Homework 1

Please review the material in Lecture 1 and read the No Silver Bullet article available on the moodle and then answer the questions below.

  1. Define the term essential difficulties as it is used by Brooks. (5 points)
  2. Define the term accidental difficulties as it is used by Brooks. (5 points)
  3. List and briefly describe the four essential difficulties of developing software systems that Brooks identifies. (15 points)
  4. Define what Brooks means by a “silver bullet” and reconstruct his argument as to why he believes there is no silver bullet for software engineering. (10 points)
  5. In lecture, software engineering's relationship to computer science was described by analogy by discussing the differences between a chemist (chemistry) and a chemical engineer (chemical engineering). Define software engineering and its relationship to computer science; make use of the chemist vs. chemical engineer analogy when answering this question. (15 points)

This assignment is worth 50 points.

In-Class Students: Please upload a copy of your answers for this assignment to the moodle before the start of Lecture 4 on Thursday, January 26th, and bring a hardcopy of your assignment to Lecture 4.

CAETE Students: Please upload a copy of your answers for this assignment to the moodle by 9:30 AM on Thursday, January 26th.


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