Why are COBOL group data items used in program design?

  • To enhance data manipulation efficiency
  • To improve program readability
  • To organize and structure related data items
  • To reduce memory usage
COBOL group data items are used to organize and structure related data items, improving program readability and maintenance. They also contribute to efficient data manipulation by grouping logically related elements together.

Which division of a COBOL program is responsible for defining external files?

  • FILE SECTION
  • INPUT-OUTPUT SECTION
  • LINKAGE SECTION
  • WORKING-STORAGE SECTION
The "FILE SECTION" in COBOL is responsible for defining external files that the program will read from or write to. It specifies the organization, access mode, and other attributes of the files used by the program.

In COBOL, the INDEXED BY phrase is used to create a(n) ____________.

  • Alias for a variable
  • Alternate entry point
  • Index for a table
  • Subroutine
The INDEXED BY phrase in COBOL is used to create an index for a table. It allows you to reference individual occurrences in a table using an index variable.

The _____ clause in COBOL allows you to declare a variable as a subordinate item of another variable.

  • GROUP
  • OCCURS
  • REDEFINES
  • RENAMES
The GROUP clause in COBOL is used to declare a variable as a subordinate item of another variable. It helps in organizing related data items under a common name, making the structure of the data more readable and manageable.

Which COBOL data type is appropriate for representing fixed-point decimal numbers?

  • PIC 9(5)V9(2)
  • PIC S9(5)V9(2)
  • PIC S9(5)V9(2) COMP
  • PIC S9(5)V9(2) COMP-3
The data type PIC S9(5)V9(2) COMP-3 in COBOL is used to represent fixed-point decimal numbers. The COMP-3, or packed decimal, format is suitable for efficient storage of decimal data, with each digit represented by half a byte.

The REDEFINES clause is used to __________ a group data item with another data item.

  • Concatenate the data of
  • Copy the data of
  • Separate the storage of
  • Share the storage of
The REDEFINES clause in COBOL is used to separate the storage of a group data item and another data item. It allows the same area of storage to be referenced using different data descriptions, providing versatility in data usage.

Your COBOL application needs to create a new file and write data to it. Which file access mode should be used for this purpose?

  • EXTEND
  • I-O
  • INPUT
  • OUTPUT
For creating a new file and writing data to it, the correct file access mode is OUTPUT. This mode is used to write records to a file and create a new file if it does not exist. It does not allow reading or updating existing records.

A ____________ array is one where the OCCURS clause is nested within another OCCURS clause in COBOL.

  • Dynamic
  • Hierarchical
  • Multidimensional
  • Nested
A nested array in COBOL is created when the OCCURS clause is used within another OCCURS clause. This allows for the creation of more complex data structures, such as tables of tables or matrices.

Which COBOL file control verb is used to establish a connection between a COBOL program and an external file?

  • FILE
  • OPEN
  • READ
  • WRITE
The OPEN verb in COBOL is used to establish a connection between a COBOL program and an external file. It prepares the file for subsequent READ or WRITE operations.

_____ is the process of creating a new object from a class in Object-Oriented COBOL.

  • CREATION
  • GENERATION
  • INSTANTIATION
  • OBJECTIFICATION
In Object-Oriented COBOL, the process of creating a new object from a class is known as "INSTANTIATION." It involves creating an instance of a class with its own set of data and behavior.