CSTE practice question 6 of 25
The three parts of the function point count must be determined individually.
Full set: 122 questionsThe statement is correct. The Function Point Analysis (FPA) methodology, as defined by the International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG), is a structured process involving distinct steps. The final function point count is derived from three primary components that are determined individually:
1. Unadjusted Function Point (UFP) Count: Calculated by identifying, classifying, and weighting five function types (data and transactional).
2. Value Adjustment Factor (VAF): Derived from assessing the degree of influence of 14 General System Characteristics (GSCs).
3. Adjusted Function Point (AFP) Count: The final calculation where the UFP is multiplied by the VAF. Each of these components requires a separate and independent evaluation before the final result can be computed.
B. False: This is incorrect. The FPA process explicitly separates the counting of functional components (to get the UFP) from the assessment of system characteristics (to get the VAF). These are not determined concurrently or as a single composite value.
1. International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG). (2010). Function Point Counting Practices Manual (CPM), Release 4.3.1. In Part 2: "The Counting Process," the manual outlines the distinct steps for determining the Unadjusted Function Point count (Sections 2.3.3, 2.3.4, 2.3.5) and the Value Adjustment Factor (Section 2.3.6) before calculating the final Adjusted Function Point count (Section 2.3.7). This structure confirms the individual determination of each part.
2. Pressman, R. S., & Maxim, B. R. (2020). Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill. Chapter 26, "Estimation for Software Projects," describes the process of function point analysis. It details the computation of the unadjusted function point count based on information domain values and then separately explains the calculation of the value adjustment factor based on responses to 14 questions about general system characteristics (pp. 570-573).
3. Albrecht, A. J. (1979). "Measuring Application Development Productivity." Proceedings of the Joint SHARE/GUIDE/IBM Application Development Symposium, Monterey, California, October 14-17, 1979, pp. 83-92. The original paper introducing function points establishes this multi-part process. It first describes the method for counting and weighting the five function types and then introduces a separate step to adjust this count based on "processing complexity characteristics." This foundational document establishes the principle of individual determination.
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