Practice IB Computer Science (CS) Topic A.1 Basic Concepts with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for A.1 Basic Concepts and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
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Jackson City University has a Music Department that provides music lessons to students in a number of high schools in the city. The Jackson City University Music Department teachers visit the different schools in the city to teach students a range of musical instruments. The following diagram shows an unnormalized table of student data. | Student_
ID | First_
Name | Family__
Name | Date_of_
birth | Student_Choice | School | School__
Post_Code | School_
phone_no |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| 305 | JOE | PARKAR | | VIOLIN,
PERCUSSION | Tampines | 512233 | 065544335,
065544336 |
| 306 | MARY | ALCHIN | | GUITAR,
KEYBOARD | Arab
Street | 198876 | 065543213 |
| 307 | RAM | WONG | | GUITAR | Bedok | 467501 | 06543321,
065433222 |
| 308 | KATE | MOHAMA | | PERCUSSION | Simei | 512233 | 065444412 |
| 309 | RYAN | TAN | | GUITAR | Seng
Kang | 208563 | 065667898 |
| 310 | PHILIP | BALMER | | VIOLIN | Orchard | 309893 | 065756379 |
| 311 | MIKE | MOSES | | GUITAR | Clementi | 308978 | 065745677 |
| | | | | | | | |
Explain one benefit of normalizing a database.
Identify three ways that incorrect data could be prevented from being added into the School_phone_no field.
Outline what would be necessary to make the above unnormalized table conform to 1st Normal Form (1NF).
Construct the 3rd Normal Form (3NF) of the unnormalized relation shown above.
Explain the difference between 2nd Normal Form (2NF) and 3rd Normal Form (3NF).
Identify two issues that can occur when a database suffers from an update anomaly.
Define the term referential integrity.
Explain the importance of consistency in a database transaction.
Distinguish between the conceptual schema and the external schema in the database architecture.
Describe how a database management system (DBMS) handles security using access control.
A school system manages student records using a database to maintain accurate information on attendance and grades.
Define the term data in the context of databases.
Outline the difference between data and information, using an example from the school system.
Explain one benefit of storing student records in a database rather than a paper system.
Assume MONS is a proposed cryptocurrency project that uses blockchain technology. You may refer to general properties of blockchain systems (e.g. hashing, distributed ledgers, consensus) in your answer.
Implementing blockchain technology for the MONS cryptocurrency ensures both security and scalability. How far do you agree with this statement?
Explain what is meant by user acceptance testing.