Junkyard Challenge B
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Re: Junkyard Challenge B
Tiers are something we use in many events in Science Olympiad to group teams, typically based upon their compliance with the rules. In many cases we don't want a team to be completely dq'd from an event for a minor violation or oversight, yet we want there to be a concrete penalty. To use Junkyard as a specific example, there are 2 tiers:Cheese_Muffin_Man wrote:
Could you explain to me what a tier is in junkyard. I'm so confused.
Tier 1 is the group of teams that do NOT violate any of the rules in any way.
Tier 2 is the group of teams that DO violate the rules in some way (e.g. box is slightly too big, brought some extra balls, didn't impound on time, etc etc). They will be ranked behind all Tier 1 teams regardless of score.
Once we group all the teams into tiers, we then rank them within that tier according to the scoring formula in the rules. Let's say hypothetically you have 4 teams: A, B, C, D.
Teams A and C didn't violate any rules, so they are in Tier 1. Teams B and D violated some of the rules so they are in Tier 2.
The scores the teams got were as follows: A: 10, B: 15, C:5, D:1.
If we didn't tier the teams, the results would be 1st B, 2nd A, 3rd C, 4th D.
But we do tier them, so the actual results are: 1st A, 2nd C, 3rd B, 4th D. Note A and C moved ahead of B because B violated some rules and was in tier 2.
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Re: Junkyard Challenge B
Thanks a lot!chalker wrote:Tiers are something we use in many events in Science Olympiad to group teams, typically based upon their compliance with the rules. In many cases we don't want a team to be completely dq'd from an event for a minor violation or oversight, yet we want there to be a concrete penalty. To use Junkyard as a specific example, there are 2 tiers:Cheese_Muffin_Man wrote:
Could you explain to me what a tier is in junkyard. I'm so confused.
Tier 1 is the group of teams that do NOT violate any of the rules in any way.
Tier 2 is the group of teams that DO violate the rules in some way (e.g. box is slightly too big, brought some extra balls, didn't impound on time, etc etc). They will be ranked behind all Tier 1 teams regardless of score.
Once we group all the teams into tiers, we then rank them within that tier according to the scoring formula in the rules. Let's say hypothetically you have 4 teams: A, B, C, D.
Teams A and C didn't violate any rules, so they are in Tier 1. Teams B and D violated some of the rules so they are in Tier 2.
The scores the teams got were as follows: A: 10, B: 15, C:5, D:1.
If we didn't tier the teams, the results would be 1st B, 2nd A, 3rd C, 4th D.
But we do tier them, so the actual results are: 1st A, 2nd C, 3rd B, 4th D. Note A and C moved ahead of B because B violated some rules and was in tier 2.

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Re: Junkyard Challenge B
So, are they expecting our device to stay there until we test it?Cheese_Muffin_Man wrote:Thanks a lot!chalker wrote:Tiers are something we use in many events in Science Olympiad to group teams, typically based upon their compliance with the rules. In many cases we don't want a team to be completely dq'd from an event for a minor violation or oversight, yet we want there to be a concrete penalty. To use Junkyard as a specific example, there are 2 tiers:Cheese_Muffin_Man wrote:
Could you explain to me what a tier is in junkyard. I'm so confused.
Tier 1 is the group of teams that do NOT violate any of the rules in any way.
Tier 2 is the group of teams that DO violate the rules in some way (e.g. box is slightly too big, brought some extra balls, didn't impound on time, etc etc). They will be ranked behind all Tier 1 teams regardless of score.
Once we group all the teams into tiers, we then rank them within that tier according to the scoring formula in the rules. Let's say hypothetically you have 4 teams: A, B, C, D.
Teams A and C didn't violate any rules, so they are in Tier 1. Teams B and D violated some of the rules so they are in Tier 2.
The scores the teams got were as follows: A: 10, B: 15, C:5, D:1.
If we didn't tier the teams, the results would be 1st B, 2nd A, 3rd C, 4th D.
But we do tier them, so the actual results are: 1st A, 2nd C, 3rd B, 4th D. Note A and C moved ahead of B because B violated some rules and was in tier 2.
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- fishman100
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Re: Junkyard Challenge B
Also, if your device tips over while/before (before I'm not so sure, but oh well) then that DQ's your team. 

Langley HS Science Olympiad '15
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Re: Junkyard Challenge B
This two time block for junkyard is horrible. Do you think it is most probable that we will get catapult?fishman100 wrote:Also, if your device tips over while/before (before I'm not so sure, but oh well) then that DQ's your team.
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