Practice A.4 Further database models and database analysis with authentic IB Computer Science (CS) exam questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 structure, covering key topics like programming concepts, algorithms, and data structures. Get instant solutions, detailed explanations, and build exam confidence with questions in the style of IB examiners.
SolarVision is a renewable energy company that maintains a data warehouse with data on solar panel installations, climate data, and energy output across different regions. They are using this data to optimize energy production and distribution. SolarVision is interested in using data mining to understand regional energy demands and improve distribution.
(a) (i) Outline one benefit of using a data warehouse for SolarVision’s data.
(a) (ii) Explain why real-time data updates in a data warehouse could be beneficial for SolarVision.
(b) Describe two challenges SolarVision may face when integrating regional data sources into a centralized data warehouse.
(c) Compare data matching and data mining as techniques that SolarVision could use to understand and improve regional energy distribution.
FinBank is considering using a data warehouse to consolidate its historical financial data.
Define the term data warehouse.
Explain two reasons why FinBank might use a data warehouse for financial analysis.
Outline one challenge that may arise from using a data warehouse in a financial context.
EduBooks Ltd. is a global distributor of educational materials and uses a data warehouse to store data on customer preferences, sales trends, and market research. They aim to use this data to improve targeted marketing strategies.
(a) (i) Outline why data warehousing is beneficial for long-term business intelligence.
(a) (ii) Outline one reason why EduBooks would choose to use a data warehouse instead of operational databases for analytics.
(b) Explain the importance of data cleaning in EduBooks' ETL process before loading data into the warehouse.
(c) Compare the techniques of cluster analysis and classification as methods for identifying patterns in EduBooks’ data.
(d) Describe how predictive modeling could be used by EduBooks to forecast popular book genres for next season.
BrightEnergy uses predictive modeling to optimize inventory management for its solar equipment.
Define predictive modeling.
Explain two benefits of predictive modeling for BrightEnergy’s inventory management.
Outline one limitation of predictive modeling for inventory forecasting.
HealthPlus Clinic, an international healthcare network, is considering an object-oriented database (OODBMS) to handle complex multimedia patient records, such as X-rays and MRI scans, as well as standard medical data.
Define object-oriented database.
Describe one advantage and one limitation of using object-oriented databases for HealthPlus Clinic.
Outline one reason why a relational database might be preferable for other applications at HealthPlus.
A telecommunications company wants to use association analysis to analyze call and internet usage patterns.
Define association analysis.
Explain how association analysis could help the company in marketing its services.
Describe one limitation of association analysis in this context.
CityGov is using link analysis to understand relationships between public services and community needs.
Define link analysis.
Explain one way CityGov could use link analysis to improve service delivery.
Outline one challenge of implementing link analysis in public service data.
The collection, storage and sharing of data is becoming increasingly important for organizations who have a choice about which type of database to use to store their data. Two examples of database types are relational and object-oriented.
The 2016 US presidential election was seen to be a victory for data analytics. Companies that specialize in analytics use data warehouses.
Explain two advantages of using a relational database rather than an object-oriented database.
State two characteristics of a data warehouse.
Outline why data needs to be transformed before it can be loaded into the data warehouse.
Outline why opinion poll data and other election data are timestamped when added to the data warehouse.
Outline why analytics companies use link analysis.
Outline why analytics companies use deviation detection.
Once data has been loaded into a data warehouse it can be mined. The use of data analytics is believed to have been important to the outcome of the US election campaign.
Discuss whether the advantages of data mining techniques in this scenario outweigh the disadvantages.
GlobalInvest is an international investment firm that uses a data warehouse to store and analyze market data from different regions to help make informed investment decisions. They plan to use this data to develop new financial products based on client needs.
(a) (i) Define the term data warehouse.
(a) (ii) Outline one reason why GlobalInvest might use a data warehouse for their market data.
(b) Outline why the transformation step in ETL is necessary before loading data into GlobalInvest’s data warehouse.
(c) Compare association analysis and sequential pattern analysis as data mining techniques that GlobalInvest could use to analyze investment behavior.
(d) Describe how deviation detection can be applied to identify irregular investment patterns among clients.
ZCC has a chain of offices that sell different types of paper to customers all over the world. They have data stored in their data warehouses that will help them make important marketing decisions for the future, as they have plans to diversify into other products like gift-wrappers, scribble-pads, stationery, books and calculators.
ZCC is going to use data mining techniques to discover patterns in their data.
The company has customers who have missed the payment deadline for their purchases from ZCC.
Outline why data warehousing is time dependent.
Outline one reason why ZCC uses a data warehouse.
Outline why transformation of the data is necessary prior to it being loaded into the data warehouse.
Compare cluster analysis and classification as techniques for discovering patterns in_ZCC_'s data.
Describe how the process of deviation detection can be applied to identify customers who are likely to miss the payment deadline for their purchases from ZCC.
ZCC is aware that other data mining and detection techniques will allow more informed marketing decisions to be made.
Explain how database segmentation and link analysis can be used by ZCC to improve their marketing strategies.