When tests are being created to achieve statement coverage, what are they exercising?

Question

Options

• AOnly the decisions in the code
• BOnly the loops in the code
• COnly the executable statements in the code
• DAll lines of code including executable statements and comments

• A
  4% (2)
• B
  7% (3)
• C
  87% (39)
• D
  2% (1)

Explanation

Statement coverage targets every executable statement in the code, ensuring each one is run at least once during testing. This is why C is correct - the goal is to verify that no executable line is left untested, catching dead code or unreachable paths.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A is wrong because targeting only decisions describes decision/branch coverage, a stricter level above statement coverage.
• B is wrong because loop-only testing would be a subset of statements - statement coverage is broader and isn't limited to loops.
• D is wrong because comments are not executable; they're ignored by the compiler/interpreter and cannot be "exercised" by tests.

Memory tip: Think of "statement = something the machine executes." If the machine doesn't run it, it's not a statement in this context. Statement coverage = "did every runnable line get hit at least once?"

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