Exam 2 Thursday 10/29

Exam 2 will be an on-line exam.

When you arrive for the exam, you will be given one of problems d1 - d5 to solve.

Problems d6 - d8 are here so you can look them BUT THEY ARE NOT PART OF EXAM2.

Getting Started

Caution -- the following download process only works with Netscape Navigator. If you are currently using Internet Explorer - switch to Netscape.
  1. LEFT click here download Exam2F98.exe - save the file to c:\temp
    • 125Exam2.exe is a compressed zip archive of the materials you will need to practice for the exam


  2. On the Exam2F98.exe in c:\temp - double click (open it) in c:\temp
    • this will launch WinZip, the application that will uncompress the Exam2 materials


  3. On the Ok button in the dialog box that talks about this copy of WinZip being an unregistered copy - click once
    • this will close the dialog box


  4. On the Unzip button - click once
    • the default location to uncompress into is preset to c:\temp


  5. On the OK button - click once

  6. On the X in the upper right-hand corner of the WinZip window - click once to close the WinZip window

The steps above downloaded and unzipped (uncompressed) the Exam2 study folder. It contains the header, implementation, project, and data files for Exam 2.

Understanding each problem

  1. read the description of the problem -- dlevel problems
  2. look at the data files -- which are in the Exam2 folder in c:\temp that was just uncompressed
  3. read the correct output for the problem -- dlevel correct output

Studing effectively

  1. Write solutions for each of the problems, using notes, friends, tutors, the book, office hours, etc.

    Use the project and provided header, implementation, and main files.

  2. Re-write your solutions using the syntax-help page and yourself (i.e. simulate the exam conditions).
  3. Check your solutions against all provided data files for each problem.
  4. Do your work in the provided mastery project and dlevel.h, dlevel.impl.cpp, and dlevel.main.cpp files.

Taking the exam

  • The exam is closed notes, closed book, closed disk, closed friend, etc.
  • the web page for syntax help will be available during the exam
  • the web pages with the descriptions of the dlevel problems and the dlevel correct output will be available.
  • You will start with a fresh copy of the Exam2 folder and be asked to write a solution in CodeWarrior to one problems d1 - d5. You will not know ahead of time which problem you will be asked to solve.
  • Not all students get their solutions to run during the exam. Exam 2 solutions that don't compile or run correctly can get substantial partial credit.
    note: This is different from the Mastery exam when all your solutions must compile, run correctly, and follow the directions in order to receive credit.
  • When you take Exam 2 you will be working with the same files that you study from.
    • project
    • dlevel.h
    • dlevel.impl.cpp
    • dlevel.main.cpp
    • 125Classlib
    • data files for all the problems

CodeWarrior's Debugger

Consider learning the debugger while you are studying. Like any other large complex application, it takes practice. Time you spend learning the debugger can have a big payoff when you are debugging during the exam and during future homeworks.

Debugging with couts

A strong reminder -- make sure your debugging couts end with a newline (endl or "\n")

The reason? The C++ run-time system holds onto (buffers) cout commands until a cout with a newline is executed. At that point, the run-time system outputs the entire contents of the line. What this means for debugging is that couts without a newline won't always print to the screen when you expect them to.

Even if you don't follow that explanation, remember
make sure your debugging couts end with a newline (endl or \n) And before you ask

  1. Exam3 will be a written exam similar in nature to Exam 1.
  2. There will be a Study Guide (an old exam) put on reserve in the library closer to the date for Exam 3
  3. Exam 3 is the Thursday before the week of Thanksgiving (11/19)