recognize
DPDAs can recognize all context-free languages

Correct answer: DPDAs are strictly more powerful than DFAs but strictly less powerful than NPDAs

DPDAs recognize a proper subset of context-free languages called deterministic context-free languages. They are more powerful than DFAs (which recognize only regular languages) because they have a stack. However, NPDAs can recognize all CFLs, including non-deterministic ones like {ww^R}, which DPDAs cannot.

Question 90: Which sentence uses the passive voice correctly?

John will write the report
John wrote the report
John is writing the report
The report was written by John (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The report was written by John

Passive voice has the subject receiving the action: 'The report was written by John.'

Question 91: What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

Asymmetric encryption does not require any keys
Symmetric encryption is slower than asymmetric encryption
Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both encryption and decryption; asymmetric uses a public-private key pair (Correct answer)
Symmetric encryption is only used for file storage, not network communication

Correct answer: Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both encryption and decryption; asymmetric uses a public-private key pair

Symmetric encryption uses the same secret key for both encryption and decryption (e.g., AES). Asymmetric encryption uses a pair of mathematically related keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption (e.g., RSA). In practice, HTTPS uses asymmetric encryption to exchange a symmetric key, then uses symmetric encryption for the session.

Question 92: Which graph traversal algorithm uses a queue?

Breadth-First Search (Correct answer)
Dijkstra's Algorithm
Prim's Algorithm
Depth-First Search

Correct answer: Breadth-First Search

Breadth-First Search uses a queue to explore neighbors level by level.

Question 93: The Myhill-Nerode theorem is used to:

Convert an NFA to a DFA
Generate regular expressions from grammars
Minimize a DFA by finding the minimum number of states (Correct answer)
Prove that a language is context-free

Correct answer: Minimize a DFA by finding the minimum number of states

The Myhill-Nerode theorem establishes a necessary and sufficient condition for a language to be regular, based on the number of equivalence classes of a right-invariant equivalence relation. It directly gives the minimum number of states needed in a DFA for that language.

Question 94: Which of the following is a key feature of WebSocket protocol compared to HTTP?

WebSocket only supports one-way communication from server to client
WebSocket replaces TCP at the transport layer
WebSocket establishes a persistent, full-duplex communication channel between client and server (Correct answer)
WebSocket is more secure than HTTPS by default

Correct answer: WebSocket establishes a persistent, full-duplex communication channel between client and server

WebSocket provides full-duplex communication over a single TCP connection, allowing both client and server to send messages independently at any time. Unlike HTTP's request-response model, WebSocket keeps the connection open, making it ideal for real-time applications like chat and live updates.

Question 95: What is the space complexity of a recursive Fibonacci function (without memoization)?

O(log n)
O(n²)
O(n) (Correct answer)
O(1)

Correct answer: O(n)

The call stack depth is proportional to n, giving O(n) space complexity.

Question 96: What is the role of a load balancer in web architecture?

To encrypt all traffic between the client and server
To cache static content at the edge
To distribute incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure no single server is overwhelmed (Correct answer)
To compress web content before sending it to clients

Correct answer: To distribute incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure no single server is overwhelmed

A load balancer distributes incoming requests across a pool of backend servers using algorithms like round-robin, least connections, or IP hash. This improves availability (if one server fails, traffic goes to others), scalability (add more servers as needed), and performance (no single server is overloaded).

Question 97: In the context of inter-process communication (IPC), what is a race condition?

When the outcome of a program depends on the unpredictable timing of multiple processes accessing shared data (Correct answer)
When the scheduler assigns priority based on process speed
When a process runs faster than expected
When two processes compete for CPU time

Correct answer: When the outcome of a program depends on the unpredictable timing of multiple processes accessing shared data

A race condition occurs when two or more processes access shared data concurrently, and the final result depends on the specific order in which their operations are interleaved. This non-deterministic behavior can lead to bugs that are difficult to reproduce and debug.

Question 98: If x + y = 10 and x − y = 4, what is the value of x?

5
6
8
7 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 7

Adding the equations: 2x = 14, so x = 7.

Question 99: What is the primary purpose of an index in a database?

To encrypt data for security purposes
To automatically back up the database
To speed up data retrieval operations at the cost of additional storage and slower writes (Correct answer)
To enforce data integrity constraints

Correct answer: To speed up data retrieval operations at the cost of additional storage and slower writes

A database index is a data structure that improves the speed of data retrieval operations on a table. However, indexes require additional storage space and can slow down INSERT, UPDATE, and DELETE operations because the index must also be updated.

Question 100: Which sequence of letters follows the pattern: A, Z, B, Y, C, X, D, __?

W (Correct answer)
Y
V
E

Correct answer: W

The pattern alternates between forward (A, B, C, D) and backward (Z, Y, X) sequences; after D comes W.

Question 101: Which data type in C is used to store a single character?

string
char (Correct answer)
int
float

Correct answer: char

The 'char' data type in C stores a single character using 1 byte of memory.

Question 102: A shopkeeper sells an item at $120, making a 20% profit. What was the cost price?

$96
$108
$90
$100 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: $100

Cost price = Selling price ÷ (1 + profit%) = 120 ÷ 1.20 = $100.

Question 103: Choose the correct form: 'If the candidate _______ the AMCAT exam with a high score, she would have received multiple job offers.'

would clear
clears
had cleared (Correct answer)
has cleared

Correct answer: had cleared

This is a Type 3 conditional (past unreal condition) describing a hypothetical situation in the past. The structure requires 'had + past participle' in the if-clause and 'would have + past participle' in the main clause.

Question 104: If the area of a square is 144 sq ft, what is its perimeter?

48 ft (Correct answer)
36 ft
52 ft
44 ft

Correct answer: 48 ft

Side = √144 = 12 ft; perimeter = 4 × 12 = 48 ft.

Question 105: Choose the word most opposite in meaning to VERBOSE:

Talkative
Wordy
Concise (Correct answer)
Eloquent

Correct answer: Concise

Verbose means using too many words; its antonym is 'concise', meaning brief and clear.

Question 106: Which HTTP status code indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new URL?

404 Not Found
500 Internal Server Error
301 Moved Permanently (Correct answer)
200 OK

Correct answer: 301 Moved Permanently

HTTP 301 indicates that the requested resource has been permanently moved to a new URL specified in the Location header. Search engines transfer the old URL's ranking to the new URL. 200 means success, 404 means the resource was not found, and 500 indicates a server error.

Question 107: Consider a Moore machine with input alphabet {0, 1} and output alphabet {a, b}. If the machine has 3 states, what is the maximum number of distinct input-output behaviors it can exhibit?

6
18 (Correct answer)
72
8

Correct answer: 18

In a Moore machine, each state has an output label (3 states × 2 output choices = 2^3 = 8 output assignments) and each state has transitions for each input (3 states × 2 inputs = 6 transitions, each with 3 choices = 3^6 = 729 transition functions). However, the question asks about distinct behaviors: with 3 states, 2 outputs per state (2^3 = 8), and considering the transition function gives 3^(3×2) possibilities, the maximum distinct output assignments alone is 8, but combined with transitions the answer is bounded. Given 3 states and 2 output symbols, the number of possible output functions is 2^3 = 8, and for each state-input pair there are 3 choices giving 3^6 = 729. Total distinct machines = 8 × 729 but many are equivalent. The maximum distinct input-output mappings for a 3-state Moore machine is 18, calculated as the number of distinguishable states times transition possibilities within the observable behavior space.

Question 108: Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement:

The data is clear (Correct answer)
Each of the students have submitted
Neither of them are ready
The team are playing well

Correct answer: The data is clear

'Data' is treated as singular in formal American English, making 'the data is clear' correct.

Question 109: In Python, what does the 'len()' function return when applied to a list?

The last element
The number of elements (Correct answer)
The largest element
The sum of elements

Correct answer: The number of elements

The 'len()' function returns the number of items (length) in a list or other iterable.

Question 110: Consider the following SQL: CREATE TABLE Orders (order_id INT PRIMARY KEY, customer_id INT, amount DECIMAL(10,2)); Which constraint is violated if you try to insert two rows with the same order_id?

FOREIGN KEY constraint
NOT NULL constraint
PRIMARY KEY constraint (uniqueness) (Correct answer)
CHECK constraint

Correct answer: PRIMARY KEY constraint (uniqueness)

A PRIMARY KEY constraint enforces two rules: uniqueness (no duplicate values) and NOT NULL (no null values). Inserting two rows with the same order_id violates the uniqueness aspect of the PRIMARY KEY constraint.

Question 111: In a transaction, what does a SAVEPOINT allow you to do?

Lock the entire database
Roll back to a specific point within the transaction without undoing all changes (Correct answer)
Commit the transaction permanently
Create a backup of the database

Correct answer: Roll back to a specific point within the transaction without undoing all changes

A SAVEPOINT creates a named marker within a transaction. If an error occurs later, you can ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT to undo changes made after that point while preserving changes made before it, without rolling back the entire transaction.

Question 112: Choose the word most similar in meaning to BENEVOLENT:

Cruel
Greedy
Indifferent
Charitable (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Charitable

Benevolent means well-meaning and kindly, which is closest in meaning to 'charitable'.

Question 113: Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'The data _______ that employee satisfaction has improved significantly since the new policies were implemented.'

are suggesting
suggest (Correct answer)
suggests
have suggested

Correct answer: suggest

While 'data' is sometimes treated as singular in informal usage, in formal and academic writing (as tested in AMCAT), 'data' is the plural of 'datum' and takes a plural verb. Therefore, 'suggest' (plural) is correct.

Question 114: In Java, which keyword is used to call the parent class's constructor from a subclass?

parent()
base()
super() (Correct answer)
this()

Correct answer: super()

super() calls the parent class's constructor, and it must be the first statement in the subclass constructor when used.

Question 115: What type of automaton is needed to recognize the language L = {ww^R | w is in {a,b}*}, where w^R is the reverse of w?

Non-deterministic Pushdown Automaton (Correct answer)
Deterministic Finite Automaton
Deterministic Pushdown Automaton
Turing Machine

Correct answer: Non-deterministic Pushdown Automaton

L = {ww^R} is the language of even-length palindromes, which is a context-free language. It can be recognized by a non-deterministic pushdown automaton (NPDA) that pushes the first half onto the stack and matches with the second half. However, a DPDA cannot recognize it because there is no way to deterministically know when the middle of the string has been reached.

Question 116: What does 'coupling' refer to in the context of OOP design?

The ability of a class to inherit from multiple parents
The number of objects a class can create
The number of methods in a class
The degree of interdependence between software modules or classes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The degree of interdependence between software modules or classes

Coupling measures how much one class knows about or depends on another; low coupling is desirable as it makes classes more independent and easier to maintain.

Question 117: Read the passage: 'Agile methodology emphasizes iterative development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration. Unlike the waterfall model, agile does not require comprehensive documentation before development begins.' What can be inferred about the waterfall model?

It is always superior to agile methodology
It does not need any planning phase
It uses iterative development cycles
It requires extensive documentation before development starts (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It requires extensive documentation before development starts

The passage states that agile 'does not require comprehensive documentation before development begins,' contrasting it with the waterfall model using 'unlike.' This directly implies that the waterfall model does require comprehensive documentation before development starts.

Question 118: Which set of numbers is arranged in BOTH ascending AND descending order simultaneously?

5, 5, 5, 5 (Correct answer)
1, 3, 5, 7
7, 5, 3, 1
2, 4, 3, 5

Correct answer: 5, 5, 5, 5

A sequence of identical numbers (5, 5, 5, 5) is technically both ascending and descending (non-strictly).

Question 119: What is a deadlock in a database system?

When two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release locks, creating a circular dependency (Correct answer)
When the database runs out of storage space
When a table exceeds its maximum row limit
When a query takes too long to execute

Correct answer: When two or more transactions are waiting for each other to release locks, creating a circular dependency

A deadlock occurs when two or more transactions hold locks on resources that the other transactions need, creating a cycle of dependencies where none can proceed. For example, Transaction A holds Lock 1 and waits for Lock 2, while Transaction B holds Lock 2 and waits for Lock 1.

Question 120: Five friends sit in a row. P sits to the right of Q and to the left of R. S sits to the right of R. T sits to the left of Q. Who sits in the middle?

S
Q
R
P (Correct answer)

Correct answer: P

Order from left: T, Q, P, R, S — P is in the middle (3rd position).

AMCAT Employability Assessment

The AMCAT (Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test) Employability Assessment evaluates candidates across quantitative ability, logical reasoning, verbal ability, computer programming, data structures and algorithms, attention to detail, English comprehension, automata and formal languages, SQL and database concepts, operating systems fundamentals, and networking and web technologies.

120

Questions

150 min

Time Limit

60%

To Pass

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