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Mathematical Specifications — Trade-offs

publish date: 2026/06/06 10:19:27.952523 UTC

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Which of the following correctly states the key trade-off of using mathematical specifications for requirements?

They are only suitable for web application requirements

They are easy for all stakeholders to read but are imprecise

They reduce ambiguity but customers often cannot understand them and cannot verify that they represent what they actually want

They are the cheapest notation to produce but the most error-prone

Correct Answer

They reduce ambiguity but customers often cannot understand them and cannot verify that they represent what they actually want

Explanation

Mathematical specifications can significantly reduce ambiguity in requirements. However, most customers don't understand formal mathematical specifications and cannot check that they represent what they want — making them reluctant to accept such a specification as a system contract. They are used mainly for safety- or security-critical systems.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 9th edition

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Requirements Specification