The Long Support

This is a Hands-On problem. Your team has one minute to select 5 team members to perform your solution.

(After team chooses, judge reads to team): This is a two part problem. In part 1, you will have 5 minutes to build your solution and test it. In part 2, you will have 2 minutes accumulate score.

Your problem is to build a structure that can support weights while carrying them from one point to the other. The longer your supporting structure is, the more points it will receive.

The object must be placed in the center of the structure.

The structure must be carried by 2 team members, one on each end.

Once team members place the object on the structure, they must attempt to carry it to the opposite table. After the foul line is crossed, no on may touch the object. If the object falls off, it may not be retrieved and the team may attempt to carry another object across until time ends or the structure breaks.

The objects are numbered 1-10. You may chose any object to begin with. However, for example, if the team chooses object 5 first, they may not chose object 4 as their second object. Each successive object must be of a higher point value.

You will be scored as follows:

Each inch long the structure is will receive 2 points

Each object supported for 3 seconds will receive 3 points, whether it reaches the target area or not

Each object carried from table A to table B will receive the point value indicated on the object itself

Creativity of the structures design will receive 1-10 points

Teamwork will receive 1-20 points

Have the following objects available for transport:

A ping pong ball marked 1

A golf ball marked 2

A tennis ball marked 3

An empty pop can marked 4

An empty soup can marked 5

A medium sized Tupperware (or similar) bowl marked 6

An empty coffee tin marked 7

A full soda can marked 8

A full soup can marked 9

A full coffee tin marked 10

Give the teams the following materials to build their supporting device:

5 sheets of paper 1 sheet of construction paper 2 pieces of 6 inch long yarn 10 straws

5 unsharpened pencils 4 cotton swabs 1 6-inch piece of fishing line 1 small piece of cardboard 3"x3" 4 pieces of spaghetti

JUDGES: Before starting, mark a "foul line" on one table ("Table A") and position a table 5 feet from the foul line ("Table B"). Teams must transport the objects from behind the foul line to the table. You may put a box on the table, if desired, for placement of the objects. Foul line may be on the floor, if you do not have two tables J