Technical Problem Solving

Technical Problem Solving involves the gathering and processing of data to solve some sort of mathematical analysis.

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.