COBOL Programming Skills Test Quiz

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| By Stephanie Young

Stephanie Young

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Quizzes Created: 85 | Total Attempts: 63,576

Questions: 10 | Attempts: 499 | Updated: Mar 10, 2023

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COBOL Programming Skills Test Quiz - Quiz

It is a fact that most of the financial and business applications used by companies were developed by COBOL. If you have COBOL programming skills, then this quiz is for you to ascertain your knowledge.

Questions and Answers

1.

The following are advantages of COBOL except
- A.
  
  User Defined Functions
- B.
  
  Object Orientation
- C.
  
  Multiple Currency Symbols
- D.
  
  User Undefined Data Types
Correct Answer
D. User Undefined Data Types

Explanation
COBOL, a programming language commonly used in business applications, offers several advantages. User Defined Functions allow developers to create custom functions to suit their specific needs. Object Orientation enables the use of object-oriented programming principles, making code more modular and reusable. Multiple Currency Symbols allow for easy handling of different currency symbols and formats. However, COBOL does not have User Undefined Data Types, meaning that all data types must be defined by the programmer.

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2.

Which of the following syntaxes uses an alphanumeric data-item
- A.
  
  $i
- B.
  
  $il
- C.
  
  #i
- D.
  
  #il
Correct Answer
A. $i

Explanation
The correct answer is $i. In programming, an alphanumeric data-item is one that can consist of both letters and numbers. In this case, the syntax $i represents a data-item that can contain alphanumeric characters.

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3.

Which of the following syntaxes uses a numeric data item?
- A.
  
  $il
- B.
  
  $i
- C.
  
  #i
- D.
  
  $#i
Correct Answer
C. #i

Explanation
The syntax "#i" uses a numeric data item. The "#" symbol is commonly used to represent numeric values in programming languages. Therefore, "#i" indicates that the variable "i" is a numeric data item.

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4.

Which of the following is the hierarchy of the COBOL four divisions?
- A.
  
  Data Division, Environment Division, Procedure Division and Identification Division
- B.
  
  Identification Division, Environment Division, Data Division and Procedure Division
- C.
  
  Data Division, Identification Division, Procedure Division and Environment Division
- D.
  
  Environment Division, Identification Division, Data Division and Procedure Division
Correct Answer
B. Identification Division, Environment Division, Data Division and Procedure Division

Explanation
The correct answer is Identification Division, Environment Division, Data Division and Procedure Division. This is the correct hierarchy of the COBOL four divisions. The Identification Division is responsible for identifying the program and providing information about it. The Environment Division defines the system resources that the program will use. The Data Division defines the data structures and variables used in the program. Finally, the Procedure Division contains the actual instructions and logic of the program.

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5.

The COBOL four division that contains program information is the
- A.
  
  Data Division
- B.
  
  Identification Division
- C.
  
  Procedure Division
- D.
  
  Environment Division
Correct Answer
B. Identification Division

Explanation
The Identification Division in COBOL contains program information such as the program name, author, and date of creation. It is used to provide documentation and identification details about the program. This division is essential for maintaining and understanding the program code.

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6.

Which COBOL verb is used to copy data from source data to destination data?
- A.
  
  Initialize Verb
- B.
  
  Move Verb
- C.
  
  Display Verb
- D.
  
  Accept Verb
Correct Answer
B. Move Verb

Explanation
The Move verb in COBOL is used to copy data from a source data item to a destination data item. This verb allows for the transfer of values between different data items, such as moving a value from one variable to another. It is commonly used to initialize variables, pass data between different parts of a program, or perform calculations. The Move verb is essential in manipulating and transferring data within COBOL programs.

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7.

The COBOL verb that is used to initialize a group item or an elementary item is
- A.
  
  Display Verb
- B.
  
  Accept Verb
- C.
  
  Initialize Verb
- D.
  
  Move Verb
Correct Answer
C. Initialize Verb

Explanation
The correct answer is Initialize Verb. The Initialize Verb in COBOL is used to initialize a group item or an elementary item to its initial value. It sets the value of the item to spaces or zeros, depending on its data type. This verb is commonly used at the beginning of a program or before using a variable to ensure that it starts with a known value.

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8.

The following are the data description entries used in COBOL except
- A.
  
  Renames Clause
- B.
  
  Usage Clause
- C.
  
  Storage Clause
- D.
  
  Redefines Clause
Correct Answer
A. Renames Clause

Explanation
The Renames Clause is not a data description entry used in COBOL. The other options - Usage Clause, Storage Clause, and Redefines Clause - are all valid entries used to describe data in COBOL. The Renames Clause is used to associate two or more data items with the same storage area, allowing them to be referenced interchangeably. However, it is not considered a data description entry in COBOL.

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9.

The following are types of conditions used in COBOL except
- A.
  
  IF Condition Statement
- B.
  
  Class Condition
- C.
  
  Sign Condition
- D.
  
  Val Condition
Correct Answer
D. Val Condition

Explanation
The given answer is "Val Condition". This means that Val Condition is not a type of condition used in COBOL. COBOL uses IF Condition Statement, Class Condition, and Sign Condition as types of conditions.

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10.

The following are the loop statements used in COBOL except
- A.
  
  For Loop
- B.
  
  Perform Thru
- C.
  
  Perform Until
- D.
  
  Perform Times
Correct Answer
A. For Loop

Explanation
The correct answer is "For Loop" because it is not a loop statement used in COBOL. COBOL uses loop statements such as Perform Thru, Perform Until, and Perform Times to execute a series of statements repeatedly. However, the For Loop is a loop statement commonly used in other programming languages like C, Java, and Python, but not in COBOL.

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