Activity:
Modelling
Computers can be used to create models or simulations of real-world systems. These allow us to find out the effect of changing different parts of a system safely and cheaply. Some examples are shown below:
Flight Simulators
These are used to train new pilots; they can learn how to fly an aeroplane without risking the lives of real passengers.
Spreadsheet Models
Spreadsheets are used by many businesses to predict how much profit they could make based on predicted sales figures. This can help them make decisions such as how much to charge for their products.
Traffic
Simulations can be developed to model the flow of traffic within a city. These can be used to study the potential impact of changing the road network, for example by adding new roads and traffic lights.
