volume_mute

Inspection Advantage - Error Masking

publish date: 2026/06/19 10:51:9.829581 UTC

volume_mute

Why does software inspection avoid the problem of error masking that affects testing?

Inspections do not involve executing the system, so errors in one part cannot cause misleading outputs in another

Inspections automatically fix errors before they can mask each other

Inspections use formal verification that prevents errors from occurring

Inspections require errors to be corrected in the order they are found

Correct Answer

Inspections do not involve executing the system, so errors in one part cannot cause misleading outputs in another

Explanation

In testing, an error that leads to unexpected outputs may cause other anomalies that are actually side effects of the original error, not independent bugs. Because inspections do not execute the system, this masking effect cannot occur. A single inspection session can identify many independent errors without any one error hiding others.

Reference

Software Engineering, Ian Sommerville, 10th edition

Quizzes you can take where this question appears

Software Testing - Full Review