AP CSP Data Analysis Practice

10 Questions Big Idea 2 2 Question Types Predict First

AP CSP Data Analysis Practice

Big Idea 2: Data — CAN/CANNOT Determine & Data vs. Metadata

Exam Tip: Big Idea 2 questions almost never require math. They require careful reading. Before answering, ask yourself two things: (1) Is the field I need actually recorded in the dataset? (2) Is this asking about the actual content (data) or descriptive information about it (metadata)? Students who skim the field list get these wrong consistently.

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Section 1: What CAN and CANNOT Be Determined

Each question describes a dataset. Read the fields carefully, then decide what is and is not possible to calculate — only using the data described.

What CANNOT Be Determined?

MediumCAN / CANNOT Determine

A school library system records the following information each time a student checks out a book.

Data Recorded

Student ID (unique number)
Book title
Author
Genre
Checkout date
Due date
Return date (or 0 if not yet returned)

Which of the following CANNOT be determined using only the library data described above?

AThe total number of books that are currently checked out and not yet returnedBThe student who checked out the most books during a given semesterCWhether a specific student tends to return books on or before the due dateDThe genre most frequently checked out by a specific student’s closest friend

Which Statements CAN Be Determined? (I, II, III Format)

HardCAN / CANNOT Determine — I & II Format

An online store records the following information for each order placed.

Data Recorded

Order ID (unique number)
Customer ID
Product ID
Product category
Quantity ordered
Price per item (in dollars)
Order date
Shipping zip code

I. The total revenue generated from electronics orders in a given month

II. The customer who placed the greatest number of orders in a given year

III. Whether a specific customer was satisfied with their most recent purchase

Which of the following statements about the online store data can be determined?

AI onlyBI and II onlyCII and III onlyDI, II, and III

What CANNOT Be Determined? — Missing Field Trap

HardCAN / CANNOT Determine

A city’s parking meter system records the following information for each paid parking session.

Data Recorded

Meter ID (unique number)
Street address of meter
Session start time
Session end time
Payment amount (in dollars)
Vehicle license plate number

Which of the following CANNOT be determined using only the parking meter data described above?

AThe street address where parking violations are most frequently issuedBThe average payment amount per session on a specific streetCThe total revenue collected across all meters on a given dayDThe meter with the highest average session duration

Select TWO That CANNOT Be Determined

HardCAN / CANNOT Determine — Select Two

A social media platform records the following information for each post.

Data Recorded

Post ID (unique number)
User ID of poster
Timestamp of post
Number of likes
Number of comments
Number of shares
Post type (text / photo / video)

Select two answers that CANNOT be determined using only the social media data described above.

Select TWO answers.

AThe user who received the most total likes across all posts in a given weekBThe post type that generates the highest average number of commentsCWhether a specific user read a post before clicking the like buttonDThe specific text or image content of the most shared post in a given month

What CANNOT Be Determined? — Hidden Missing Field

HardCAN / CANNOT Determine

A hospital emergency room records the following information for each patient visit.

Data Recorded

Patient ID (unique number)
Arrival time
Discharge time
Chief complaint category
Treatment administered
Insurance type
Attending physician ID

Which of the following CANNOT be determined using only the emergency room data described above?

AThe average time patients wait from arrival until treatment beginsBThe physician who treated the greatest number of patients in a given monthCThe most common chief complaint category on weekend nightsDWhether a specific patient visited the emergency room more than once in a given year

Select TWO That CANNOT Be Determined — Rideshare Data

HardCAN / CANNOT Determine — Select Two

A rideshare company records the following information for each completed trip.

Data Recorded

Driver ID (unique number)
Rider ID (unique number)
Pickup zip code
Dropoff zip code
Trip start time
Trip end time
Fare amount (in dollars)
Star rating given by rider (1–5)

Select two answers that CANNOT be determined using only the rideshare data described above.

Select TWO answers.

AThe driver with the highest average star rating among drivers who completed at least 50 tripsBThe average fare for trips that started in a specific zip codeCThe most common reason riders gave a driver a rating of 1 or 2 starsDThe approximate distance traveled on a typical trip

Section 2: Data vs. Metadata

Each question shows what is stored as data vs. metadata. Decide which type of information is more useful for the specific goal asked.

Which Analysis Uses METADATA?

MediumData vs. Metadata

A marine biology team attaches GPS tracking tags to sea turtles. Each tag records sensor readings every 30 minutes. The information stored is divided as follows.

Data

GPS coordinates at time of reading
Depth below the surface (meters)
Water temperature at location (°C)

Metadata

Date and time of each reading
Tag ID number
Battery level of tag

For which of the following goals would analyzing the metadata be more appropriate than analyzing the data?

AEstimating how far north sea turtles migrate during the summer monthsBDetermining which turtle made the greatest number of dives in a given weekCIdentifying the water temperature range in which turtles most commonly nestDMapping the typical feeding depth across the population

Which Analysis Uses DATA?

MediumData vs. Metadata

A news website stores the following information for each published article.

Data

Full text of the article

Metadata

Author’s name
Publication date
Article category (politics / sports / technology / entertainment)
Word count
Number of reader comments

For which of the following goals would analyzing the data be more appropriate than analyzing the metadata?

ADetermining which author published the most articles in a given yearBIdentifying all articles that mention a specific company by nameCFinding the article category with the longest average word countDDetermining which day of the week receives the most reader comments

Metadata or Data? — I, II, III Format

HardData vs. Metadata — I & II Format

A smartphone photo app stores each photo with the following information.

Data

Pixel color values (red, green, blue levels for each pixel)

Metadata

Date the photo was taken
Time the photo was taken
GPS coordinates (latitude and longitude)
Camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO)
File size (in megabytes)

I. Determining whether two photos were taken at the same geographic location

II. Identifying photos that contain a sunset based on visual appearance

III. Determining the order in which photos were taken on a specific day

Which of the goals above would be better served by analyzing the metadata rather than the data?

AI onlyBII onlyCI and III onlyDI, II, and III

When is Metadata ALONE Insufficient?

HardData vs. Metadata

A hospital stores patient medical records. Each record contains the following.

Data

Doctor’s written notes from the visit
Lab test results
Prescriptions issued
Diagnostic imaging reports

Metadata

Patient ID (unique number)
Date of visit
Department visited
Attending physician ID
Visit duration (in minutes)

For which of the following goals would analyzing the metadata alone be insufficient to answer the question?

ADetermining the average visit duration for patients seen in the cardiology departmentBIdentifying the physician who sees the greatest number of patients per weekCDetermining whether a patient was diagnosed with a specific medical conditionDFinding the department with the highest number of patient visits in a given month

Practice Complete!

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