(SEM II) THEORY EXAMINATION 2018-19 PROGRAMMING FOR PROBLEM SOLVING

This document contains the complete and original B.Tech (Semester II) Theory Examination Question Paper for the subject Programming for Problem Solving (KCS201) for the academic session 2018–19. It is a 3-hour, 100-mark university examination paper designed to test a student’s foundational understanding of the C programming language and the computational problem-solving approach used in engineering.
 

PROGRAMMING-PROBLEM-SOLVING-KCS…

The paper thoroughly evaluates a learner’s conceptual clarity, coding ability, algorithmic thinking, and understanding of data manipulation techniques. It is structured into three sections, each focusing on a different level of cognitive and programming skill.

SECTION A — Short Conceptual Questions (20 Marks)

This section includes ten 2-mark questions that check a student’s basic understanding of C programming fundamentals.
Topics include:

Difference between .obj and .exe files

Components of C language

Operators: assignment vs equality

else-if ladder vs switch-case

Recursion vs iteration

While vs do-while loop

Null character in strings

Linear vs binary search

Static vs dynamic memory allocation

Node structure in linked list

These questions measure fundamental knowledge required to begin writing C programs.

SECTION B — Descriptive / Coding Questions (30 Marks)

Students must attempt any three questions.
This section evaluates the ability to analyze, code, and explain programming concepts. Key areas include:

Block diagram of a computer system

Operator precedence and associativity with examples

Use of break statement in loops

Matrix multiplication in C

Use of pointers and call-by-reference

The section tests logical thinking, code implementation accuracy, and understanding of program flow.

SECTION C — Long Answer / Algorithm-Based Questions (50 Marks)

Each part contains deeper problem-solving and algorithmic questions. The student must attempt one question from each sub-section.
Topics include:

Writing algorithms and flowcharts

Type casting and mixed operands

Calculator program using switch-case

Pattern printing

Assembler, compiler, interpreter, loader, linker

Bubble sort program

Structures in C (real-life record management)

File handling and operations (reading/writing/counting characters)

Macros, unions, enumerated data types

These questions test a student's ability to design algorithms, develop correct and optimized code, and explain advanced concepts.

Sample Questions from the Paper

Here are examples of the type of questions included:

Q: What is the difference between .obj and .exe files in C?

A basic conceptual question from Section A.

Q: Write an algorithm and draw a flowchart to find the sum of digits of an integer.

A detailed algorithm-design question from Section C.

These examples reflect the depth and practical nature of the exam.

Overall Coverage of the Exam Paper

The question paper comprehensively covers:

Programming Fundamentals

Data types, operators, expressions

Flow control: loops, conditions, switch

Algorithms & Flowcharts

Numerical algorithms

Reverse/sum of digits

Pattern generation

Data Structures Basics

Arrays

Structures

Linked lists (conceptual)

Core Programming Concepts

Pointers

Functions (recursion & iteration)

Storage classes

Memory allocation (static vs dynamic)

Program Implementation

Sorting

Matrix multiplication

File handling

System-Level Concepts

Compiler, interpreter, loader, linker

Computer architecture basics

This makes the document an excellent and complete reference for exam preparation, assignment creation, and conceptual revision.