Fermi Questions C

[lllazar]

Thanks

[cngu23]

Are you allowed anything in with you (paper, pencil, calculator)?

Just a writing utility. Nada mas.

So for this event, will all of the problems be solved by multiplying stings of unit conversions? Or may there be a problem such as how many years will it take for the population to reach 1 trillion? (growth rate formula + conversions)
Just want to make sure because some of the questions asked in the "fermi questions marathon" do not only involve multiplication.

[Schrodingerscat]

I would personally be prepared for more than simple multiplication and conversion problems, as the rules never specifically limit it to them.

[cngu23]

I would personally be prepared for more than simple multiplication and conversion problems, as the rules never specifically limit it to them.

"In science, particularly in physics or engineering education, a Fermi problem, Fermi question, or Fermi estimate is an estimation problem designed to teach dimensional analysis, approximation, and the importance of clearly identifying one's assumptions."
-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_problem

So I guess it could be more complicated than just unit conversions and multiplication. But so far, all of the sample problems haven't been more complex than that.

[quizbowl]

I found it hilarious that the Training Powerpoint is basically the wiki (exactly copied word for word at points) in powerpoint format

[rfscoach]

I found it hilarious that the Training Powerpoint is basically the wiki (exactly copied word for word at points) in powerpoint format

Fermi has been around for years. Perhaps the wiki info was taken from an earlier powerpoint, which event supervisors save and recycle when the event rotates back in....

[49ers]

so let me make sure i understand this event:
random questions with numbers and then you have to answer with a power of 10
nothing but a pencil/pen

and one question: How do you round these numbers?

[hmcginny]

Any number greater that is 5 or greater is rounded up to the next power of 10, anything lower than 5 is rounded down.

Examples:
5.001 *10^3 is 4
5 * 10^3 is 4
4.99 * 10^3 is 3

[Bogoradwee]

Is that on the rules (I haven't been able to see an official copy of the rules yet)? I was under the impression that you don't round it, and whatever the exponent is is just the answer. So 5E3 would be 3, and 5.1E3 woul still be 3. However, if you have 9.9999E3, depending on how you came to your answer, you would probably want to round up, or keep it at 3 if you know your answer is probably a little higher than the actual answer...

[49ers]

Is that on the rules (I haven't been able to see an official copy of the rules yet)? I was under the impression that you don't round it, and whatever the exponent is is just the answer. So 5E3 would be 3, and 5.1E3 woul still be 3. However, if you have 9.9999E3, depending on how you came to your answer, you would probably want to round up, or keep it at 3 if you know your answer is probably a little higher than the actual answer...

I am certain it is in the rules. I will quote: "If C is 5 or greater (to 9.99...), round C up to 10."