ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level v4.0 — Question 53

An application is subjected to a constant load for an extended period of time as part of a performance test. While running this test, the response time of the application steadily slows down, which results in a requirement not being met. This slowdown is caused by a memory leak where the application code does not properly release some of the dynamically allocated memory when it is no longer needed. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Answer options

• A. The slowdown is a failure while the memory leak is a defect.
• B. The slowdown is a defect while the memory leak is an error.
• C. The slowdown is an error, the memory leak is a defect.
• D. The slowdown is a defect; the memory leak is a failure.

Correct answer: A

Explanation

The correct answer is A because the slowdown in performance is a failure to meet the application's response time requirement, while the memory leak represents a defect in the application code. The other options incorrectly classify the relationships between the slowdown and the memory leak.