AP CSP Practice: Algorithmic Bias & Data Ethics

Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing
Day 6 Practice • AP CSP Daily Question
🎯 Focus: Bias in Computing

Practice Question

A software company develops a hiring algorithm to screen job applicants. The algorithm is trained on data from the company's previous hiring decisions over the past 10 years. During that time, the company primarily hired candidates from a few specific universities.
Which of the following is MOST likely to be a concern with this algorithm?
What This Tests: Big Idea 5 covers the impact of computing, including how algorithms can unintentionally perpetuate or amplify human biases when trained on biased data.

Why B is Correct

This is a classic example of algorithmic bias. When an algorithm learns from historical data that contains bias, it can:

  • Learn the bias: If most successful candidates came from certain universities, the algorithm will favor those universities
  • Perpetuate the bias: New candidates from other qualified universities may be unfairly screened out
  • Amplify the bias: Over time, the company hires even more from the favored universities, reinforcing the pattern

The Feedback Loop Problem

Biased Historical Data
        ↓
Algorithm Learns Bias
        ↓
Algorithm Makes Biased Decisions
        ↓
New Biased Data is Created
        ↓
(Cycle Repeats - Bias Amplifies)

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Answers A and C - Technical concerns

Speed and storage are technical constraints, not the PRIMARY concern here. The question specifically mentions the data source (past hiring decisions), which points to a data quality/bias issue.

Mistake: Answer D - International processing

Nothing in the scenario suggests the algorithm can't handle international applications. The issue is about WHICH candidates the algorithm favors, not which ones it can process.

💡 AP Exam Tip

Whenever a question mentions an algorithm being "trained on data" or "learning from past decisions," immediately consider whether that data might contain biases. This is a frequently tested concept on the AP CSP exam.

Difficulty: Easy • Time: 1-2 minutes • Topic: 5.3 Computing Bias

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