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Equivalence Partitions Concept

publish date: 2026/06/17 05:49:37.079773 UTC

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The equivalence partitioning diagram below illustrates the concept.

Input equivalence partitions Possible inputs System Output partitions Possible outputs Correct outputs

What does each smaller unshaded ellipse within the large input ellipse represent?

Correct Answer

An equivalence partition - a group of inputs that should be processed in the same way

Explanation

Each smaller unshaded ellipse within the large input ellipse represents an equivalence partition - a group of inputs that a program should process in the same way. Programs normally behave comparably for all members of a partition (e.g., all positive numbers, all negative numbers). The shaded area represents invalid inputs.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

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