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 source: 'docs/semester_2/model_questions_py.md'
 title: '<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" style="display:inline; margin-bottom:-2px; margin-right:6px;"><rect width="18" height="18" x="3" y="3" rx="2"/><path d="M7 8h8"/><path d="M7 12h10"/><path d="M7 16h6"/></svg> Model Questions: Programming for Problem Solving using Python'
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 # Model Questions: Programming for Problem Solving using Python
 ### Paper Code: SEC (NEP, WBSU — Sem 2)
 
 ---
 
 ::: info How to use this file
 This is a **sure-shot / high-priority** list built directly on the SEC Python study material
 (Modules 1–6). All 8 practical programs from the syllabus are included **in full** below —
 memorise and be able to reproduce each one, since the practical exam draws directly from this set.
 :::
 
 ## Unit 1 — Program Planning & Problem Solving Techniques (Module 1 & 2)
 
 **Q1.** What is meant by **Program Design**? Differentiate between **Top-down** and **Bottom-up** programming approaches with examples.
 
 **Q2.** What is **Structured Programming**? Explain the three structured control flows (sequence, selection, repetition) it relies on, and why it avoids unstructured jumps like `goto`.
 
 **Q3.** What is an **algorithm**? How does it differ from a **flowchart**? List the standard flowchart symbols (oval, rectangle, diamond, parallelogram) and what each represents.
 
 **Q4.** What is a **decision table**? When is it preferred over a flowchart for representing logic?
 
 **Q5.** What is **debugging**? Explain the three categories of programming errors — **Syntax Errors**, **Runtime Errors (Exceptions)**, and **Logical Errors** — with one example of each.
 
 
 ## Unit 2 — Overview & Introduction to Python (Module 3 & 4)
 
 **Q6.** Explain the structure of a Python program. How does Python use **indentation** instead of curly braces `{}` to define code blocks? What is the standard indentation convention?
 
 **Q7.** What are **tokens** in Python? Explain the three types: **Keywords**, **Identifiers**, and **Literals**, with rules for naming identifiers and two examples of each.
 
 **Q8.** List and explain all categories of operators in Python: **Arithmetic**, **Relational**, **Logical**, **Assignment**, and **Ternary (Conditional)**. Give one example expression for each. Why does Python not support `++` or `--`?
 
 **Q9.** Differentiate between `/` (true division), `//` (floor division), and `%` (modulus) in Python with example outputs for `17 / 5`, `17 // 5`, and `17 % 5`.
 
 
 ## Unit 3 — Creating Python Programs: Input, Conditions & Loops (Module 5)
 
 **Q10.** Explain the `input()` function in Python. How is it different from `input("prompt")`? Why does `input()` always return a **string**, and how do you convert it to a number?
 
 **Q11.** Write a short program that takes multiple user inputs (e.g., name, favourite animal, colour, number) and prints them in a formatted sentence using an f-string.
 
 **Q12.** Explain the Python **if statement** with syntax and an example. What is the role of **indentation** in an if-block? What error occurs if the block under `if` is not indented?
 
 **Q13.** Can multiple statements be written inside a single `if` block? What rule must be followed for them? Give an example (e.g., checking voting eligibility).
 
 **Q14.** Explain how a **boolean variable** can be used directly in an `if` condition without a comparison operator, with an example (e.g., `logged_in = True`).
 
 **Q15.** Explain the **for loop** in Python with the `range()` function. Write a program to print numbers from 1 to 8 using a `for` loop, and another to iterate over a list of fruits.
 
 **Q16.** Explain the jump statements **`break`**, **`continue`**, and **`pass`** in Python with one example each. What is the key difference between `break` and `continue`?
 
 **Q17.** What is a **function** in Python? How is it defined using `def`? What are **default arguments** in a function — explain with an example.
 
 
 ## Unit 4 — Practical Programs (Module 6) — Sure-Shot Practical Questions
 
 ::: tip Practical Exam Note
 These 8 programs are **directly from your syllabus's practical list**. Learn to write each one from memory and be ready to explain the logic line-by-line — this is the most likely source of your practical exam question.
 :::
 
 ### Q18. Temperature Conversion (Menu-Driven)
 
 Write a **menu-driven** Python program to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius and Celsius to Fahrenheit based on user choice.
 
 ```python
 def temp_conversion():
     print("--- Temperature Converter ---")
     print("1. Fahrenheit to Celsius")
     print("2. Celsius to Fahrenheit")
     choice = input("Enter choice (1 or 2): ")
     if choice == '1':
         f = float(input("Enter temperature in Fahrenheit: "))
         c = (f - 32) * 5 / 9
         print(f"{f}°F is equal to {c:.2f}°C")
     elif choice == '2':
         c = float(input("Enter temperature in Celsius: "))
         f = (c * 9 / 5) + 32
         print(f"{c}°C is equal to {f:.2f}°F")
     else:
         print("Invalid choice!")
 
 # Call the function
 temp_conversion()
 ```
 
 ### Q19. Student Grade Calculator
 
 Write a Python program that takes marks for 5 subjects, computes the total and percentage, and assigns a grade (`A+` to `F`) using `if-elif-else`.
 
 ```python
 # Student Grade Calculator
 name = input("Enter student's name: ")
 print("Enter marks for 5 subjects (out of 100):")
 sub1 = float(input("Subject 1: "))
 sub2 = float(input("Subject 2: "))
 sub3 = float(input("Subject 3: "))
 sub4 = float(input("Subject 4: "))
 sub5 = float(input("Subject 5: "))
 
 # Calculate total and percentage
 total = sub1 + sub2 + sub3 + sub4 + sub5
 percentage = total / 5
 
 # Determine grade
 if percentage >= 90:
     grade = 'A+'
 elif percentage >= 80:
     grade = 'A'
 elif percentage >= 70:
     grade = 'B'
 elif percentage >= 60:
     grade = 'C'
 elif percentage >= 50:
     grade = 'D'
 else:
     grade = 'F'
 
 # Display results
 print("\n--- Student Report ---")
 print("Student Name:", name)
 print("Total Marks:", total, "/ 500")
 print("Percentage:", round(percentage, 2), "%")
 print("Grade:", grade)
 ```
 
 ### Q20. Area Calculator Using Functions (Menu-Driven)
 
 Write a **menu-driven** Python program using **separate functions** to compute the area of a circle, rectangle, and triangle.
 
 ```python
 # Function to calculate area of a circle
 def area_circle():
     radius = float(input("Enter the radius of the circle: "))
     area = 3.14 * radius * radius
     print(f"Area of the Circle = {area:.2f}")
 
 # Function to calculate area of a rectangle
 def area_rectangle():
     length = float(input("Enter the length of the rectangle: "))
     breadth = float(input("Enter the breadth of the rectangle: "))
     area = length * breadth
     print(f"Area of the Rectangle = {area:.2f}")
 
 # Function to calculate area of a triangle
 def area_triangle():
     base = float(input("Enter the base of the triangle: "))
     height = float(input("Enter the height of the triangle: "))
     area = 0.5 * base * height
     print(f"Area of the Triangle = {area:.2f}")
 
 # Main menu function
 def menu():
     while True:
         print("\n--- Area Calculator ---")
         print("1. Area of Circle")
         print("2. Area of Rectangle")
         print("3. Area of Triangle")
         print("4. Exit")
         choice = input("Enter your choice (1-4): ")
         if choice == '1':
             area_circle()
         elif choice == '2':
             area_rectangle()
         elif choice == '3':
             area_triangle()
         elif choice == '4':
             print("Exiting the program...")
             break
         else:
             print("Invalid choice! Please try again.")
 
 # Call the menu function
 menu()
 ```
 
 ### Q21. Fibonacci Series up to N Terms
 
 Write a Python program to print the Fibonacci series up to `N` terms entered by the user.
 
 ```python
 # Fibonacci Series up to N Terms
 n = int(input("Enter the number of terms: "))
 a = 0
 b = 1
 print("Fibonacci Series:")
 for i in range(n):
     print(a, end=" ")
     c = a + b
     a = b
     b = c
 ```
 
 ### Q22. Factorial of a Number
 
 Write a Python program using a **function** to compute the factorial of a number. Handle the case of a negative input.
 
 ```python
 # Function to calculate factorial
 def factorial(n):
     fact = 1
     for i in range(1, n + 1):
         fact = fact * i
     return fact
 
 # Main program
 num = int(input("Enter a number: "))
 if num < 0:
     print("Factorial is not defined for negative numbers.")
 else:
     result = factorial(num)
     print(f"Factorial of {num} is {result}")
 ```
 
 ### Q23. Prime Number Checker
 
 Write a Python program to check whether a given number is prime.
 
 ```python
 # Prime Number Checker
 num = int(input("Enter a number: "))
 if num <= 1:
     print(num, "is not a Prime Number")
 else:
     is_prime = True
     for i in range(2, num):
         if num % i == 0:
             is_prime = False
             break
     if is_prime:
         print(num, "is a Prime Number")
     else:
         print(num, "is not a Prime Number")
 ```
 
 ### Q24. String Palindrome Checker
 
 Write a Python program using a **function** to check whether a given string is a palindrome (case-insensitive).
 
 ```python
 # Function to check palindrome
 def is_palindrome(text):
     # Convert to lowercase for case-insensitive comparison
     text = text.lower()
     # Reverse the string and compare
     if text == text[::-1]:
         return True
     else:
         return False
 
 # Main program
 string = input("Enter a string: ")
 if is_palindrome(string):
     print(f'"{string}" is a Palindrome')
 else:
     print(f'"{string}" is not a Palindrome')
 ```
 
 ### Q25. Sum of Mathematical Series: 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + … + 1/n
 
 Write a Python program to compute the sum of the series `1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + ... + 1/n` for a user-given `n`.
 
 ```python
 # Sum of the series: 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + ... + 1/n
 n = int(input("Enter the value of n: "))
 sum_series = 0
 for i in range(1, n + 1):
     sum_series += 1 / i
 print(f"Sum of the series up to {n} terms = {sum_series:.4f}")
 ```
 
 
 ## Quick Reference: Syllabus Unit Map
 
 | Unit | Topics | Questions |
 |------|--------|-----------|
 | 1 | Program Design, Structured Programming, Algorithms, Flowcharts, Debugging | Q1–Q5 |
 | 2 | Python Structure, Indentation, Tokens, Operators | Q6–Q9 |
 | 3 | Input, If Statements, Loops, Jump Statements, Functions | Q10–Q17 |
 | 4 | Practical Programs (all 8 syllabus programs) | Q18–Q25 |
 
 ---
 
 ::: tip Exam Strategy
 - **Theory (5-mark) sure-shots**: Top-down vs bottom-up, types of errors (syntax/runtime/logical), tokens (keywords/identifiers/literals), operator categories, `break` vs `continue` vs `pass`.
 - **Practical (10–15 mark) sure-shots**: All 8 programs above are the entire practical syllabus — expect the exam to pick directly from this list. Practice writing each **without** looking, including proper indentation and f-string formatting.
 - Common trap: remember `input()` always returns a **string** — always cast with `int()` or `float()` before doing arithmetic.
 - Practice explaining the **logic** of each program in plain words (viva-style), not just typing the code.
 :::
 ::: info Key Programs to Memorise
 Menu-driven Temperature Converter · Student Grade Calculator (if-elif ladder) · Menu-driven Area Calculator (functions) · Fibonacci Series (loop) · Factorial (function) · Prime Checker · Palindrome Checker (string slicing `[::-1]`) · Series Sum (1 + 1/2 + … + 1/n)
 :::