Define bioinformatics and give an example of the data used in medical research.
Outline one feature of fuzzy logic which makes it suitable for medical diagnosis.
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.
Ralph owns a furniture store that trades in second-hand furniture, lamps and musical instruments. He buys these items, repairs them where necessary and then resells them. He calculates the value of each item using the information below: - type: furniture, lamp, musical instrument
Copy and complete the following table showing the variables, each variable's data type and range of values that would represent the information shown above.
Using the above rules, construct the pseudocode that will help Ralph in deciding whether to buy an item.
Describe two items that would have a calculated value of more than $90.
Calculate the selling price of a top brand guitar with a volume of 96 dm³ that was damaged. You should show your working.
With the help of a diagram, suggest an appropriate design for a spreadsheet used to calculate the final selling price, following this model.
Identify two tests that should be included in the test plan for this model.
Machine translators are regularly used to translate text from one language to another. In spite of the advances that have been made in this field, the output may still need to be proofread by a human.
Describe two problems that these translators may encounter when translating from one language to another.
An old set of 2D animated cartoons from the 1940s has been discovered and it is decided to modify them to turn them into 3D animation.
Define the term visualization.
Outline the need for rendering in the creation of the animated 3D characters.
Explain two technical implications of implementing a 3D animation in this way.
The case study states: "Successful implementations of genetic algorithms strike a natural balance between exploration and exploitation, and techniques such as simulated annealing can fine-tune that balance as the algorithm progresses towards convergence" (page 7, Discussion). Discuss the role of convergence in genetic algorithms and how exploration and exploitation can affect its success.
With the aid of a diagram, explain how fractal algorithms are able to generate terrain that looks realistic, starting from a simple rectangle.
Explain how fractal algorithms are able to generate terrain that looks realistic, starting from a simple rectangle.
Global warming is a term used to describe the increase in mean global temperatures.
There have been numerous computer simulations developed to predict the effects of global warming. One simulation is NASA’s Virtual Earth System Laboratory (VESL), which allows users to see how climate change affects glacier size, global sea level and changes to the coastline.
The VESL runs simulations in real time and is an abstraction of reality.
A recent study reported that previous simulations of predicted global sea levels for 2100 were highly inaccurate.
Outline what is meant by a real-time simulation in the context of a glacier size simulation.
Outline what is meant by the statement “the VESL simulation is an abstraction of reality”.
Outline two reasons why predictions of global sea levels from simulations may not be accurate.
NASA has decided to make its simulation software available for other scientists as well as members of the public.
Evaluate the social and ethical implications of this decision.
Weather forecasters use computer models which are able to simulate future weather patterns. These forecasts were originally limited to the near future. However, modern systems can now produce long range forecasts.
The simulation of the weather forecasting models produces specific data which can be output in a variety of ways.
Suggest two reasons why these simulations have improved both in their accuracy and their range.
Suggest why forecasts become less accurate the more long range they become.
Discuss whether historical data can be accurately used to forecast future weather.
Define the term visualization.
With the help of examples, discuss how the development in the way such data is visualized has made the results of these simulations more accessible to the general public.
Google Translate is an algorithm whose function is to translate text from one language to another. One of the resources that it uses is the body of documents produced by the United Nations which are routinely translated by humans into various languages.
Discuss the reasons why Google Translate takes a probabilistic approach in preference to a cognitive rule-based approach.