Technical Problem Solving

Technical Problem Solving involves the gathering and processing of data to solve some sort of mathematical analysis. It has a very wide range of potential test topics, so it is advised to put people with a very wide base of science knowledge on this event.

Information from Various Competitions
At the Los Angeles Regional competition, all problems were physics-based and very difficult. Calculus and extensive knowledge of formulae were both required. True to the event's name, problem-solving ability was vital. One of the problems was a proof-type problem.

At the Cypress Falls Invitational in Texas, all problems involved measurement and basic formulae, such as area of a prism.

The 2010 national tournament featured various stations including calculating the periods of pendulums, measuring the volume of a 5-pointed foam star, measuring the volume of a block of wood with a hole drilled out of it, and calculating the acceleration of a ball bearing.

Tips for Success in Technical Problem Solving

 * Practice is vital for this event. Make tests for one another, and remember imagination and creativity is a great asset for one to have on these tests!
 * Check out the test exchange for practice tests.
 * Keep calm and think carefully. Don't panic if you don't know how to solve a problem right away.  A few minutes of thinking can lead to key breakthroughs.
 * Keep track of time. Often, the station-based nature of the event will lead to tight time constraints.
 * Pay close attention to significant figures. Don't let yourself lose half a point per problem on account of incorrect sig figs.
 * Show all work, including elementary algebraic steps. Let there be no room for confusion in grading.
 * Know all physics formulae by heart. The equations used by the College Board for Advanced Placement Physics are a good place to start.  The event supervisor may or may not provide these formulae on the exam.
 * Stay organized and neat. The grading of this event is often very subjective, so it's important to make your test paper easy for the event supervisor to grade.