CENTRAL OREGON MATH CONTEST

Solve That Problem

SOLVE THAT PROBLEM

(Modeled after TV program, "Name That Tune")

Participants:        Lower Division:  Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, and Geometry.  A school's Solve That Problem team consists of two Pre-Algebra students, two Algebra I students and two Geometry students.  Each team should designate one of the Pre-Algebra students as the Number 1 Pre-Algebra player, and the other as the Number 2 player;  likewise, one of the Algebra I and Geometry students should be designated as the Number 1 player and the other as the Number 2 player.  These designations will determine the order of play for the participants and has no other significance.

                        A single individual cannot be designated as both the Number 1 and the Number 2 player.  If for any reason, a team is one or more player short, it will not be able to participate during those times that those designated players would otherwise be playing.  Thus, it is advisable to have alternate players lined up should the regular players not be able to participate at the last minute.

                        Upper Division:  Algebra II, Advanced Math, and Calculus.  The same comments as those given for lower division apply with, of course, the substitution of Algebra II, Advanced Math, and Calculus for Pre-Algebra, Algebra I and Geometry.

Procedure:

  1.    The sequence of play will be as follows:

                        Lower Division                Upper Division

              Pre-Algebra., Player No. 1         Algebra II, Player No. 1

              Algebra I, Player No. 1              Advanced. Math, Player No. 1

              Geom., Player No. 1                  Calculus, Player No. 1

               Pre-Algebra., Player No. 2         Algebra. II, Player No. 2

               Algebra I, Player No. 2              Advanced. Math. Player No. 2

              Geom., Player No. 2                  Calculus, Player No. 2

  2.    Problem will be described and/or illustrated.

  3.    A maximum time will be given for each problem.

  4.    Oral bidding then begins with times bid less than or equal to the maximum time.

  5.    During the time that the times bid exceeds 20 seconds, the bidding may proceed only with decrements of at least 5 seconds; once the time bid is 20 seconds or less, the bidding may go down in one-second steps.

  6.    The person who wins the bid will do the problem on the overhead projector; the remainder of the players currently playing will work the problem at their stations.  (As the scoring below indicates, it is clearly to a team's advantage to win the bid and successfully solve the problem.)

  7.    Each player will be timed while he or she works the problem.  The player indicates when he or she is finished, and hence when the timing should be stopped by putting the pencil (or overhead projector pen) down.

  Scoring:

    1.    If the low bidder (the person at the overhead) completes the problem within the time bid he or she earns 20 points.

    2.    All participants will be timed.  Those not at the overhead projector who correctly solve the problem within the maximum time limit will be ranked first, second, third, etc. on the basis of the time of finish.  Points will be assigned as follows:

                  1st                  12 pts             4th                  6 pts             6th                  2 pts

                  2nd                  10 pts             5th                   4 pts             7th                  1 pt

                  3rd                  8 pts

  3.    If the player at the overhead does not correctly solve the problem within the time bid, but does solve it during the maximum time limit, he/she may still earn points according to the above scale except that 6 points will be subtracted from his/her score.  If this number should be a negative number, then a score of zero is assigned.

  4.    If the player at the overhead projector realizes after putting the pen down that his or her solution is incorrect, he/she may pick up the pen again and correct the error.  There are three conditions which apply in this case:

        (i)      only the player at the overhead is allowed to return to the problem,

       (ii)      the overhead player must still work the problem within the maximum time limit, and

      (iii)      the time of finish will be considered to be the maximum time limit if (ii) is satisfied.

    Examples of scoring:  A, B, C, D, E, F, G represent the contestants.  Suppose A wins the bid with a 30-second bid and the maximum time allowed was 75 seconds.

  1.    Student               Time               Score               2.               Student               Time               Score               3.               Student               Time               Score

               A  25              20   A              35   4               A  38               0

               B  39               4    B              40   8               B  50               0

               C  28               7    C           wrong 0               C  40               2

               D  22              12   D              42   6               D  30               6

               E  28               7    E              48   4               E  25               9

               F  26              10   F              60   2               F  25               9

               G  80               0    G              29 12               G  24              12