Technical Problem Solving

[Flavorflav]

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.

I would say 0% - 1% that calc would be required at NY States and at nationals. Of course, sometimes you can use calc when it isn't required, but I would give long odds that they are not going to write an event which requires calculus.

[rocketchicka]

We got 2nd at regionals. It was fun and I knew most of the stuff on the test. It was things like calculating trajectory and volume and things like that.

[Glacierguy1]

Calculating volume of what?

[jazzy009]

at the lake conference comp for us the test was extremely filled with physics. written by a physics teacher, we later found out. Is it this "physics-filled" elsewhere or did we just get a somewhat odd test?

[Flavorflav]

at the lake conference comp for us the test was extremely filled with physics. written by a physics teacher, we later found out. Is it this "physics-filled" elsewhere or did we just get a somewhat odd test?

Somewhat odd, I think, but it depends a lot on who writes it. It's a pretty wide-open event.

[rocketchicka]

Calculating volume of what?

The volume of a chunk of quartz using one method and a wooden cylinder using another.

[fee6]

Ours was much more difficult. There was lots of pretty advanced physics, but I think we did pretty well. Results pending.

[Flavorflav]

Ours was much more difficult. There was lots of pretty advanced physics, but I think we did pretty well. Results pending.

Could you be any more specific? Like, what kind of physics? Also, what tournament was it?

[fee6]

Ours was much more difficult. There was lots of pretty advanced physics, but I think we did pretty well. Results pending.

Could you be any more specific? Like, what kind of physics? Also, what tournament was it?

Regionals - there was an easy one about experimentally determining coefficient of kinetic friction, then a harder one about resolving a big brain hurting complex DC circuit, then finally one asking you to calculate gravitational potential using two masses with given spherical coordinates.
Looking back, it wasn't that hard, but you would have had to take Physics B or C before probably.
2nd place on the event.

[Valpo Towers and Trebs]

So I take back what I said about probably not needing calculus in this event because on the regional test I took last saturday for a few of the problems it said specifically that you had to use calculus to solve them. We got them, but I felt bad for the younger ones in the room because that's not exactly fair to them.