DSU Math and Science Contest
April 22, 2008
Toothpick Bridge Building Contest Rules
The goal of the competition is to design the strongest possible structure to span at least 560 mm using only round wooden toothpicks and glue. The strength of the structure will be determined by dividing the load it supports by its weight.
Design Constraints:
Mass: The total mass of the structure cannot exceed 85 grams (3.00 oz)
Span: Each structure must span at least 560 mm clear of any supports.
Height: The overall height of the structure may not exceed 300 mm.
Toothpicks: Only round wooden toothpicks may be used (square toothpick with rounded ends will not be allowed). The toothpicks are to be glued together as they come from the box. No cutting, splicing, or fraying of the ends is allowed, except:
Glue: Only a white glue, such as Elmer's, or a yellow woodworking glue, such as Titebond, may be used. Structures built with other glue will be disqualified.
Coatings: Structures may not be painted, sprayed or dipped in any coating material.
Compliance:
At check-in, judges will evaluate each bridge. Bridges will be weighed, measured, and reviewed for compliance with rules regarding materials. If a bridge does not comply with any of the rules, it will be disqualified from competing for the prizes, but may still be loaded to determine its strength. The decisions of the check-in judges are final.
Supports:
The structure will be placed in or on supports made from two 2x4's as shown in the illustration.. Structures with no arch in the bottom chord will be placed on the supports to achieve the required minimum span. No lateral or side support is allowed.
Loading
:If no electronic measuring system is available, then weights will be placed on the top of the structure at the mid-span by the contestants until failure. A round wooden disk will be available to place between the structure and the weights, if desired. No rectangular wooden pieces may be used.
If available, an electronic force measuring device will be substituted for the weight system. A platform will be placed on top of the bridge for uniform distribution of force, and the contestants will be shown how to use the sensor to apply force to the bridge. Force will be applied by the contestants until the bridge fails. The computer will track the force applied; the final force used in scoring will be the maximum force recorded by the computer prior to failure of the bridge.
Scoring
:Judges will record the total weight supported by the bridge. The judge will make the final decision as to whether a structure successfully supported the final weight before failure. The total weight supported will then be divided by the recorded weight of the structure to determine the strength ratio of the bridge.
NOTICE:
The Dakota State University Math and Science Club reserve the right to modify these rules to better serve the participants. Any changes made will be final.
Obstacle Course
The goal of this competition is to complete a four-station academic obstacle course in the shortest time possible.
Team selection:
Teams of 4 members each will participate in this event. The teams will be chosen by each school themselves before the start of the contest. There is no restriction to the number of teams that can participate from each school time permitting
. Each team may participate in this contest only once.Content:
The obstacle course is designed to test both math and science areas. This may include math and science problems, knowledge and/or puzzles. One member of each team will be sent to a given station. If the student answers the question correctly, the student returns to the team, passes the "baton" to the next team member and cannot participate in the remainder of the contest. The new participant then proceeds to the next station. If the student answers the question incorrectly or determines that s/he cannot answer the question, the student returns to the team, passes the baton to the next team member who returns to the same station until the question is answered correctly, or no team members remain. Failure of any team to answer any of the questions results in disqualification.
Scoring:
Scoring will be done for both individual teams and school teams. The team that successfully completes the obstacle course in the shortest amount of time will be determined the winner. Awards will be distributed for the three top individual teams. School ranking for the contest will be based on the average time for all of the teams from each school.
NOTICE:
The Dakota State University Math and Science Club reserve the right to modify these rules to better serve the participants. Any changes made will be final.
Quiz Bowl Rules
Team selection
Teams of four members each, representing each school, will be selected by the schools themselves. Due to time constraints, only one round of the quiz bowl will be played. Therefore, each school is encouraged to pick out the best possible team to represent their school.
Format and Scoring
Teams will have buzzers, and in each round, a question will be asked. The team that buzzes first will have approximately 5 seconds to give the answer. Hence, each team must be careful not to buzz until they are ready. The questions will cover areas in mathematics, life or physical sciences. If a team gets the answer correct, they get two points; if they get the answer wrong, then every other team may answer the question (silently, on paper) for one point. The winner is the team with the most points in the end.
Awards
Awards will be given to the top three schools with the most points. In case of a tie, a tie breaker question will be asked.
NOTICE:
The Dakota State University Math and Science Club reserve the right to modify these rules to better serve the participants. Any changes made will be final.