In mutation testing, what does it mean for mutant A to subsume mutant B? (see https://edstem.org/au/courses/20753/lessons/79799/slides/539235)

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Question restatement: In mutation testing, what does it mean for mutant A to subsume mutant B?

Option provided: "Any test case that kills mutant A also kills mutant B".

Analysis of the option:
- This statement aligns with the formal definition of subsumption in mutation testing: mutant A subsumes mutant B if every test that kills A also kills B. In other words, B is at most as difficult to kill as A, and any test that detects A will also detect B.

Why this interpretation is correct: If a test achieves the killing of A, it must also cause B to be killed for A to subsume B. Therefore, the subsumption relationship guarantees that A is at least as strong a requirement as B, and testing A implicitly tests B as well.

Why someone might think differently (potential misconceptions):
- A common misconception is that subsumption means A being harder to kill than B in a general sense, but the precise formal meaning is about the implication of test outcomes: kills(A) => kills(B). This is a logical implication across the set of tests.
- Another misunderstanding is to confuse subsumption with equivalence. Subsumption is a one-way relation (A subsumes B does not imply B subsumes A), whereas equivalence would require that kills(A) and kills(B) occur for exactly the same tests.

Edge considerations:
- If there were multiple-choice options, we would compare each to the definition. In this case, only the given statement is provided, and it correctly captures the standard subsumption criterion.
- If any nuance were present, such as partial subsumption or subsumption with respect to a specific test suite, the statement would need to specify the test set; as stated, it refers to the usual universal quantification over all tests in the suite.

Summary observation: The statement that any test case that kills A also kills B is the correct characterization of A subsuming B in mutation testing.

SOFT3202 COMP9202 (ND) Quiz 11

In mutation testing, what does it mean for mutant A to subsume mutant B? (see https://edstem.org/au/courses/20753/lessons/79799/slides/539235)

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