Mathematics Department

General Info

For Students

'Learning math ultimately comes down to one thing: the ability, and the choice to put one's brain around a problem, stare past the confusion and struggle rather than flee.'
(Sept. 2002 issue of Mathematics in the Middle School)

Official Rules for the 2006 PSC Integration Bee

Round 1

  1. Participants must correctly evaluate indefinite single variable integrals in the time alotted.
  2. Participants will take turns working. The first participant will have three (3) minutes to evaluate an integral. If this is not done correctly, then the second participant will have two (2) minutes on the same integral. If still not done correctly, the third participant will have one (1) minute. If all three fail, then a new integral will be given to the fourth contestant, and the sequence repeats. If an integral is evaluated correctly, the next participant gets a new integral and three (3) minutes.
  3. The order of participants will be be determined by drawing their names from a hat.
  4. If a participant misses an integral, then he/she gets one strike. On their second strike, contestants are eliminated from the competition.
  5. Participants must include the arbitrary constant of integration with their results. Each contestant will be given one warning.
  6. A contestant can pass on an integral and take a strike.
  7. Each participant is allowed two lifelines. One lifeline may be used to consult a brief table of integrals or a table of trig identities. The other may be used to consult anyone in the audience. The clock is stopped for 30 seconds when a lifeline is called. When consulting with an audience member, the contestant cannot take notes.
  8. When all but four (4) contestants have been eliminated, round one will end.

Round 2

  1. Round 2 will be Integration Jeopardy. It will work just like TV's Jeopardy, except contestants need not answer in the form of a question. The starting contestant will be chosen by drawing names.
  2. Constants of integration must be included with answers.
  3. A maximum of three minutes time will be allowed for each integral. Contestants may continue to work until they raise their hands (even if an opponent has raised a hand).
  4. After 20 minutes of play, contestants will go into a one-question final jeopardy.
  5. The contestant with the most points after final jeopardy is the champion. Runner-ups will receive consolation prizes.