Simulation Models Flashcards
7 cards from real APCSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Simulation Models flashcards as text
A simulation models traffic flow by treating each car as an independent agent following simple rules. This approach is known as:
Answer: Agent-based modeling
Agent-based models simulate individual entities (agents) with defined behaviors whose interactions produce emergent system-level patterns.
A Monte Carlo simulation is used to estimate the area of an irregular shape. Which technique does it rely on?
Answer: Generating random points and checking which fall inside the shape
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.
A simulation that always produces the same output given the same inputs is called:
Answer: Deterministic
A deterministic simulation has no randomness, so identical inputs always yield identical outputs.
When validating a simulation model, a researcher compares its outputs to historical real-world data. This process is called:
Answer: Validation
Validation tests whether a simulation accurately represents the real-world system by comparing its outputs to known data.
A student increases the number of particles in a physics simulation from 100 to 10,000. What is the most likely trade-off?
Answer: More particles increases accuracy but requires more computation time
Finer-grained simulations with more elements tend to produce more realistic results but demand significantly more computational resources.
In a simulation, a programmer hard-codes that 'all users check social media exactly 5 times per day.' What problem does this introduce?
Answer: The model oversimplifies real behavior and may produce inaccurate results
Hard-coding a single fixed value ignores real-world variation, making the model less representative of actual user behavior.
A simulation of a nuclear reactor is used to train operators before they work on a real reactor. Which benefit of simulations does this BEST illustrate?
Answer: Simulations allow safe practice of scenarios that would be dangerous in reality
Simulations let trainees practice high-stakes or dangerous procedures in a risk-free environment.