The Resource Magazine For Apple, Atari, and Commodore ...

46
COMPUTE! September/October. 198O. Issue 6
number of teams possible complete the problems,
and to permit more students to participate. It was
expected that the less confident students would be
supported and decide to enter.
The sudden death aspects of a single problem
contest prompted a two problem contest based on a
winning team with the minimum accumulated solu
tion time. Students were cautioned that while the
contest was a timed power test, it was the first cor
rect solution that drew a time mark. Incorrect
answers meant a maximum time, that is, 20 minutes
allotted to each problem.
The
Mini-Microfaire
Ail four of our local computer stores agreed to par
ticipate. So did four local colleges and two large com
puter manufacturers' representatives. One of the
vendors volunteered to contribute to the prizes.
There was no charge for vendors.
There may be other implications as well, but the
paucity of data precludes generalizations.
The problems however met several contest
design goals that included maintaining student con
fidence by permitting every student to complete the
first problem. The first problem assumed fast
students would complete the problem in 5 minutes or
less. The second problem was designed for approx
imately a 10 minute solution time. These goals were
met.
Reprise
The contest was an exciting event for students, ven
dors and teachers alike. The lessons we learned will
make it a better contest for the kids. Indeed the Con
test Committee is already at work!
How the Contest Worked
About a third of the contestants arrived early, as did
all the Faire vendors who participated. Two vendors
and two college representatives failed to show
however. Tin- half hour "warm-up" period at the
start is more correctly a "set-Up period". Still, il was
interesting to sec kids set up their own exercises on
the machines. One brought a memory lesi tape and
nearly created a panic when he elaborated it would
take 15 minutes to fully check the machine's
memory, and how sorry he was no one else could be
sure their computer was working. Another set up
beautiful graphics of animated rain clouds that
moved across the screen. Each team was moving in
different and original patterns that reinforced con
fidence. This alone was an exciting phase of the con
test for an observer.
One of the teachers had taken on the task of
Contest Commissioner whose function was to run the
actual programming contest. He distributed the test
problems, face down to each of the 15 computer sta
tions and on a signal, the student hit RETURN,
starting the PET's internal clock. He supervised the
master clock and acted as the referee of referees.
Referees were the teachers and sponsors of the
contestants. They responded to the students who in
dicated they had solved the contest problem.
Referees determined whether a solution within the
question statement and rules had actually been
achieved.
Analysis of Contest Problem Results
The first problem was selected to have a solution in
approximately 12 single statement lines for an
average student and a solution time of 5 minutes.
The second problem was judged to be of greater dif
ficulty. The questions, possible solution and re
quirements are given in Table II. The scoring times
are plotted in Table III for each problem. I believe
the data indicates a wide range in student skills.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
A
maximum
FIRST ANNUAL COMPUTER PROGRAMMING CONTEST
(of Htrkimer, NYI
CONTEST RULES (!?80)
of twenty (20) teams enn be accommodated on a FirM
. A maximum of three (3) leoms, hut to accommodate
liooh we may limit o school lo two (?) teams.
Soli/lions w II be checked by Referees with dolo entry en ipeorntc lines . Plos
ben ipaced by leni of unit) (10, 20, 30 . . ..1.
ConlesMnh will liave thirl/ (30) minute* beginning at lOu.m . ig..
wiih tha PET 2001s.
The prograrr s are limited to the following list of BASIC sralements
A. INPUT
B. READ
C. DATA
D. REM
E. LET
F. DIM K. CN
G. PRINT L. QN ... GOTO
H, GOTC M. GC SUB
1. IF ... THEN N. RETURN
J. FOR ... NEXT O. END
NO OTHER COMMANDS WILL BE ALLOWED
When you h jve reached □ solution and hove checked il carefully. prin
PRINT TIS, hii RETURN and coll o Referee.
snee yOu'vC rii 1 RETUR^J you con no longer cnonnf M
Schools arc encoumqed to use local confcsfi to select Iheir feami
egis ered, F
Th« irealtsl
A Team eon ills of two (2) members. Each team will be given iwo (2) problems !O
solve. The winning leam will hove the lowest occumuloled lolal ime 10 probl
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