NEW
Font size
WorksheetsDr. London’s Algorithms and Outlining Quiz
Total questions: 64
Worksheet time: 50mins
Which statement best describes what a social media algorithm does?
It shows posts in random order
It turns signals into scores to rank content
It hides all new posts automatically
It only shows posts from verified accounts
Which option is the best example of a signal an algorithm can measure?
Your favorite color
How many seconds you watched a video
A creator’s personality
The truthfulness of every post
In the equation E=2L+3C+4S+5W , what does the coefficient 5 tell you?
Watch time is counted as a signal
Watch time is weighted the most inside E
Watch time is ignored if likes are high
Watch time only matters for old posts
In the equation T=0.5E+0.3R+0.2V , what does the 0.5 represent?
E is one of many possible signals
E is the biggest influence on the total score
E will always be exactly half of T
E is only used when R is missing
Which statement correctly explains what ranking means on a feed?
The platform guesses what you want without data
Posts are ordered from highest score to lowest score
Posts are ordered by who posted first only
Posts are ordered by the number of followers only
Which change would most likely make watch time matter more inside engagement score E ?
Increase the coefficient on W
Decrease the coefficient on W
Remove likes from the equation
Increase the number of followers
Compute E when L=10 , C=2 , S=1 , W=3 .
38
45
50
60
Compute R when h=4 in R=100÷(1+h) .
10
20
25
50
If a post gets older, what happens to R in R=100÷(1+h) ?
R increases because time adds value
R decreases because the denominator grows
R stays the same because time is ignored
R becomes negative after enough hours
In V=10M+20F+30T , which variable most strongly affects V if all variables increase by 1?
M
F
T
All three equally
Compute V when M=3 , F=2 , T=1 .
60
80
100
120
Compute total score T when E=45 , R=20 , V=100 using T=0.5E+0.3R+0.2V .
44.5
48.5
50.0
52.0
A platform says it wants more discovery for new creators. Which change is most logical?
Increase the weight on relevance and decrease recency
Increase the weight on recency and decrease relevance
Decrease the weight on engagement and increase relevance
Remove recency completely
Which choice best explains why algorithms use recency?
To make feeds feel current and active
To punish creators who post frequently
To remove all content older than one day
To make watch time less important
Which example best shows personalization?
Everyone sees the exact same feed daily
Your feed changes based on what you like and watch
The platform only shows news content
The platform only shows content from your school
Which is the best definition of an outline?
A list of random facts
A hierarchy of ideas organized from main to specific
A paragraph rewritten with shorter sentences
A set of opinions without evidence
Which is the best example of a heading?
A small detail that supports a claim
The main idea that everything else supports
A fun fact that is unrelated
The last sentence of a paragraph only
Which option shows correct logic for building subheadings?
Subheadings should introduce new topics that do not connect
Subheadings must prove and support the heading above them
Subheadings should be longer than headings
Subheadings should repeat the heading word for word
If your outline starts talking about a new topic that does not connect back to the heading, you are most likely doing what?
Distilling
Digressing
Optimizing
Matriculating
Distill means you should do what to a paragraph?
Add more details until it is longer
Remove extra details to make the main idea clear
Replace academic words with slang only
Copy it word for word into your outline
Which outline structure is strongest?
Main idea, then unrelated details
Main idea, then supporting points, then evidence under each point
Evidence first, then main idea last
Only one level of bullets for everything
Which is the best example of rigor in outlining?
Every line is short
The hierarchy is consistent and evidence supports the main idea
The outline has the most decorations
The outline avoids academic vocabulary
Which statement best matches the meaning of rationale?
A random guess
A reason that explains why a choice was made
A flashy design element
A rule that never changes
Which sentence shows nuance instead of absolute thinking?
Algorithms always show the truth
Watch time means you like it every time
Which sentence is an example of absolute thinking?
Sometimes a like means support, sometimes it is just polite
Every user has different reasons for watching a video twice
Algorithms always treat people fairly
Different signals can combine to form a score
Which best describes a conduit in technology?
A channel that carries information from one place to another
A rumor spread by students
A type of video filter
A list of hashtags
Which is the best example of vernacular?
The physics behind WiFi signals
The everyday words people use on a platform
The password to your account
A legal contract
Which statement best connects demographic-information to algorithms?
Demographic-information can never influence relevance
Demographic-information can shape what content is shown and must be used responsibly
Demographic-information is the same thing as watch time
Demographic-information only matters on weekends
What is the most accurate risk connected to echo-chambers?
You see more variety in viewpoints
You repeatedly see the same ideas and fewer opposing ideas
Your feed becomes fully chronological
The platform stops using engagement
Why is ethical thinking important when designing algorithms?
It helps increase spam and misinformation
It helps reduce harm, protect privacy, and support fairness
It guarantees everyone becomes famous
It makes equations unnecessary
Which statement best shows the idea of adjacent?
A goal that is closely related but not the real goal
A goal that is illegal
A goal that is impossible to measure
A goal that only matters to teachers
Which is the best example of optimization in algorithms?
Changing the goal to whatever is easiest
Improving the system to maximize a chosen metric
Ignoring all metrics and using feelings
Posting less often
Which option best explains why optimization can cause problems?
Optimization always improves fairness
The system may maximize a metric that does not match what is best for people
Optimization stops ranking from happening
Optimization removes all signals
If a platform optimizes only for engagement, what outcome is most likely?
More content that keeps people reacting, even if it is low quality
More content that teaches math skills
Less content overall
A fully chronological feed
Which option best connects pervasive to algorithms?
Algorithms only exist in one app
Algorithms are widespread across many apps and systems
Algorithms only impact adults
Algorithms do not impact society
Matriculate is best connected to social media in which way?
You enroll into a platform when you create an account and begin generating data
You delete your account permanently
You block all creators
You turn off the internet
Which choice best describes a common failure pattern: confusing design that makes users guess?
Users can explain the steps clearly
The interface is unclear and users do not know what to do next
The system has strong labels and directions
Users see a clear success message every time
Which choice best describes a common failure pattern: unfair rules that benefit some users more than others?
Everyone has equal access to features
Some groups get boosted and others get blocked without good reason
The platform shows posts randomly
The platform never ranks content
Which choice best describes a common failure pattern: limited access that blocks certain users?
Everyone can use the tool easily
Key features are locked behind barriers that some users cannot cross
Content is always diverse
Privacy is always protected
Which option best describes over-automation that removes human choice?
The user has more control over settings
The system makes decisions with little user control
The platform asks users what they want
The platform uses a chronological feed
A platform wants more discovery without increasing echo-chambers. Which combined change is most logical?
Increase V weight and increase E weight
Increase R weight and add diversity checks while reducing V weight
Remove R and double down on V
Remove all filters and show spam
Two posts have equal engagement E, but one is new and one is old. Using the formulas, why might the new post rank higher?
Because R is larger when h is smaller, increasing total score
Because V becomes negative for old posts
Because E is ignored for new posts
Because R does not affect ranking
Which is the best critique of the statement: "If a post has high engagement, it must be good for everyone"?
It is nuanced because engagement always equals quality
It is absolute thinking because engagement can be manipulated and does not equal value for all users
It is correct because likes prove truth
It is ethical because it is simple
A student says: "Our outline is detailed because we wrote a lot." What is the strongest response?
True, length equals rigor
Not necessarily. Rigor means the hierarchy is logical and evidence supports each level
True, more bullets always means better thinking
True, design matters more than structure
You have a four level outline, but one subheading has no supporting details. What is the most accurate diagnosis?
The outline is optimized
There is a gap in methodology because the support structure is missing
The outline is pervasive
The outline is vernacular
A platform increases watch time coefficient in E from 5W to 10W. What is the most likely effect on content ranking?
Posts that keep users watching longer gain a bigger advantage
Comments will count more than watch time
Recency becomes the only factor
Relevance disappears from the feed
Which option best shows the difference between adjacent goals and real goals?
Real goal: learning. Adjacent goal: time spent scrolling
Real goal: scrolling. Adjacent goal: learning
Real goal: likes. Adjacent goal: fairness
Real goal: echo-chambers. Adjacent goal: diversity
Which scenario best shows how demographic-information could create unfair outcomes if used poorly?
It helps translate text into the right language
It limits advanced learning content to certain groups based on assumptions
If your goal is to explain an algorithm with clarity, which method is strongest?
Digress into unrelated examples
Distill the system into signals, equations, and rationale for each weight
Use only platform slang
Use absolute statements so it sounds confident
Which response best demonstrates college level reasoning about algorithms and outlining together?
Algorithms are math. Outlines are writing.
Algorithms and outlines are both methods: each turns complexity into a clear structure, but both can fail if weights or subheadings do not match the real purpose.
Algorithms are unfair.
Outlines are easy if you write a lot.
A social media post reaches 1,500 people, and 12% of them engage by liking, sharing, or commenting. How many people engaged with the post?
150
180
200
120
An ad campaign costs $750 and has a reach of 15,000 people. What is the cost per person reached?
$0.05
$0.50
$0.25
$5.00
A post has a reach of 8,000, with 10% liking the post, 5% sharing it, and 3% commenting. How many total engagements did the post receive?
1,440
800
640
1,120
A company runs three types of ads: one reaches 1,200 people, another reaches 2,500 people, and the last one reaches 3,300 people. What is the total reach of all three ads?
6,800
7,000
7,500
7,200
I.The armed services
A. The Army
B. The Navy
C. The Marines
II. The Air Force
What is a potential downside of using only engagement metrics to rank social media posts?
Only verified accounts will be ranked higher
All posts will be shown in chronological order
Posts with high engagement may not always provide accurate or valuable information
Engagement metrics guarantee fairness for all users
Which option best describes a logical outline structure for an essay?
Write only the conclusion first
Begin with evidence, then add unrelated details
List random facts without any organization
Start with the main idea, followed by supporting points and evidence for each
If an algorithm increases the weight of 'likes' in its engagement formula, what is the most likely effect?
Posts with more likes will have a higher engagement score
All posts will be removed from the feed
Posts with fewer comments will always rank higher
Watch time will no longer be counted
What does it mean if a platform increases the coefficient for likes in its engagement formula?
Likes will have a greater impact on content ranking
Likes will be ignored in the ranking
Comments will become the only factor
Watch time will decrease for all posts
