Problem-Formulation and Analysis : Practice Questions

A school wants to develop a simple program to calculate the average score of a student based on three test scores. During the problem-formulation and analysis phase, what would be the primary output identified for this program?

A smart weather station is being developed to alert farmers about potential frost. Which of the following is the most appropriate output for this specific problem?

A developer notices that the algorithm for calculating the shipping cost for a retail app and the algorithm for calculating the delivery fee for a food app both use the same distance-based logic. The developer decides to create a single reusable function for this. This is an example of which Problem-Formulation and Analysis concept?

A software development team is in the initial phase of creating a program to calculate a student's final grade. The final grade is determined by taking the average of three test scores: Midterm, Project, and Final Exam. What is the essential input that must be identified during the problem-formulation and analysis phase?

A developer is designing a system for a smart greenhouse that automatically waters plants. During the Problem-Formulation and Analysis phase, the developer identifies 'Soil Moisture Level' and 'Ambient Temperature'. These elements are best categorized as:

A simple algorithm is being designed to calculate the total cost of items in a shopping cart. The user inputs the price and quantity for each item, and the algorithm needs to display the final total. Identify the primary inputs and the expected output for this problem.

A software engineer is developing a system to manage a logistics center that must simultaneously calculate shipping costs based on weight, verify dimensions for storage, and route parcels by destination zip code. Describe how the engineer applies problem decomposition and identifying common elements in the formulation phase to optimize the design.

A university wants to develop an online system for student course registration. When analyzing this problem, name two distinct sub-problems that would naturally arise from decomposing the main task.

A logistics company is designing an Automated Warehouse Management System (AWMS). The system tracks inventory levels using RFID tags, predicts restocking needs based on historical sales data, and optimizes the picking path for robotic carriers to minimize travel distance.

(a) Define the scope of the AWMS. State two core functionalities that are essential to the problem and one specific boundary or constraint that distinguishes this system from a broader 'Enterprise Resource Planning' (ERP) system. (3 marks)

(b) Decompose the main AWMS problem into three manageable sub-problems. Furthermore, identify a common element or pattern that the 'Path Optimization' sub-problem might share with a standard 'GPS Navigation System' and explain how identifying this similarity assists the developer during the analysis phase. (3 marks)

(c) For the 'Restocking Prediction' sub-problem, identify the necessary inputs, the expected outputs, and the core process required to determine the quantity of items to be ordered. (2 marks)