Which statement describes how version numbers relate to software state changes?

Which statement describes how version numbers relate to software state changes?

• A. Version numbers are randomly assigned.
• B. Version numbers must be identical across all releases.
• C. Version numbers are generally assigned in increasing order and correspond to a particular change.
• D. Version numbers are used only for internal marketing.

Answer: (C)

Version numbers track the evolution of software. They are typically assigned in increasing order and each new release signals a specific change from the previous state, such as new features, fixes, or changes that may affect compatibility. This orderly progression makes it clear what’s in a release and helps decide whether an update is needed or safe to apply. If version numbers were random, you couldn’t infer what changed; if they were identical across releases, you couldn’t distinguish versions; if they were used only for marketing, the technical signal about the actual changes would be lost. A common approach is semantic versioning (for example, major.minor.patch), where the numbers convey the scope and impact of the change.

Version numbers track the evolution of software. They are typically assigned in increasing order and each new release signals a specific change from the previous state, such as new features, fixes, or changes that may affect compatibility. This orderly progression makes it clear what’s in a release and helps decide whether an update is needed or safe to apply. If version numbers were random, you couldn’t infer what changed; if they were identical across releases, you couldn’t distinguish versions; if they were used only for marketing, the technical signal about the actual changes would be lost. A common approach is semantic versioning (for example, major.minor.patch), where the numbers convey the scope and impact of the change.