Technical Problem Solving

[binary010101]

I can do it with my regular scientific calculator.

I don't know if it counts as preprogrammed, though.

[Valpo Towers and Trebs]

Std. dev. is doable on a regular scientific calculator.

There is really anything they can ask you to do. I'd say that knowing physics and chem is crucial and you also have to be able to think on your feet really well. This is definitely an event that favors seniors who have taken a lot of science courses.

[rocketchicka]

At the invitational (Northmont High School, Ohio) for this event, it was really not what I expected.

The test consisted of two AP Chemistry math problems (specific heat and acid-base) and two AP Physics math problems (pendulum motion and trajectory).

Pendulum motion and trajectory may not sound hard, but, trust me, they make it hard.


Edit: On top of that, two of the questions asked for standard deviation, which was really impossible to perform without a pre-programmed calculator. Just how hard do they want this event to be?

Great. Sounds like I'm in 4 it. I've only taken Intro Chem and Intro Physics.

[binary010101]

This event seems mostly to be interpreting graphs and doing trig/calc math. If you've had Trig/Calc, Bio, Phys, and Chem, I think you should be fine.

[Valpo Towers and Trebs]

This event seems mostly to be interpreting graphs and doing trig/calc math. If you've had Trig/Calc, Bio, Phys, and Chem, I think you should be fine.

How do you think they are gonna have you use calc in this event?

[celtics09]

Does anyone know how they can make this event challenging
I really need help with getting prepared for this event at state

[binary010101]

Calc, Prob/Stat, same thing...

[Josie-DK]

Think we're defintely going to use some calculus, if not at least Pre-Calculus. You have to be able to apply the right the derivatives in case of example speed, velocity, acceleration and so on. But we're not going to be able to use any kind of graphing calculators.

But otherwise jearh, I'm also lost in how to prepare for the event. Some says, that we'll get all the equations we'll need when we're there, so pretty much just be able to use sig fics.

[adam124218]

I would doubt that there would be calculus, at least on regionals tests. Many event coordinators will assume that the average person in this event isn't going to have taken calculus (even though they probably have) and will exclude it. At state when motion detectors can be used, they may have probeware that can take data for velocity and acceleration. I would only say there would be about a 10-20 percent chance of calculus.

[Valpo Towers and Trebs]

I thought of another good problem similar to some stuff we did in chem II.

In an signifigantly large arrangement of perfect spheres stacked in the most compact way possible, what percent of the arrangement is empty space?

I would say no calculus required like ever. Trig and basic stats is as far as you'll need. I'd guess that they'll stress the problem solving skills not the math skills.