APCSP Simulation Models 4

Question 1

A simulation models traffic flow by treating each car as an independent agent following simple rules. This approach is known as:

Accepted Answer

Agent-based modeling

Answer

Agent-based models simulate individual entities (agents) with defined behaviors whose interactions produce emergent system-level patterns.

Question 2

A Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate the area of an irregular shape. Which technique does it rely on?

Accepted Answer

Generating random points and checking which fall inside the shape

Answer

Monte Carlo methods use random sampling — by checking what fraction of random points land inside the shape, you estimate its area relative to a known bounding area.

Question 3

A simulation that always produces the same output given the same inputs is called:

Accepted Answer

Deterministic

Answer

A deterministic simulation has no randomness, so identical inputs always yield identical outputs.

Question 4

When validating a simulation model, a researcher compares its outputs to historical real-world data. This process is called:

Accepted Answer

Validation

Answer

Validation tests whether a simulation accurately represents the real-world system by comparing its outputs to known data.

Question 5

A student increases the number of particles in a physics simulation from 100 to 10,000. What is the most likely trade-off?

Accepted Answer

More particles increases accuracy but requires more computation time

Answer

Finer-grained simulations with more elements tend to produce more realistic results but demand significantly more computational resources.

(APCSP) AP Computer Science Principles Practice Test

(APCSP) AP Computer Science Principles Practice Test

APCSP Simulation Models 4