ITPEC FE Morning April 2023 Question 46

Topic: System Development Technology

The diagram below is an example of a DFD that is used in the structured analysis method. Which of the following is represented by a “◯” in the diagram below?

Explanation

Process — in a DFD the circle (bubble) is a process that transforms incoming data into outgoing data.

The DFD notation of structured analysis uses four symbols, all of them in this diagram:

SymbolMeaning
RectangleExternal entity: a source or destination of data outside the system
CircleProcess: turns input data flows into output data flows
Two parallel linesData store: data held for later use
ArrowData flow: data moving between the other elements

Answer (d)

Why not others:

  • •(a) Activity — not a DFD symbol; activities belong to UML activity diagrams, drawn as rounded rectangles
  • •(b) Data flow — drawn as the arrows between the symbols
  • •(c) Data store — drawn as the two parallel lines in the middle of the diagram

Key rule: Every DFD process has at least one input and one output flow, and data moves to or from a store or an external entity only through a process.

System Development Technology · AI-written, may contain errors

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