WSMC 1999 High School Mathematics Contest Rules
1. The Regional Contests and State Finals will consist of four events:
A. Team Problem Event shall be a single topic problem with a series of parts to be solved in one hour. The problem shall emphasize mathematical problem-solving, reasoning, communication, connections and team effort. The assessment rubric will accompany the problem. A team shall consist of no more than four (4) members. All team members must be from the same school and no two team members may be from the same grade level (9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade). Only one set of solutions shall be accepted from each team. Approved calculators as well as non-electronic items such as pencils, pens, markers, rulers, tape, compasses, protractors, etc. will be allowed but not furnished. All other approved materials shall be supplied including the paper for the answers.
B. Team Project Event shall consist of a particular social/environmental/economical/etc. problem. A team of two to six (2-6) students from the same school shall produce a solution to the problem. The team shall have from the time of the announcement of the problem in the preceding fall until two weeks prior to the Regional Contest to develop their solution. They may be guided by their coach and others but the solution must be their own. Three copies of the solution report must be mailed and postmarked by March 1, 1999 (also three possibly updated copies postmarked by April 1, 1999 for state if the team qualifies) . A display shall be required at the regional contest site (and again at the state competition if the team qualifies) and must be limited to approximately 15 square feet. All materials for the display must be furnished by the team. Each team shall have no more than five (5) minutes for a formal presentation of their solution at the regional contest (and again at the state competition where they will be judged again if the team qualifies). At least two members must be present during the presentation. Equipment not approved for other events will be allowed in the team's presentation but reasonableness is requested. All equipment for the presentation including tables and extension cords (if needed) must also be provided by the team. Unless otherwise noted by the judges, at least one team member must be available at the display to answer judges' questions about their team's project. Presentation of the projects is intended to occur between the Team Problem Event and the Topical Problems Event however, the number of participants may require presentations during other events. Contact your regional director near the contest time for the actual time of your presentation. Scheduling may be prioritized according to scores on the report. Please understand that this may cause an unavoidable conflict for team members of the project wishing to participate in other events.
C. Topical Problems Event will consist of thirty (30) multiple choice questions dealing with the topics: number sense, spatial sense, probability & statistics, functions & relationships, and measurement. The event will be given in two parts. Each part shall be thirty (30) minutes in length and contain a mix of questions. There will be a five (5) minute break between parts. The Topical Problems Event may be taken as an individual or as a team of two (2) or three (3)members from the same school. No two team members may be from any one grade level (9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade.) Only an approved calculator will be allowed as an external aid during the Topical Problems Event.
D. Mathematical Knowdown Event shall be for individuals only. A single elimination format will be utilized. The questions shall require quick response answers. A round shall be defined as each student having an opportunity to answer a question. The First Round shall be mental (no aids will be allowed) and each contestant shall have ten (10) seconds to complete his/her response. The Second Round shall allow fifteen (15) seconds for a response. Only pencil and paper will be allowed as external aids in the Second Round. The Third Round and each subsequent round shall allow twenty (20) seconds for each contestant's complete response. Only pencil, paper and an approved calculator will be allowed as external aids for the Third and subsequent rounds. If during any round all contestants are eliminated, that round will be repeated with the same contestants that started that round. Contestants are eliminated because of an incorrect answer, late response or no answer and shall be excused at the end of the round. Timing in each round shall start as soon as the question is read completely.
2. Divisions
Any high school in the State of Washington may enter teams and individuals in the WSMC Regional Contest. Qualifying teams and individuals shall be invited to the State Finals. The classification as to whether a school is Division I or Division II shall be determined using current Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) handbook definitions. Division I shall be AAA and larger schools. Division II shall be AA and smaller schools. A Division II team may choose to compete with the Division I teams but Division I teams may not choose to compete against Division II teams. A team may not compete in both divisions.
3. Limits on the number of entries per school shall be as follows:
| Event | Team Problem | Team Project | Topical Problems | Mathematical Knowdown |
| Division I | 3 teams | 1 team | 16 persons | 1 person |
| Division II | 2 teams | 1 team | 12 persons | 1 person |
4. Scoring
A. Team Problem Event The Team Problem Event shall be scored using a four (4) point based multi-part assessment rubric (presented with the problem). The arithmetic mean of the scores of all weighted subsections of the rubric rounded off to the nearest whole number shall determine the rating where four (4) points is rated Superior, three (3) is rated Excellent, two (2) is Good, one (1) is Fair and zero (0) is unable to rate. This scale may be adjusted by the scoring committee. There shall be no ties. If scores are the same point value, judges will break the tie and rank all results.
B. Team Project Event The Team Project Event shall be scored using a four (4) point based multi-part assessment rubric (presented with the problem). The arithmetic mean of the scores of all weighted subsections of the rubric rounded off to the nearest whole number shall determine the rating where four (4) points is a rating of Superior, three (3) is rated Excellent, two (2) is Good, one (1) is Fair and zero (0) is unable to rate. This scale may be adjusted by the scoring committee.
C. Topical Problems Event The Topical Problem Event shall be thirty (30) problems each worth five (5) points for a right answer. No (0) points shall be awarded for an incorrect answer and one (1) point shall be awarded for each unanswered problem.
D. Mathematical Knowdown Event The Mathematical Knowdown Event shall have all participants line up in an order determined by a random drawing of contestant names. There shall be a Quiz Master, an Official Timer, and an Official Judge. The Quiz Master shall draw a question at random and read the question to the first contestant. The Official Timer shall start a stop watch and indicate when the appropriate time has passed. The Official Judge shall accept an answer as a correct answer only if it is correct and is essentially completed in the time allotted for the round. The Quiz Master then will draw another random question and read it to the next contestant who shall be timed and judged as the first was and so on. After a question is asked it shall not be reused during the same contest unless all the questions for a designated round have been used. All Judge's decisions are final.
5. Qualifying and Substituting for State Finals
A. Team Problem Event The number of teams that qualify for state from each region shall be determined by the formula: (Number of teams in the division)/10 and rounded up to the next whole number.
B. Team Project Event The number of teams that qualify for state shall be determined by the formula: (Number of teams projects in a region)/10 and rounded up to the next whole number.
C. Topical Problems Event: The number of teams that qualify for state shall be determined by the formula: (Number of teams in the division)/10 and rounded up to the next whole number.
The number of individuals that qualify for state shall be determined by the formula: (Number of individuals in the region)/10 and rounded up to the next whole number.
D. Mathematical Knowdown Event The top three (3) individuals from each region shall qualify for state. The top individual shall be the only individual in the last round to give a correct answer. The second and third individuals to qualify for state shall be determined by starting with those contestants eliminated in the last round and proceeding in the same manner as before.
E. Substitutes for Team Events For the Team Problem team, the Topical Problem team and the Team Project team, if a qualifying member is unable to attend the state competition, a substitute for that member may be made provided that:
- the substitute does not violate the make up of a team as defined in section one (Team Problem and Topical Problem teams cannot have two students from the same grade level)
- the maximum of one substitution per event team is not exceeded.
- This rule does not allow for augmenting a team. The number of members on a qualifying team cannot be increased.
6. Integrated Topical Team Event (State only)
At state, participants that qualified for state in the Team Project Event, Team Problem Event, or the Mathematical Knowdown Event but not the Topical Events may form mixed teams and compete for separate awards in the Topical Team Problem Event. Mixed teams must have three members representing three different school and three different grade levels. The State Coordinator may limit the number of teams on contest day if interest exceeds capacity.
7. Additional Rules
A. Participants are asked to bring two #2 pencils and a calculator. (Only calculators sanctioned for use in SAT/AP exams are acceptable and will be considered approved for this contest. All calculators are acceptable for use in the Team Project Event.) Problems sheets, answer sheets and scratch paper shall be provided. Other materials shall not be allowed except foreign language dictionaries and items described in section 1 of these rules.
B. In an individual test no participant may talk once the event has begun. During team events and competitions, discussion among team members is encouraged but discussions between teams is not allowed.
C. Participants who violate a rule in any event shall be disqualified from that event and may, at the discretion of the contest director, be disqualified from the contest.
D. Any rules or conditions not covered herein shall be established by the WSMC Executive Board, whose decisions are final.
© 1998, 1999 WSMC and Richard T. Edgerton