Fall 2006 UCSD Programming Contest

Sponsored by

One goal of this contest (besides having fun) is to create teams to represent UCSD at the ACM Programming Contest on Nov 11, 2006. If you plan to place at the UCSD contest, please keep Nov 11, 2006 free on your calendar.

1. Make sure you read the instructions and the hints below.
2. Practice solving questions at: Problem Set Archive with Automated Judging . It is highly recommended that before the contest you log on and solve at least one if not all of the following problems:

• Marvelous Mazes , from the the following problem set
• The Falling Leaves , from the the following problem set
• The House Of Santa Claus , from the the following problem set
• Free spots , from the the following problem set

A large part of the contest is to know how to test your own program and how to catch the end cases. It is highly recommended that you use the above website to practice a few problems and the automated judging system will let you know if you missed something (just like at the real contest).

Contest Information:

Registration starts at 11:45am, and ends promptly at 12:30pm.
You must be at the contest by 12:30pm in order to compete.
The practice for the contest will start at 12:30pm.
The programming part of the contest will last for 5 hours
There will be around 5 questions to solve

A pizza order will arrive around 12:45pm and another one at the end of the contest close to 6pm.

Students will compete individually for this contest solving traditional algorithms problems. We will go back to the Software Battle Bot contest in Spring. The reason for concentrating on the traditional algorithms for this contest is to form teams and prepare students for the ACM regional programming contest this Fall.

Teams will be formed from the top finishers to compete in the 2006 ACM Southern California Programming Contest on November 11th at Riverside Community College.

Eligibility:
You are eligible to participate in the UCSD contest if you meet all of the following requirements:

• If you place at the UCSD contest you must be willing to represent UCSD at the ACM Southern California Regional Programming Contest on Saturday Nov. 11, 2006.
  -AND-
  
• You are a part time (greater than 50%) or full time UCSD student, and bring your valid UCSD student ID with you to the contest.
  -AND-
  
• One or more of the following holds:
  • You started college in 2002 or later.
  • You were born in 1983 or later.
  • You have not finished your ninth semester (or equivalent) of full time study by Nov. 7. For instance, if you are a first-year graduate student and you spent 4 or fewer years in college/grad school before coming here, you are eligible!

Languages: You can program in either C, C++ or Java

Editors: Emacs, Vi, etc...

Prizes: The top 10 individuals will receive cash prizes sponsored by The Dini Group .

1st - $1000,
2nd - $700,
3rd - $500,
4th - $300,
5th - $200, and
6th through 10th - $100 .

Additional door prizes will be given out.

Food: Pizza and pop will be provided for everyone.

How to sign up: The pre-signup time window to sign up is over. See you at the contest! If you are still interested, you can sign up during registration at the contest.

List of Everyone Signed Up

Official Instructions

Make sure you bring your programming language, algorithm, math, geometry, graphics, and reference books and notes with you to the contest. You cannot access any material over the internet. You can only use the default help system, javadocs, etc... on the default computer setup we provide for you. You can use any written material or books you bring with you.

Here are some tips and hints for competing and coding in the contest. These will not be given out at the contest, so you probably want to print these out and bring them with you (you will not be able to access the internet at the contest).

C++ and Geometry Hints
Java Hints

Tips for competing in the contest

Results from Fall 1999 Contest

Results from Spring 2000 Contest

Results from Fall 2000 Contest

Results from Spring 2001 Contest

Results from Fall 2001 Contest

Results from Spring 2002 Contest

Results from Fall 2002 Contest

Results from Spring 2003 Contest

Results from Fall 2003 Contest

Results from Spring 2004 Contest

Results from Fall 2004 Contest

Results from Spring 2005 Contest

Results from Fall 2005 Contest

Results from Spring 2006 Contest

Contact Michael Taylor (mbtaylor@cs.ucsd.edu), if you have any questions, or would like to help out with the contest.