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Fast Facts B

Posted: September 5th, 2022, 6:42 pm
by bernard

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: September 6th, 2022, 11:31 am
by jimmy-bond
WOOOO BEST EVENT IS BACK IN ROTATION

Also, while trying to make sheets, I found an interesting scenario. If two terms within a category are synonymous but start with different letters, does a team get credit for both? One I came across is Epidemiology - D and M. Death rate and mortality rate are synonymous, and I wouldn't consider one more specific than the other. I'm leaning towards giving points for both, instead of choosing the one that yields the most points, but I'd like to know if there's an official answer.

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: September 15th, 2022, 2:18 pm
by knightmoves
I don't think I'd score both death rate and mortality rate.

Rule 3g says "Students may not write two or more different forms of a response within a category to get credit for two or more different answers." The specificty thing is an example given in brackets, but I think the rule is clear that you can't use two names for the same thing to score two points.

So you can score "large intestine" and "small intestine" because they are different things, but you can't score "kneecap" and "patella".

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: September 18th, 2022, 8:47 pm
by jimmy-bond
knightmoves wrote: September 15th, 2022, 2:18 pm The specificty thing is an example given in brackets, but I think the rule is clear that you can't use two names for the same thing to score two points.
I figured that they would provide an example if it wasn't allowed, since it's a pretty vague rule and they already gave an example for one of the cases. But I see your point, definitely adding that clause to my answer keys and teaching points.

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: October 15th, 2022, 2:18 pm
by Umaroth
I compiled a list of every category that has shown up on a Fast Facts test in my test bank (n=55) as well as the frequency: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

Key takeaways:
If you don't know the elements and common subdivisions like metals/noble gases etc., you're very behind!
Dinosaurs is a very good list to memorize because it is common AND covers reptiles too
Besides the periodic table, the majority of categories come from bio, earth/space sci, and general science

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: February 22nd, 2023, 1:27 pm
by D39IJ11
Does Fast Facts have tiebreakers?

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: February 22nd, 2023, 1:42 pm
by D39IJ11
Also, using some of the common categories I found I programmed a generator. Apologies if it isn't too professional.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/808248898

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: June 14th, 2023, 8:26 am
by Zeta
Anyone know if the judges would accept "gamma ray burst" for natural disasters "G"?

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: June 15th, 2023, 8:50 am
by knightmoves
It's not really a disaster, is it? Gamma Ray bursts happen often, and unless you're an astronomer, nobody notices.

I can't offhand think of a good 'G' for natural disasters.

Unless you'll let me have, for example, "Gilbert", which was the most intense tropical cyclone ever to hit Jamaica and Mexico. Gilbert caused $3 billion damages in 1988, and killed more than 300 people.

Re: Fast Facts B

Posted: June 15th, 2023, 7:34 pm
by pumptato-cat
Did some googling.
Would something like "grassland fires" work, or is that too specific?
Also found geomagnetic storms but I don't know that it counts as a disaster(for similar reasons that knightmoves mentioned). I suppose they have some effect on technology but I doubt it's severe enough to be a natural disaster.