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Key Facts: C++ CPE Exam

30

Exam Questions

C++ Institute CPE-20-01 syllabus

45 min

Exam Duration

C++ Institute CPE-20-01 syllabus

70%

Passing Score (Normalized)

C++ Institute CPE-20-01 syllabus

$69

Exam Fee (USD)

C++ Institute pricing

OpenEDG TestNow

Test Provider

C++ Institute / TestNow online proctoring

Lifetime

Validity

C++ Institute certification policy

C++ Institute CPE (CPE-20-01) is a 30-item, 45-minute proctored exam delivered via OpenEDG TestNow online proctoring, with a 70% normalized passing score and a starting fee of USD 69 (USD 86 with one retake). Topics: syntax and operators (28%), flow control and functions (28%), vectors and pointers (24%), and structures and strings (20%). The certification is issued for life with no recertification required.

Sample C++ CPE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the C++ CPE exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which header must be included to use std::cout and std::cin in standard C++?
A.<iostream>
B.<stdio.h>
C.<conio.h>
D.<cstdio>
Explanation: The standard streams std::cout, std::cin, std::cerr, and std::clog are declared in <iostream>. <stdio.h>/<cstdio> declare the C printf/scanf family, and <conio.h> is a non-standard Windows-only header.
2What is the output of this program? #include <iostream> int main() { int a = 7; int b = 2; std::cout << a / b << " " << a % b; return 0; }
A.3 1
B.3.5 1
C.3 0.5
D.4 1
Explanation: Both a and b are int, so / performs integer division and truncates toward zero: 7 / 2 = 3. The modulus operator % returns the integer remainder: 7 % 2 = 1. The two values are printed with a single space between them.
3Which of the following is a valid C++ identifier?
A._total2
B.2total
C.total-2
D.total 2
Explanation: A C++ identifier may consist of letters, digits, and underscores and must begin with a letter or an underscore. _total2 satisfies all three rules. Identifiers cannot start with a digit, contain hyphens, or contain whitespace.
4What value is printed by the following program? #include <iostream> int main() { int x = 10; std::cout << (x++ + ++x); return 0; }
A.22
B.21
C.20
D.23
Explanation: x++ uses the original value 10 then increments x to 11. ++x then increments x to 12 and yields 12. The expression evaluates to 10 + 12 = 22. (Note: the order in which the two sub-expressions read x is well-defined here because each side-effect on x has its own sequence point at the ; — but this style is still discouraged in real code.)
5Which literal in C++ has type double by default?
A.3.14
B.3.14f
C.3.14L
D.3
Explanation: An unsuffixed floating-point literal such as 3.14 has type double. The f suffix makes it float, the L suffix makes it long double, and 3 with no decimal point is an int.
6What does the bitwise expression (5 & 3) evaluate to?
A.1
B.7
C.8
D.0
Explanation: Bitwise AND compares bits in matching positions. 5 in binary is 101 and 3 is 011. The bits set in both numbers are only in position 0, giving 001 = 1.
7Given int x = 8; what does the expression (x << 2) produce?
A.32
B.10
C.16
D.4
Explanation: The left-shift operator shifts the bits of x to the left by 2 positions, which is equivalent to multiplying by 2^2 = 4. So 8 << 2 = 8 * 4 = 32.
8Which of the following correctly declares a constant integer named MAX with value 100?
A.const int MAX = 100;
B.constant int MAX = 100;
C.int const MAX;
D.int MAX = 100 const;
Explanation: C++ uses the keyword const, not constant. The declaration must include both the type and an initializer, since a const variable must be initialized at the point of declaration.
9What is the output of this program? #include <iostream> int main() { int a = 5; int b = 3; std::cout << (a > b ? a - b : b - a); return 0; }
A.2
B.-2
C.8
D.0
Explanation: The conditional (ternary) operator evaluates a > b first. Since 5 > 3 is true, the operator yields a - b = 5 - 3 = 2. The else branch (b - a) is not evaluated.
10What does the expression (15 ^ 9) evaluate to?
A.6
B.24
C.9
D.15
Explanation: The ^ operator is bitwise XOR: bits differ -> 1, bits match -> 0. 15 is 1111 and 9 is 1001. XOR gives 0110 = 6.

About the C++ CPE Exam

The C++ Institute CPE (CPE-20-01) credential validates the candidate's foundational ability to write, debug, and run programs in C++. The exam covers four blocks: syntax, literals, and operators (28%); flow control and functions (28%); vectors and pointers (24%); and structures and strings (20%). It is the entry-level on-ramp before the CPA Certified Associate Programmer exam.

Exam sponsor: C++ Institute / OpenEDG / Pearson VUE. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Assessment

30 weighted single-select, multi-select, and drag-drop items (max 120 normalized points)

Time Limit

45 minutes

Passing Score

70% normalized

Exam / Certification Fees

$69 USD

Exam sponsor website

Reported exam pass rate: Not published. C++ Institute does not publish exam-level pass rates Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

28%

Syntax, Literals, and Operators

Built-in numeric and character types, integer/floating-point/character/string literals, the full C++ operator set with precedence and associativity, type promotion rules, basic I/O with std::cin and std::cout, and iomanip manipulators (std::setw, std::fixed, std::setprecision).

28%

Flow Control and Functions

if-else, switch with break and fall-through, while, do-while, for, range-based for (C++11+), break and continue, function definitions and prototypes, default arguments, function overloading, parameter passing by value, reference, and pointer, plus basic recursion (factorial, Fibonacci, sum).

24%

Vectors and Pointers

1D and 2D arrays, array-to-pointer decay, the address-of and dereference operators, nullptr, pointer arithmetic, dynamic memory management with new/delete and new[]/delete[], memory leaks and double-free, plus std::vector basics: construction, push_back, at, size, capacity, and range-for iteration.

20%

Structures and Strings

Struct definition with member variables, aggregate and brace initialization, dot and arrow member access, arrays of structs, passing structs to functions, plus std::string operations: length/size, substr, find, c_str, concatenation with +, comparison with ==, and getline input.

Preparing for the C++ CPE Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 70% normalized
  • Assessment: 30 weighted single-select, multi-select, and drag-drop items (max 120 normalized points)
  • Time limit: 45 minutes
  • Exam / certification fees: $69 USD Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

C++ CPE: Suggested Study Strategy

1Compile and run every code snippet you study — CPE-20-01 leans heavily on 'what does this print' and 'which line fails to compile' questions, so paper-only reasoning is not enough.
2Memorize the C++ operator precedence table cold: arithmetic before relational before logical, and prefix vs postfix increment differences trip up many candidates.
3Drill the difference between pass-by-value, pass-by-reference, and pass-by-pointer for functions, and know which one is required to mutate the caller's variable.
4Master pointer arithmetic: adding 1 to an int* advances by sizeof(int) bytes, not 1 byte — this is the foundation of array-pointer interplay.
5Practice std::vector basics until push_back, at(), size(), capacity(), and the range-for loop are second nature.
6Know std::string's main API by heart: length()/size(), substr(pos, len), find() (and the std::string::npos sentinel), c_str(), and the + and == operators.
7Learn the array-to-pointer decay rule — sizeof inside a function that received an array returns the pointer size, not the original array size.
8Treat aggregate initialization carefully: brace lists fill members in declared order and reject narrowing conversions in C++11 and later.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is on the C++ Institute CPE exam?

CPE-20-01 tests entry-level C++ across four blocks: syntax, literals, and operators (28%); flow control and functions (28%); vectors and pointers (24%); and structures and strings (20%). The exam stays at the absolute basics — no classes, inheritance, polymorphism, templates, or STL beyond std::vector and std::string. Object-oriented C++ is reserved for the CPA Certified Associate Programmer follow-on.

How long is the CPE exam and how many questions does it have?

The C++ Institute CPE-20-01 exam consists of 30 weighted items (single-select, multi-select, and drag-drop) delivered in 45 minutes, plus about 5 additional minutes for the non-disclosure agreement and tutorial. Each item carries a weight reflecting its difficulty and importance, and the final score is normalized to a maximum of 120 points (or equivalent percentage).

What is the passing score for C++ CPE?

You must achieve 70% on the CPE-20-01 normalized scoring system to pass. Because items are weighted, the 70% threshold is calculated against total points earned across all 30 items rather than a simple count of correct answers.

How much does the C++ Institute CPE exam cost?

The CPE-20-01 exam is USD 69 for a single attempt or USD 86 for the exam plus one bundled retake voucher. Candidates who complete the official CPE self-study course on the C/C++ Education Platform may earn a discount voucher.

Where do I take the CPE exam?

The CPE exam is delivered through OpenEDG TestNow, the C++ Institute's online proctoring platform, rather than at a Pearson VUE test center. You register and schedule from your edube.org account, complete the system check, and take the exam from your own computer with a webcam and microphone.

Does the CPE certification expire?

No. C++ Institute certificates, including CPE, are issued for life with no recertification or renewal fees. Once you pass CPE-20-01 your credential remains valid permanently, although the institute reserves the right to update policies in the future.