IB Computer Science A.4 Further Database Models and Database Analysis Questionbank

(d) Compare the techniques of cluster analysis and classification as methods for identifying patterns in EduBooks’ data.

(e) Describe how predictive modeling could be used by EduBooks to forecast popular book genres for next season.

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?

Modern pharmaceutical companies increasingly rely on advanced data architectures to manage global supply chains and clinical research. These organizations must choose between different database paradigms, such as relational and object-oriented, to handle diverse data types ranging from simple inventory counts to complex molecular models. To synthesize this information for high-level decision-making, they utilize consolidated data environments like data warehouses.

(b) State two functions of metadata within a large-scale data warehouse.

(c) Outline why data scrubbing (cleaning) is a critical step before loading raw sensor data from the supply chain into a warehouse.

(d) Explain the importance of defining the appropriate level of granularity for logistics data in a pharmaceutical warehouse.

SkyStream Media is a global video-on-demand service that maintains a high-volume data warehouse. This system aggregates subscriber viewing habits, content metadata, and engagement metrics from various regional servers to help management optimize content production and personalized marketing strategies.

(a) Define the term metadata in the context of a data warehouse.

(b) Outline why data in a data warehouse is described as subject-oriented.

(c) Describe one challenge SkyStream Media might face during the extraction stage of the ETL process.

A global media streaming service maintains a vast repository of user interaction logs, including viewing history, ratings, and device metadata. To optimize their content recommendation engine and business reporting, the service utilizes a data warehouse that supports complex analytical processing and data mining operations.

(a) Explain how the use of a multidimensional database model (such as a star schema) improves the efficiency of complex analytical queries compared to a traditional relational database.

(b) Discuss the effectiveness of association rule mining for generating content recommendations, with specific reference to the use of support and confidence levels.

(a) Outline two benefits of implementing an object-oriented database (OODB) when managing complex biological data structures compared to a traditional relational model.

(d) Compare cluster analysis and regression analysis as data mining techniques that SkyStream Media could use to understand subscriber behavior.

(e) Explain how sequential pattern mining could be used to improve the efficiency of clinical trial phases.

(f) Explain how cluster analysis might be used to categorize international distribution centers.

(e) Describe how the slicing operation in OLAP could be used to analyze the popularity of a specific movie genre.

(g) Once data has been consolidated, predictive modeling can be applied to anticipate drug shortages. This high-level analytics is essential for the company but raises significant ethical and privacy concerns.

Discuss whether the benefits of using predictive data mining in this scenario outweigh the potential risks to data privacy.