I and III are "testing general principles". These principles state that exhaustive testing is impossible and testing can show the presence of defects but cannot demonstrate their absence. These principles reflect the limitations and objectives of testing software systems4 states these principles as follows:
Exhaustive testing is impossible: Testing everything (all combinations of inputs and preconditions) is not feasible except for trivial cases. Instead of exhaustive testing, risk analysis and priorities should be used to focus testing efforts.
Testing shows the presence of defects: Testing can show that defects are present, but cannot prove that there are no defects. Testing reduces the probability of undiscovered defects remaining in the software but, even if no defects are found, it is not a proof of correctness.
B, C, and D are incorrect answers. II and IV are not "testing general principles". These statements are false or misleading. The defects found during the pre-release tests or the operational failures are not uniformly distributed across the system's software modules (II), as they tend to cluster in certain areas or components.
Testing is not context-independent (IV), as it depends on the specific objectives, requirements, risks, and characteristics of the system under test.