COBOL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

 

Following is a list of COBOL interview questions with answers for mainframe professionals looking for a Job change. These are job interview questions for mainframe professionals with COBOL skills. These frequently asked interview questions for COBOL and will help you brush up your basic cobol skills

The answers to interview questions are also provided just below the interview questions. There more sample interview questions on this website.

• What is the result of the following?

MOVE 1 TO VAR1
MOVE 2 TO VAR2

EVALUATE TRUE

WHEN VAR1=1
     PERFORM PARA-1
WHEN VAR2=2
     PERFORM PARA-2
WHEN OTHER
     NEXT SENTENCE
END-EVALUATE.


A)    PARA-1 will be performed
B)    PARA-2 will be performed
C)    Both PARA-1 and PARA-2 will be performed.
D)    Compile error for incorrect use of NEXT sentence
 

• Which of the following is an INCORRECT specification for a data-name?

    
A)    var-var1              
B)    data1     
C)    two                
D)    all

(ALL is a reserved word)

 

 

• What is the result of the following?

MOVE 1 TO VAR1
MOVE 2 TO VAR2

EVALUATE TRUE

WHEN VAR1=1
     PERFORM PARA-1
WHEN VAR2=2
     PERFORM PARA-2
WHEN OTHER
     DISPLAY VAR1
END-EVALUATE.


A)    PARA-1 will be performed
B)    PARA-2 will be performed
C)    Both PARA-1 and PARA-2 will be performed.
D)    Compile error for incorrect use of NEXT sentence
 

• Which of the following PIC clause is invalid as a floating symbol?

A)    +                     
B)    $
C)    S                 
D)    -


 

• What is the result of the following?

MOVE 0 TO VAR1
 
EVALUATE TRUE

WHEN VAR1=1
     PERFORM PARA-1
WHEN VAR1=2
     PERFORM PARA-2
WHEN OTHER
     PERFORM PARA-3
END-EVALUATE.

 
A)    PARA-1 will be performed
B)    PARA-2 will be performed
C)    Both PARA-1 and PARA-2 will be performed.
D)    PARA-3 will be performed
 

• Which of the following is an invalid paragraph name?

A)    A-1     
B)    999
C)    A+1                  
D)    ZZ9

 

• What is the result of the following?

MOVE 0 TO VAR1
 
EVALUATE TRUE

WHEN VAR1=1
     PERFORM PARA-1
WHEN VAR1=2
     PERFORM PARA-2
 END-EVALUATE.

 
A)    PARA-1 will be performed
B)    PARA-2 will be performed
C)    Both PARA-1 and PARA-2 will be performed.
D)    None of the above


 

• Which of the following is correct definition of figurative constant in COBOL?

A)    Constants that are represented as alphanumeric text also known as non-numeric literals.
B)    Constants that are represented in terms of digits, also known as literals
C)    Data names that are initialized to specific values in DATA DIVISION and retain those values throughout the execution of the program.
D)    Reserved words that are used as substitutes for certain special constants - numeric and alphanumeric


 

• Where does AREA A in COBOL extends from?

A)    8-16
B)    8-11
C)    12-72
D)    8-10

 

• According to the given declarations in Data Division.  How many elementary items are described below?

         05 CALENDAR-DATE.
            08  CALENDAR-DAY           PIC 99.
            08  CALENDAR-MON           PIC 99.
            08  CALENDAR-YEAR          PIC 99.
         05 FILLER                  PIC X(5).
         05 VAR1         PIC XX.
         05 VAR2         PIC X.
         05 END-DATE.
            10 FILLER               PIC X(4).
            10 END-YEAR             PIC 99.

A)    3                         
B)    6
C)    4                         
D)    5
 

• Where does AREA B in COBOL extends from?

A)    8-16
B)    8-11
C)    12-72
D)    8-10
 

• FILE-CONTROL paragraph in a COBOL program appears in

A)    Input-Ouput Section in Environment Division
B)    File Section in Data Division
C)    Procedure Division, it can only be a user-defined paragraph
D)    Configuration Section in Environment Division
 

• Program-id a paragraph name in IDENTIFICATION division?

A)    True
B)    False
 

• The Procedure Division of a program contains the statement

      WRITE MASTER-REC
   This suggests that the OPEN statement for this file
      must NOT be

A)    OPEN INPUT
B)    OPEN EXTEND
C)    OPEN INPUT-OUTPUT
D)    OPEN OUTPUT
 

• Program-id is compulsory?

A)    True
B)    False

• Program-id should necessary be same as member name of COBOL program?

A)    True
B)    False
 

• Rounded precedes the ON SIZE ERROR ?

A)    True
B)    False
 

• A Numeric literal in COBOL can have at most how many digits?

A)    10
B)    160
C)    18
D)    32

 

• A Non Numeric literal in COBOL can have at most how many digits?

A)    10
B)    160
C)    18
D)    32
 

• A 01 level cannot have PIC clause?

A)    True
B)    False
 

Please note there are more interview question and answers on mainframewizard. If you have some unanswered cobol interview questions then you can post these on the COBOL forum available on the website's front page.