NAQT IS/HS Level Math

New high school teams looking for advice should post here.
Post Reply
TheScientists
Lulu
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:51 pm

NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by TheScientists »

I'm new to doing quizbowl (I've only done NHBB to date), and I'm beginning my QB grind. How should I approach to prepping Math?
Wartortullian
Rikku
Posts: 376
Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2016 10:02 pm
Location: New Haven, CT
Contact:

Re: NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by Wartortullian »

Computational math or actual math?
Matt
TheScientists
Lulu
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Apr 19, 2018 6:51 pm

Re: NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by TheScientists »

Both.
matthewspatrick
Lulu
Posts: 76
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:30 am
Location: Wilmington, DE

Re: NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by matthewspatrick »

For computational math there are some categories of basic formulas to know (certainly not a complete list):
  • Geometry: areas, perimeters, and interior/exterior angles of common polygons; volumes/surface area of common solids; V - E + F = 2
  • Statistics: mean (arithmetic, harmonic, geometric), median, combinations/permutations, basic probability/expected value
  • Percent growth/decay (including interest/ROI; Rule of 72)
  • Arithmetic/geometric progressions (Nth term and sums)
  • Analytic geometry: slope-intercept line equations, distance between two points, equations for conic sections
  • Trigonometry: values of sine, cosine, and tangent; understanding relationship between those and secant, cosecant, and cotangent; degree/radian conversions
  • Physics: velocity and displacement
  • Chemistry: ideal gas law, Gay-Lussac's Law, Charles's Law, Boyle's Law
An NAQT comp math question will typically provide the hint as to how to calculate the answer. However, if you already know which formula to apply, you can get a jump on performing the actual calculation.
Patrick Matthews
University of Pennsylvania 1989-94
NAQT Member Emeritus and co-founder
I do not speak for NAQT in any way, shape, or form.
User avatar
DavidB256
Lulu
Posts: 83
Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2018 7:37 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by DavidB256 »

I'm not a dedicated math player, but a surprising amount of the math questions that I do get are because of Numberphile videos.
David Bass (he)
Johns Hopkins University
University of Virginia '23
Jamestown High School '19
Member, PACE
User avatar
Stained Diviner
Auron
Posts: 5085
Joined: Sun Jun 13, 2004 6:08 am
Location: Chicagoland
Contact:

Re: NAQT IS/HS Level Math

Post by Stained Diviner »

If you go to https://www.quizdb.org/ and do a question search of science math of regular high school difficulty on "the" you get 207 tossups and 122 bonuses. Also, the Masonic sets at http://quizbowlpackets.com/ have a lot of math and name categories, so you can do ctrl-f math. The Masonic bonuses mix computation with noncomputation, which is unusual.

If you want to get better at computational math, join your school's math team.
David Reinstein
Head Writer and Editor for Scobol Solo, Masonics, and IESA; TD for Scobol Solo and Reinstein Varsity; IHSSBCA Board Member; IHSSBCA Chair (2004-2014); PACE President (2016-2018)
Post Reply