I = 0 means a component is?

I = 0 means a component is?

• A. Maximally unstable (no one depends on it; it depends on everyone)
• B. Maximally stable (many depend on it; it depends on no one)
• C. Neither stable nor unstable
• D. Depends on context

Answer: (B)

This question tests how the instability metric works in a dependency structure. A component’s instability depends on the balance between what it depends on (outgoing dependencies) and what depends on it (incoming dependencies). If a component depends on no one (outgoing dependencies are zero) but many other components depend on it (large incoming dependencies), its instability value becomes zero, marking it as maximally stable. In this situation, changes in other parts of the system are less likely to require changes in this component, while its wide use by others makes it a stable, widely relied-upon piece of the design. So I = 0 indicates a component that depends on no one and is, therefore, maximally stable.

This question tests how the instability metric works in a dependency structure. A component’s instability depends on the balance between what it depends on (outgoing dependencies) and what depends on it (incoming dependencies). If a component depends on no one (outgoing dependencies are zero) but many other components depend on it (large incoming dependencies), its instability value becomes zero, marking it as maximally stable. In this situation, changes in other parts of the system are less likely to require changes in this component, while its wide use by others makes it a stable, widely relied-upon piece of the design. So I = 0 indicates a component that depends on no one and is, therefore, maximally stable.