Oxford, Cambridge and RSA (OCR) GCSE Computer Science Practice Exam

The correct answer signifies a situation where the program has successfully run without any issues during compilation or at runtime, but the output does not match what was intended by the programmer. A logic error occurs when the underlying algorithm or the logic used in the program is flawed, leading to incorrect or unexpected results even though the program executes successfully.

In contrast, a syntax error refers to mistakes in the code that prevent it from compiling, such as typos or incorrect use of language rules. A runtime error occurs when the program encounters an issue while it is running, such as trying to divide by zero or accessing an out-of-bounds array element, which stops the program from executing properly. A compilation error occurs before the program starts running, indicating problems during the translation of the source code into machine code.

Thus, when a program executes but fails to produce the expected result due to incorrect logic, it is identified as a logic error, highlighting the critical distinction between errors that prevent execution and those that occur during execution resulting in faulty outcomes.