Your tool changes the arithmetic operator in x = a + b to x = a - b. The mutant is then evaluated using your test suite.

Why does mutation testing apply this kind of change?

Question

Your tool changes the arithmetic operator in x = a + b to x = a - b. The mutant is then evaluated using your test suite.

Why does mutation testing apply this kind of change?

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question describes a mutation testing scenario where an arithmetic operator in x = a + b is changed to x = a - b, and then the mutant is run against the test suite. This sets the stage for evaluating how well tests catch small, human-like mistakes in code.
Option 1: 'To simulate realistic user input' — This is inaccurate because mutation testing targets the correctness of the program logic, not inputs from users. Mutating operators is about how the program behaves, not about external inputs.
Option 2: 'To validate performance optimizations' — Mutating operators does not primarily assess performance characteristics; it focuses on behavioral correctness and fault detection, not speed or efficiency. Therefore this is not the main purpose of mutation testing.
Option 3: 'To identify dead code' — Dead code detection is a separate concern that involves determining code paths that are never executed. Mutation testing deliberately alters active code paths to see if tests catch the change; it is not a direct tool for locating dead code.
Option 4: 'To debug the original program' — Mutation testing is not primarily a debugging technique for the original bug itself. It aims to evaluate the test suite’s ability to reveal faults, not to fix the original defect directly.
Option 5: 'To model potential human coding errors' — This is the core idea: mutations simulate plausible mistakes a human programmer might make, such as using a minus instead of a plus, to see if tests would detect those faults. This drives the rationale for applying such operator flips in the code under test.
Thus, the reasoning shows why the correct purpose is to model potential human coding errors, while the other options misinterpret the scope or aim of mutation testing.

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Your tool changes the arithmetic operator in x = a + b to x = a - b. The mutant is then evaluated using your test suite. Why does mutation testing apply this kind of change?

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