Practice IB Computer Science (CS) Topic B.3 Visualization with authentic exam-style questions for both SL and HL students. This question bank focuses on the exact syllabus content for B.3 Visualization and mirrors Paper 1, 2, 3 style where relevant.
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A self-driving car relies on a series of lasers and cameras that combine with high definition maps to give a three-dimensional (3D) view of the environment. Rules are programmed into the system so that the car drives at an optimum speed, keeps a safe distance from any vehicle in front, uses fuel economically and follows the traffic regulations.
Outline the need for high definition maps held in memory.
Outline how analysing successive 3D images in memory helps the car to drive safely.
Outline the time and memory needs of 3D visualization in this situation.
Discuss the social implications of self-driving cars.
Commercial airlines and military organizations utilize advanced flight simulators to train pilots in a controlled environment. These systems use complex mathematical models to replicate the aerodynamics of an aircraft and the physics of the surrounding atmosphere.
Simulated environments allow pilots to experience a wide range of flight conditions, from routine take-offs to critical mechanical failures, without leaving the ground.
Identify four technical requirements that must be met for a flight simulator to provide a high-fidelity (highly realistic) experience for a trainee pilot.
Define the term real-time simulation.
Explain why certain atmospheric phenomena, such as localized microbursts or extreme turbulence, are difficult for simulators to model with absolute precision.
Discuss the advantages of using flight simulations for emergency procedure training compared to using actual aircraft.
To what extent can a pilot's performance in a simulated environment be used to predict their actual behavior during a genuine in-flight crisis?
The automated management system of a hydroelectric dam uses a computer-based simulation to regulate water flow and safety. For example, the system:
The simulation software processes high-frequency data from a network of physical sensors to maintain a real-time model of the reservoir's status.
The simulation software monitors the reservoir height () and the rate of water inflow () from surrounding rivers to predict future water levels. During periods of heavy rainfall, the software must decide whether to activate the emergency overflow gates.
Explain the four logical steps the software must perform to determine if the overflow gates should be opened.
A simulation model is an abstraction of reality. Identify one physical attribute of the dam that would be treated as a constant parameter in the software, and suggest why it would not be represented as a variable.
Identify two distinct output devices or actuators that the simulation software controls to manage the physical infrastructure of the dam.
Simulation software can be used to produce a 3D visualization of rising sea levels that change as the user alters the percentage of ice that has melted.
Figure 3: 3D visualization of rising sea levels
Define the term visualization.
Identify how a 2D visualization could be used in this scenario.
Explain the benefits of using visualization when simulating rising sea levels.
Once the 3D visualization has been rendered, when the user drags a slider bar to simulate the amount of ice that has melted, the visualization is re-rendered without any delay.
Figure 4: Slider bar to simulate different percentages of sea ice
Explain how the simulation can be re-rendered without any delay.
An international shipping company calculates delivery fees based on the weight of the parcel and the destination zone. The pricing structure for 'Standard' shipping to Zone A is shown below:
| Weight () | Price per kg (Zone A) |
|---|---|
| 12.00$ | |
| 10.00$ | |
| 8.00$ |
For any delivery to Zone B, a fixed 'International Surcharge' of \25.00$ is added to the total weight-based price.
Calculate the total shipping fee for a parcel weighing being sent to Zone B.
State the variables and the logical steps required to model the total cost for any single shipment.
Construct an algorithm that processes a batch of 50 orders. For each order, the algorithm should take the weight and zone as input, determine the correct shipping fee, and output the Order ID (from 1 to 50) along with its calculated fee.
With reference to spreadsheet software, explain how a model could be built to predict the daily 'Active Reach' of a social media advertisement. Every day, the ad receives new views (), but it also retains only of the 'Active Reach' from the previous day due to audience saturation.
Identify how an error in data entry, such as entering a negative value for weight, would affect the shipping model's output.
Suggest a method to verify if the social media 'Active Reach' model provides a realistic prediction of actual user engagement.