2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
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2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Post your comments about the 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament in this thread.
Daniel Hothem
TJHSST '11 | UVA '15 | Oregon '??
"You are the stuff of legends" - Chris Manners
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TJHSST '11 | UVA '15 | Oregon '??
"You are the stuff of legends" - Chris Manners
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Overall, I and Team Virginia really enjoyed the set and tournament as a whole. We were all commenting on the ride home that logistically, everything was pretty close to flawless so kudos to Daniel and Matt for a well-run tournament.
Set-wise, we had some general grumblings about the Science questions being either too easy or too hard. Without having the set in front of me (and I me be wrong on second look) I can only pick out a few single incidents and then just continue grumbling. For too hard, there were very specific proteins or chemicals that were probably beyond most (even all-stars) knowledge as answerlines. For too easy, I remember a solubility toss-up this morning that probably should have been gotten on second or third clue in most rounds with a science player in them.
-Also, one of my players was really confused why he wasn't prompted on "channel protein" for "aquaporin" before the FTP and then when protested was denied. Anyone able to provide clarification for his and my own curiosity?
Nitpicking: I liked the way the protest resolutions were handled with printed copies at NSC and would love to see that at NASAT.
Lastly, thanks to Dave Madden for the lunch today! And congratulations to Missouri!
Set-wise, we had some general grumblings about the Science questions being either too easy or too hard. Without having the set in front of me (and I me be wrong on second look) I can only pick out a few single incidents and then just continue grumbling. For too hard, there were very specific proteins or chemicals that were probably beyond most (even all-stars) knowledge as answerlines. For too easy, I remember a solubility toss-up this morning that probably should have been gotten on second or third clue in most rounds with a science player in them.
-Also, one of my players was really confused why he wasn't prompted on "channel protein" for "aquaporin" before the FTP and then when protested was denied. Anyone able to provide clarification for his and my own curiosity?
Nitpicking: I liked the way the protest resolutions were handled with printed copies at NSC and would love to see that at NASAT.
Lastly, thanks to Dave Madden for the lunch today! And congratulations to Missouri!
Brian Mongilio
Virginia Tech '16, Treasurer 2011-Present
Parkersburg South (WV) '11
Virginia Tech '16, Treasurer 2011-Present
Parkersburg South (WV) '11
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I was very happy to staff this tournament. Matt Weiner alluded to this on Sunday, but the field here was impressive and it was very enjoyable to see every team respond so well to a pretty hard set. Even the teams in the lower bracket had all kinds of good buzzes, competitive matches, and high scores, and would have been clear top or second bracket teams at many tournaments.
I wrote a good number of questions for this set, particularly in history (yes, I wrote the bonus that began "shiver me timbers"--I REGRET NOTHING).In my history bonuses, I tried (perhaps too hard) to avoid having every part be a person, polity, or battle, which resulted in some things that perhaps were a little crazy (surely I am not the only one who loves the tale of the rampaging French wolves?).
I wrote a good number of questions for this set, particularly in history (yes, I wrote the bonus that began "shiver me timbers"--I REGRET NOTHING).In my history bonuses, I tried (perhaps too hard) to avoid having every part be a person, polity, or battle, which resulted in some things that perhaps were a little crazy (surely I am not the only one who loves the tale of the rampaging French wolves?).
Mike Cheyne
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
What category was the rook question considered? Chess is a board game, and therefore I think it deserves to be considered trash, just like asking questions about Monopoly or Sorry or any other board games would be considered trash.
Sam
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I loved the set! One thing that did concern me was some sub-optimal randomization -- stuff we found particularly standing out day 2 was, for example, the lit in the last playoff packet being 3 poems, 1 short stories, or stuff like tossups on San Francisco and LA Philharmonic in close succession (though that particularly stood our since we were playing CA). I don't think the second type of thing is that big a deal, though if it could be helped that wouldn't be terrible, but the first is definitely bad and could easily be seen by someone reading through (though I have no idea when NASAT was finished, and this too is not a huge deal in the long run).
Also chess is presumably GK, which I totally think is where it belongs -- I don't know if you've ever played chess but it is pretty different than Monopoly and Sorry, and also lots of study have gone into it, etc, though I'm sure someone can write a more convincing defense. Certainly its a more appropriate way to spend GK than "pretzels".That said, "these pieces should guard passed pawns" was way too early.
Again, loved the set! Thanks everyone involved!
Also chess is presumably GK, which I totally think is where it belongs -- I don't know if you've ever played chess but it is pretty different than Monopoly and Sorry, and also lots of study have gone into it, etc, though I'm sure someone can write a more convincing defense. Certainly its a more appropriate way to spend GK than "pretzels".That said, "these pieces should guard passed pawns" was way too early.
Again, loved the set! Thanks everyone involved!
Max
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
It was "General Knowledge." Chess is a bit more intellectual and academic than those other games, so I'm okay with limited amounts of chess questions, especially in the nebulous "GK" category (this is independent of the actual question's quality, which I can't judge).
I agree that the randomization got weird at times, although I'm skeptical that the S.F. and LA questions needed to be moved per se.
I agree that the randomization got weird at times, although I'm skeptical that the S.F. and LA questions needed to be moved per se.
Mike Cheyne
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Formerly U of Minnesota
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Yeah, I was just trying to come up with an example of very similar concepts coming up in two different categories and that was the best I could do off the top of my head, I can probably find something less stupid when I glance through the packets again.Cheynem wrote: I agree that the randomization got weird at times, although I'm skeptical that the S.F. and LA questions needed to be moved per se.
Max
formerly of Ladue, Chicago
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
To the writer who wrote the pretzel tossup, I thank you for writing the tossup that gave me one of my favorite buzzes of all time. Although, I must ask what subject that was in.
Collin Parks
University of Michigan '18
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University of Michigan '18
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Yes, chess is totally like Sorry and Monopoly because it's played on a board. Maybe opera should be considered trash because Ke$ha also sings.blizzard wrote:What category was the rook question considered? Chess is a board game, and therefore I think it deserves to be considered trash, just like asking questions about Monopoly or Sorry or any other board games would be considered trash.
And it's probably classified as general knowledge.
Jack Mehr
St. Joe's NJ '14
UVA '19
St. Joe's NJ '14
UVA '19
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Obviously not everyone agree with me, but you have to draw the line between trash and general knowledge somewhere, and I would put chess on the trash side, along with the pretzels tossup.
In regards to the academic questions, I really liked the set. The lit questions were really fun and were definitely more unique than most questions. I especially liked the lit common link tossup on earthquakes.
In regards to the academic questions, I really liked the set. The lit questions were really fun and were definitely more unique than most questions. I especially liked the lit common link tossup on earthquakes.
Sam
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
YES. I first-clued this toss-up, and it was one of my favorite buzzes as well.To the writer who wrote the pretzel tossup, I thank you for writing the tossup that gave me one of my favorite buzzes of all time. Although, I must ask what subject that was in.
Regarding the set, I enjoyed it. I think my only gripe was the somewhat inconsistent bonus difficulty. I recall a few really easy 20s (one of them might have had "Spanish" as its first answer), and there were definitely a few extremely difficult bonuses that were only really 10-able (if that).
Also, just to chime in, chess is rightfully considered general academic knowledge. It's been around in its modern form for over 500 years, and a vast amount of academic study has been pored into its associated strategy. Comparing it to Sorry or Monopoly is pretty silly, in my opinion.
Finally, although it doesn't affect the final standings, we (VA) lost to NJ in a close match, partly because I wasn't prompted on "channel protein" for aquaporin. I realize that channel protein was not a fully correct answer, but that I wasn't prompted was a little disappointing (and the protest was eventually decided against us, which I still don't understand).
Overall, a great tournament and a well-written set. Big thanks to those involved!
Mason Hale
Loudoun County '14
Harvard '18
Loudoun County '14
Harvard '18
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
The biology team I consulted on your protest said that the two clues prior to where you buzzed are not true of channel proteins of general and thus it is a wrong answer.
Matt Weiner
Advisor to Quizbowl at Virginia Commonwealth University / Founder of hsquizbowl.org
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I'm not sure what Sam's argument is, but I can see why chess could be considered "trash" since it's something people play as a "game" recreationally. I wouldn't argue that it is trash, since chess can be referenced in many important concepts across different disciplines, but I can see why one would yell "trash"! And while its a cool tossup, it seemed pretty transparent.Banana Stand wrote:Yes, chess is totally like Sorry and Monopoly because it's played on a board. Maybe opera should be considered trash because Ke$ha also sings.blizzard wrote:What category was the rook question considered? Chess is a board game, and therefore I think it deserves to be considered trash, just like asking questions about Monopoly or Sorry or any other board games would be considered trash.
And it's probably classified as general knowledge.
The only thing I enjoyed about the "pretzels" tossup as a spectator was someone negging it with "candy cane" and the ensuing "who the hell wants to eat a candy cane hamburger?" comment from the peanut gallery.
Thomas Moore
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Whether or not this set eventually gets posted, can someone post at least the text of this pretzel tossup to satisfy my curiosity? Thanks!
Raynor Kuang
quizdb.org
Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM
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Harvard 2017, TJHSST 2013
I wrote GRAPHIC and FILM
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
NASAT has actually had one general knowledge question per every other packet in each year it's been run, but it's been used for nobler purposes in the past such as cross-category academic questions. As the editor of the category, I let the number of trash clues and borderline topics accumulate past where it should have this year. I'm going to recommend either eliminating the category or redefining it as explicitly "multi-category academic questions" in the future.
Matt Weiner
Advisor to Quizbowl at Virginia Commonwealth University / Founder of hsquizbowl.org
Advisor to Quizbowl at Virginia Commonwealth University / Founder of hsquizbowl.org
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I don't quite understand that reasoning. An aquaporin is a type of channel protein. I buzzed with channel protein, which wasn't quite specific enough (i.e. the answer was a channel protein that transports water exclusively), so I should have been prompted, right? Channel protein wasn't wrong per se; it was just more general than what was wanted.The biology team I consulted on your protest said that the two clues prior to where you buzzed are not true of channel proteins of general and thus it is a wrong answer.
Oh, I just remembered another sort of strange toss-up. I'm still not quite sure what the answer was, but I buzzed on the DPIP clue (about it changing color due to "this process") with "light reaction of photosynthesis." This apparently was not specific enough, but I couldn't come up with the right answer. Neither could Michigan after the giveaway was read. I didn't know the first clue, though, so I can't be sure that "light reaction of photosynthesis" was correct where I buzzed.
Mason Hale
Loudoun County '14
Harvard '18
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I don't like this argument, because you can probably fit this these criteria to other games that you would be fine with excluding from the academic canon, and it wouldn't be right to have a double standard for chess just because a bunch of quizbowlers like to play it.Kafkaesque wrote:It's been around in its modern form for over 500 years, and a vast amount of academic study has been pored into its associated strategy.
Nicholas C
KQBA member
KQBA member
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I'd love to see the question. Yes, chess is somehow more academic than the other games because of its history and strategic analysis. That said, unless the question involved the history or strategic analysis, it may have felt "trashy".blizzard wrote:What category was the rook question considered? Chess is a board game, and therefore I think it deserves to be considered trash, just like asking questions about Monopoly or Sorry or any other board games would be considered trash.
I can say that, if it were my tournament, it would have been trash (regardless of how "academic" the clues were), simply because my tournament has a trash category but not GK. That's perhaps the biggest problem with GK: since so few non-NAQT tournaments use it, it's hard to know what it means. This makes a stronger case for Matt's suggestion of a more specific category title.
To be clear, though, I strongly support more questions on things like chess, especially as part of trash distributions, where appropriate.
Dr. Noah Prince
Normal Community High School (2002)
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I'm not skeptical about it, because this is a tournament whose entire eligibility is themed around everybody being from the same state. I don't care about a single question being put in a packet that would favor one state, simply because the question has to go somewhere, but having a game (especially in the playoffs) where there are questions about both San Francisco and LA when you know a California team where everybody lives in San Francisco and LA goes into the territory of giving a pretty undue advantage to them. It shouldn't be that hard to sit through and see which questions are about states where teams at this event are from and then make sure they end up in different packets.Cheynem wrote:It was "General Knowledge." Chess is a bit more intellectual and academic than those other games, so I'm okay with limited amounts of chess questions, especially in the nebulous "GK" category (this is independent of the actual question's quality, which I can't judge).
I agree that the randomization got weird at times, although I'm skeptical that the S.F. and LA questions needed to be moved per se.
I thought the set was pretty great as usual, had a good time moderating, and was unbelievably excited to see the kids on our team pull out the victory, so suck it, quizbowl!
Charlie Dees, North Kansas City HS '08
"I won't say more because I know some of you parse everything I say." - Jeremy Gibbs
"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
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"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I see Charlie's point, particularly in conjunction with it being NASAT--my skepticism was more rooted in my feeling that it didn't seem like the clues (at the point where California buzzed) really seemed to reward regional knowledge, although maybe it did. It's probably something that could have been fixed for a tournament like this--in any other tournament, I think it would have been okay, as Charlie said. My feeling is that the obviously regional questions (geography, current events) should be separated--history seems a little more difficult to gauge--Texas did not get the President of Texas question when I was reading to them, while Missouri did not get the Turnip Day bonus either. That unpredictability aside, it does make some sense to pay more attention to that stuff in randomization, perhaps flagging questions with particular state emphasis early on in the process.
Mike Cheyne
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Well, but like I said, as long as you separate those things to make sure that there aren't more questions about Texas or Missouri in the same packet, we should be all cool.
Charlie Dees, North Kansas City HS '08
"I won't say more because I know some of you parse everything I say." - Jeremy Gibbs
"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
"I won't say more because I know some of you parse everything I say." - Jeremy Gibbs
"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Yeah, there's no question that this set could have benefited from more careful proofreading/packet feng-shuing. We'll just have to finish writing and editing earlier next year.
Auroni Gupta (she/her)
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Also, I want to give shouts out to Ohio. At a tournament like NASAT I think it takes a lot of skill to really figure out how to select a team that comes together to be more than the sum of its parts, and every year it seems like Ohio does a really good job of combining good, not great players, many of whom you've never really heard of, and getting them to really work well in sync with each other to end up way outperforming what you would expect of them, and outperforming teams with more well-known players on them. This year was no exception, obviously Sam Blizzard is good but Ohio managed to really do a great job of picking other people who filled out the team and were able to upset teams that look better on paper to get into the playoffs. For a tournament like NASAT, being able to get your team to do that is a really great skill and I hope more states can figure out how to do what Ohio does every year, because they sure do a great job every year on that front.
Charlie Dees, North Kansas City HS '08
"I won't say more because I know some of you parse everything I say." - Jeremy Gibbs
"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
"I won't say more because I know some of you parse everything I say." - Jeremy Gibbs
"At one TJ tournament the neg prize was the Hampshire College ultimate frisbee team (nude) calender featuring one Evan Silberman. In retrospect that could have been a disaster." - Harry White
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
In NJ's game against Missouri, there was a current events tossup on New Jersey and a geography tossup on St. Louis, which was a welcome coincidence.
Jack Mehr
St. Joe's NJ '14
UVA '19
St. Joe's NJ '14
UVA '19
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
The St. Louis tossup was actually architecture.Banana Stand wrote:In NJ's game against Missouri, there was a current events tossup on New Jersey and a geography tossup on St. Louis, which was a welcome coincidence.
Auroni Gupta (she/her)
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
My mistake, I vaguely remember a clue or two that could've probably been construed as geo, but it was mainly focused on architecture.
Jack Mehr
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I really enjoyed this set, especially the math. Whoever wrote the bonus with the Chinese Remainder Theorem and quotient parts, even though I managed to screw those up, thank you.
Also could someone post the Veronese painting toss-up (I think it was the wedding at cana) from round 8, and the polynomial question from round 9? Thanks.
Also could someone post the Veronese painting toss-up (I think it was the wedding at cana) from round 8, and the polynomial question from round 9? Thanks.
Nicholas Wawrykow
Saint Joseph('s) High School (IN) '13
Yale '17
Saint Joseph('s) High School (IN) '13
Yale '17
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
In the bottom-right of this painting, a cat is doing a barrel roll to scratch at a scary-looking mask on a stone jar. Doric columns in the buildings framing this painting's lower level contrast with the Corinthian columns on the upper level. The presence of a servant butchering a lamb in this painting refers to the sacrifice of the "lamb of god." In the foreground of this painting, two dogs are tied together in front of a string quartet consisting of the artist and three other Venetian painters. Suleiman the Magnificent and Francis I of France are among the diners in this painting, which features a dwarf with a parrot. For 10 points, name this Paolo Veronese painting of the feast where Jesus turned water into wine.
ANSWER: <i>_Wedding at Cana_</i> [or <i>_Marriage at Cana_</i>; or <i>_Wedding Feast at Cana_</i>]
If a ring is Noetherian, this type of ring over the original is also Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. A splitting field is the smallest field extension for which a given one of these decomposes into linear factors. The complex numbers are algebraically closed because these functions are always zero at least one point in that field. Synthetic division is applied to these functions. No general solution exists for certain types of these functions by Abel's impossibility theorem. Descartes' rule of signs shows how many positive or negative roots one of these can have. For 10 points, name these functions consisting of variables raised to integer powers.
ANSWER: _polynomial_ [prompt on _rational_ function]
ANSWER: <i>_Wedding at Cana_</i> [or <i>_Marriage at Cana_</i>; or <i>_Wedding Feast at Cana_</i>]
If a ring is Noetherian, this type of ring over the original is also Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. A splitting field is the smallest field extension for which a given one of these decomposes into linear factors. The complex numbers are algebraically closed because these functions are always zero at least one point in that field. Synthetic division is applied to these functions. No general solution exists for certain types of these functions by Abel's impossibility theorem. Descartes' rule of signs shows how many positive or negative roots one of these can have. For 10 points, name these functions consisting of variables raised to integer powers.
ANSWER: _polynomial_ [prompt on _rational_ function]
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Rational function shouldn't be prompted. f(x) = 1/x is rational, but it isn't a polynomial, and it fails Clue #3 about closure because it never equals zero. Maybe it's promptable earlier?Kenneth Widmerpool wrote:If a ring is Noetherian, this type of ring over the original is also Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. A splitting field is the smallest field extension for which a given one of these decomposes into linear factors. The complex numbers are algebraically closed because these functions are always zero at least one point in that field. Synthetic division is applied to these functions. No general solution exists for certain types of these functions by Abel's impossibility theorem. Descartes' rule of signs shows how many positive or negative roots one of these can have. For 10 points, name these functions consisting of variables raised to integer powers.
ANSWER: _polynomial_ [prompt on _rational_ function]
Ben Dillon, Saint Joseph HS
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I don't think it's correct to prompt on "rational function" at any point of this question.Ben Dillon wrote:Rational function shouldn't be prompted. f(x) = 1/x is rational, but it isn't a polynomial, and it fails Clue #3 about closure because it never equals zero. Maybe it's promptable earlier?Kenneth Widmerpool wrote:If a ring is Noetherian, this type of ring over the original is also Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. A splitting field is the smallest field extension for which a given one of these decomposes into linear factors. The complex numbers are algebraically closed because these functions are always zero at least one point in that field. Synthetic division is applied to these functions. No general solution exists for certain types of these functions by Abel's impossibility theorem. Descartes' rule of signs shows how many positive or negative roots one of these can have. For 10 points, name these functions consisting of variables raised to integer powers.
ANSWER: _polynomial_ [prompt on _rational_ function]
Jonah Greenthal
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I thought that maybe the rational function prompt was placed there for the synthetic division clue. The prompt doesn't apply elsewhere, but maybe it's a prompt for generosity's sake???
Matt Beeken
Eastern Montgomery High School
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mbeeken AT mcps DOT org
Eastern Montgomery High School
Math Instructional Coach
Scholastic Bowl Coach (2022 - ??)
mbeeken AT mcps DOT org
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Good tournament overall and thanks to all the writers and staffers.
Was the McDonalds tossup supposed to social science, history or general knowledge?
Also I feel that first clue on Profumo affair was practically identical to an old NHB question.
Was the McDonalds tossup supposed to social science, history or general knowledge?
Also I feel that first clue on Profumo affair was practically identical to an old NHB question.
Christopher Miller
Woodgrove '13
William and Mary '17
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
It's not.Ben Dillon wrote:Rational function shouldn't be prompted. f(x) = 1/x is rational, but it isn't a polynomial, and it fails Clue #3 about closure because it never equals zero. Maybe it's promptable earlier?Kenneth Widmerpool wrote:If a ring is Noetherian, this type of ring over the original is also Noetherian by the Hilbert basis theorem. A splitting field is the smallest field extension for which a given one of these decomposes into linear factors. The complex numbers are algebraically closed because these functions are always zero at least one point in that field. Synthetic division is applied to these functions. No general solution exists for certain types of these functions by Abel's impossibility theorem. Descartes' rule of signs shows how many positive or negative roots one of these can have. For 10 points, name these functions consisting of variables raised to integer powers.
ANSWER: _polynomial_ [prompt on _rational_ function]
Jake Sundberg
Louisiana, Alabama
retired
Louisiana, Alabama
retired
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
This is basically the reasoning. Synthetic division seemed a place where many teams would buzz, and I couldn't imagine a situation where people would buzz anywhere else with "rational function" before that. In retrospect, of course, I should have just used a different clue. Sorry if this affected actual gameplay; did it?mithokie wrote:I thought that maybe the rational function prompt was placed there for the synthetic division clue. The prompt doesn't apply elsewhere, but maybe it's a prompt for generosity's sake???
Sam Bailey
Minnesota '21
Chicago '13
Minnesota '21
Chicago '13
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
A polynomial is a rational function. There's nothing wrong with being generous on prompts, even if none of the clues in the question strictly apply (although in this case, it does apply to at least one clue, which is a very good reason to prompt!). I'm skeptical that there is any point in discussing this facet of the question.
Cody Voight, VCU ’14.
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I wrote both McDonald's and Profumo--I think the McDonald's one was general knowledge. I don't know about the Profumo lead-in thing; I was unfamiliar with the lead-in (about Profumo becoming a janitor in his later years), but maybe it got used before.
Mike Cheyne
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
So how did the tossup on "doors of the Florence Baptistery" play out?
Abid Haseeb
Auburn High School '12
Brown University '16
Writer, HSAPQ
Writer, NAQT
Auburn High School '12
Brown University '16
Writer, HSAPQ
Writer, NAQT
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
In my room, someone said "The Gates of Paradise," which prompted a protest.
Mike Cheyne
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Formerly U of Minnesota
"You killed HSAPQ"--Matt Bollinger
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Prompt on all of the following that polynomials are:SirT wrote:A polynomial is a rational function. There's nothing wrong with being generous on prompts, even if none of the clues in the question strictly apply (although in this case, it does apply to at least one clue, which is a very good reason to prompt!). I'm skeptical that there is any point in discussing this facet of the question.
- relations
- map(ping)s
- functions
- continuous functions
- (everywhere)-(differentiable | analytic | holomorphic | conformal) functions
- elementary functions
- (Riemann, etc.-)integrable functions
Jonah Greenthal
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
The whole idea behind generosity on prompts is to choose something people are likely to say. People are not likely to say any of the things you listed for any of the clues. People are likely to say "rational functions" for a variety of reasons, including the fact that one of the clues specifically applies to rational functions. I will repeat that this is not worth discussing at all and there are far more useful critiques to be had.
Cody Voight, VCU ’14.
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
While that's true, also keep in mind that "channel protein" is a really broad kind of answer encompassing lots of different substances, many of which are completely unlike aquaporins (such as voltage-gated sodium channels, for instance). I envision your buzz as someone ringing in to say "subatomic particles" for a tossup on quarks.Kafkaesque wrote:I don't quite understand that reasoning. An aquaporin is a type of channel protein. I buzzed with channel protein, which wasn't quite specific enough (i.e. the answer was a channel protein that transports water exclusively), so I should have been prompted, right? Channel protein wasn't wrong per se; it was just more general than what was wanted.
Auroni Gupta (she/her)
- The Ununtiable Twine
- Auron
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
Ambiguous synthetic division clue is ambiguous. Just write uniquely identifying clues and we can all be happy. Something like "rational functions are functions where both the numerator and denominator are these types of functions." That and the fact that things like f(x) = 1/x are not polynomials.
[f(x) = 1/x is a "Laurent polynomial" (which is very different algebraically speaking!!!). More general rational functions like q(x) = 1/(x^2+1) are not. Our general polynomial rings do not include the inverse as a variable unless specified. For instance, Z[x, x^-1], the polynomial ring over the integers where input is either x or x^-1, is used in the study of Alexander polynomials.]
No, the Hilbert Basis theorem does not work for rational functions in that sense except for the trivial one [p(x)/q(x) where q(x) = 1, q(x) =/= 0] but no one would ever buzz there with "rational function" - by the way you also have to accept "multivariable polynomial" in the first line because we are not required to have a polynomial in one variable. [I wouldn't expect a high school student to come up with that answer but hey you never know.] It works in the setting of multivariable polynomials over Noetherian rings - rings that satisfy the max condition (which was notably not invented to appease Max Schindler) on chains of ideals - that's it.
*Note: polynomials with rational coefficients and rational functions are different things. I don't blame any of you for thinking this (and hence don't blame anyone who would buzz with that) but instead I blame textbook writers for their use of bad jargon.
[f(x) = 1/x is a "Laurent polynomial" (which is very different algebraically speaking!!!). More general rational functions like q(x) = 1/(x^2+1) are not. Our general polynomial rings do not include the inverse as a variable unless specified. For instance, Z[x, x^-1], the polynomial ring over the integers where input is either x or x^-1, is used in the study of Alexander polynomials.]
No, the Hilbert Basis theorem does not work for rational functions in that sense except for the trivial one [p(x)/q(x) where q(x) = 1, q(x) =/= 0] but no one would ever buzz there with "rational function" - by the way you also have to accept "multivariable polynomial" in the first line because we are not required to have a polynomial in one variable. [I wouldn't expect a high school student to come up with that answer but hey you never know.] It works in the setting of multivariable polynomials over Noetherian rings - rings that satisfy the max condition (which was notably not invented to appease Max Schindler) on chains of ideals - that's it.
*Note: polynomials with rational coefficients and rational functions are different things. I don't blame any of you for thinking this (and hence don't blame anyone who would buzz with that) but instead I blame textbook writers for their use of bad jargon.
Jake Sundberg
Louisiana, Alabama
retired
Louisiana, Alabama
retired
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
In general, it seems like a really good idea for people to write their questions to clarify the relationship between likely-to-be-said answers and the actual answer in the question text, as Jake suggests here, instead of simply throwing a prompt in the answer line, especially when the prompt might not be accurate for all of the clues. Of course, this should be done in a way that's actually intuitive and empathetic to the player (instead of just throwing in a hard-to-parse technicality that makes one answer right and one answer wrong).The Ununtiable Twine wrote:Ambiguous synthetic division clue is ambiguous. Just write uniquely identifying clues and we can all be happy. Something like "rational functions are functions where both the numerator and denominator are these types of functions." That and the fact that things like f(x) = 1/x are not polynomials.
Andrew Hart
Minnesota alum
Minnesota alum
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I agree. Prompting on "rational function(s)" makes sense for the synthetic division clue but not any of the others; the best solution, in my strong opinion, is to not use that clue in this context, at least not without a clarification like Jake suggests (which does not have the problem Andrew mentions of being hard to parse or overly nitpicky).theMoMA wrote:In general, it seems like a really good idea for people to write their questions to clarify the relationship between likely-to-be-said answers and the actual answer in the question text, as Jake suggests here, instead of simply throwing a prompt in the answer line, especially when the prompt might not be accurate for all of the clues. Of course, this should be done in a way that's actually intuitive and empathetic to the player (instead of just throwing in a hard-to-parse technicality that makes one answer right and one answer wrong).The Ununtiable Twine wrote:Ambiguous synthetic division clue is ambiguous. Just write uniquely identifying clues and we can all be happy. Something like "rational functions are functions where both the numerator and denominator are these types of functions." That and the fact that things like f(x) = 1/x are not polynomials.
Jonah Greenthal
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
National Academic Quiz Tournaments
- Kafkaesque
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I suppose the specificity of my answer is up for debate. I think of it more as someone buzzing with "paintings of Pablo Picasso" on that Picasso Rose Period toss-up, a situation that would clearly warrant a prompt. (And if "rational functions" was prompted because a single clue in the question pertained to it, then "channel protein" should certainly have been prompted.)While that's true, also keep in mind that "channel protein" is a really broad kind of answer encompassing lots of different substances, many of which are completely unlike aquaporins (such as voltage-gated sodium channels, for instance). I envision your buzz as someone ringing in to say "subatomic particles" for a tossup on quarks.
Another note: the mutations toss-up was uncharacteristically easy for this tournament. Easy might not be the right word, though--transparent maybe? I didn't know all of the early clues, but "mutation" was what kept coming to mind because of the phrasing of the question.
Mason Hale
Loudoun County '14
Harvard '18
Loudoun County '14
Harvard '18
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I didn't play this tournament but I'm a huge classical music fan - could I possibly see the aforementioned LA Philharmonic tossup?
Thanks
Thanks
Brian Manzo
North Babylon High School '13
Notre Dame '17
North Babylon High School '13
Notre Dame '17
- ProfessorIanDuncan
- Wakka
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
You want transparent? How about that Guinevere tossup?Another note: the mutations toss-up was uncharacteristically easy for this tournament. Easy might not be the right word, though--transparent maybe? I didn't know all of the early clues, but "mutation" was what kept coming to mind because of the phrasing of the question.
Alec Vulfson
Irvington High School '13
Irvington High School '13
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Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
There was a tossup on Guinevere?ProfessorIanDuncan wrote:You want transparent? How about that Guinevere tossup?Another note: the mutations toss-up was uncharacteristically easy for this tournament. Easy might not be the right word, though--transparent maybe? I didn't know all of the early clues, but "mutation" was what kept coming to mind because of the phrasing of the question.
Ben Zhang
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell '23
Columbia University '18
Ladue Horton Watkins HS '14
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell '23
Columbia University '18
Ladue Horton Watkins HS '14
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
One director of this orchestra produced a saxophone concerto titled from a quote from Kafka's <i>The Trial</i>. In 1961, George Solti was succeeded as its music director by Zubin Mehta, who became renowned for being the youngest leader of an American orchestra. A more recent director of this orchestra championed the works of Igor Stravinsky, who spent thirty years in this orchestra's city. In 2009, this orchestra's leader Esa-Pekka Salonen passed the baton to the young Venezuelan-born violinist Gustavo Dudamel. This orchestra plays inside an intense glare-producing stainless steel-coated structure designed by Frank Gehry. For 10 points, name this orchestra which relocated to the Walt Disney Concert Hall from its former home, the Hollywood Bowl.bmanzo44 wrote:I didn't play this tournament but I'm a huge classical music fan - could I possibly see the aforementioned LA Philharmonic tossup?
Thanks
ANSWER: _Los Angeles Philharmonic_ [or _LA Phil_harmonic]
Auroni Gupta (she/her)
Re: 2013 NASAT Set & Tournament Discussion
I feel like this first clue is a bit ridiculous, considering that Salonen is heading the Philharmonia (an equally famous/good ensemble) right now and auf den ersten blick was written long before he was in LA—the only argument that this clue excludes "Philharmonia Orchestra" is that his job title doesn't include the word "director" (I admit that I had to look that up just now) and that's not a particularly strong exclusion, at least in my opinion. Why wasn't the clue written about the LA Variations, which is still kind of famous (let's face it—no composition by Esa-Pekka Salonen is famous famous), and points directly to the LA Phil?NASAT 2013 wrote:One director of this orchestra produced a saxophone concerto titled from a quote from Kafka's The Trial. In 1961, George Solti was succeeded as its music director by Zubin Mehta, who became renowned for being the youngest leader of an American orchestra. A more recent director of this orchestra championed the works of Igor Stravinsky, who spent thirty years in this orchestra's city. In 2009, this orchestra's leader Esa-Pekka Salonen passed the baton to the young Venezuelan-born violinist Gustavo Dudamel. This orchestra plays inside an intense glare-producing stainless steel-coated structure designed by Frank Gehry. For 10 points, name this orchestra which relocated to the Walt Disney Concert Hall from its former home, the Hollywood Bowl.
ANSWER: _Los Angeles Philharmonic_ [or _LA Phil_harmonic]
Also, I guess I feel like the Stravinsky clue is pretty vague until "this orchestra's city" (I'm not even completely sure which music director this is referring to, because nobody associated with the LA Phil is especially known for "championing" Stravinsky in particular, although I get the logic behind including the fact that Stravinsky lived in LA).
I understand that it's really hard to write a question on an orchestra (especially early and middle clues), because directors move around (and, as this question points out, even people very strongly associated with one orchestra, like Solti/Chicago, worked with others), and "style clues" (e.g. Chicago being known for having strong principals and weaker back desks) are somewhat subjective and vague—and this question shows these problems off admirably.
</rant>
Jacob R., ex-Chicago