Independent Learning: Life Long Learning. It requires you to demonstrate the following key attributes $($see assessment rubric at the end of the document$)$:

$$ Interest and curiosity in learning

$$ Initiative, seeking opportunities to expand your knowledge

$$ Adaptability in the application of prior knowledge to new situations

$$ Staying current in your field of study

$$ Reflecting on lessons learned through your studies

Part A:

Discuss the Software Development Life Cycle $($SDLC$)$ by answering the following

questions:

$1.$ What is the Software Development Life Cycle?

$2.$ What are the main stages of the Software Development Life Cycle?

$3.$ What are the main methodologies used in the Software Development Life Cycle?

$4.$ What are the main tools used in the Software Development Life Cycle?

$5.$ How has Software Development evolved over the years?

$6.$ As a Software Developer, how can you ensure that you keep abreast of the important developments in the field of Software Development?

Write a detailed description of the Software Development Life Cycle, with pictorial illustrations, using the above questions as your guide. In the next part, Part B$,$ you will apply the Software Development Life Cycle to solve the stated problem in Part B$.$ Write one report that will contain both Part A and Part B$.$

$1|$

SFD$261$S $-2024-$ GA$-$Assessment $($GA$9)$

Part B

Problem Statement

As a Software Developer, you are tasked by an international construction company that designs bridges, overhead walkways and gantries, to develop a Linear Thermal Expansion Calculator program. When a bridge or overhead walkway is constructed, the Engineer must consider that the material used in the construction will expand or contract in response to temperature variations. Failure to take the material expansion$/$contraction into account could potentially lead to severe damage to these structures, and endanger the safety of the public.

To solve this problem, the engineer needs to determine by how much the length of the structure will change, and build in a safety factor. The total length of the bridge must be taken into consideration when determining the expansion length, then allowance should be made for this movement by including expansion joints $($gaps$)$ over the total length of the bridge.

Since different construction materials expand $($and contract$)$ at different rates to a temperature change, a linear expansion coefficient is introduced which has been determined for various materials. Steel and concrete have the same coefficient $($CTE$\_$CS$),$ which is $1\mathrm{.}2105,$ and aluminium has a coefficient $($CTE$\_$A$)$ of $2\mathrm{.}4105.$ The coefficient values are constant. The constant identifier names are shown above in parentheses.

This multi$-$function program must give the user the opportunity to select the desired calculation via a menu. This menu will allow the user to select either a single calculation or generate an expansion table. Once the user has selected their option, the program will test for a valid user input. If the input is valid, then it will ask the user to enter certain parameters and the material used before proceeding to the next stage of the program. Should the user$$s input be invalid, the program will not ask the user to enter these parameters and will proceed to the next stage. The next stage determines what further action should be taken based on the user$$s initial selection.

Careful attention should be taken in designing this program according to the specified structure. It is strongly advised that this program be developed in stages. After each section is completed, the program must be tested. Do not continue development of the program if a particular section does not work. If the program cannot compile and execute successfully, it will incur severe loss of marks.

At all times, adhere to the specifications, as marks are allocated accordingly.

$2|$

SFD$261$S $-2024-$ GA$-$Assessment $($GA$9)$

Program Specification

A Title Block must be created and appear above the source code of your program. The title block must contain the following: Name, Surname, Student Number, and Date.

Specifications for Functions:

Function main$()($this section deals with all the requirements for function main$())$

$1.$ The only variables allowed in this function are: TempC, T$\_$Length, M$\_$Opt, Sel. Choose your variable data types carefully.

$2.$ The menu$()$ function should be called to allow the user to select the appropriate calculation.

$3.$ Once the selection has been returned, a test must be conducted to determine if the user terminated the program. If not, the user must enter the values of the total length of the construction and the maximum temperature $(\backslash$deg C$)$ to be considered in the design. See screenshot $($Figure $1).$

$4.$ The user will now be presented with a list of available construction materials that could be used, from which the user will be requested to select. See screenshot $($Figure $2).$

$5.$ A test should then be performed to ensure that if the material is not available from the list and the user did