Exam-style question
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Explain what is meant by a structured approach to program design and construction. Include how a hierarchy chart can be used and describe two advantages of this approach.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- A structured approach designs and constructs a program by dividing a large problem into smaller, logically organised modules.
- A hierarchy chart can be created before coding to show the overall program or main module at the top and the lower-level modules that contribute to its tasks beneath it.
- Two advantages are that the design is easier to understand because each module has a clearer purpose, and construction and maintenance can be made more manageable because changes can often be focused on an individual module rather than the whole program.
Explanation
Why this works
A full answer should define decomposition into modules, explain the parent-child relationship shown by a hierarchy chart, and link advantages to the structured organisation of the program. Suitable advantages include improved clarity, easier maintenance and more manageable construction.
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