Programming Contest Problems

In 1995, 2000 and 2006, I was in charge of putting on a programming contest at IUP.  The participants in these contests were primarily student teams from the State Universities in Pennsylvania.  As you might imagine the environments changed considerably over the 11-year span - the equipment, programming environment, programming language all changed over the time period.  I created all but one of the problems used in these contests and all but one of the practice problems used.  (Practice problems are used to allow teams to get used to the environment prior to the contest.)  The following tables provide links to the problems, the data (both for the students to develop solutions and for the judges to test the student's solutions), and a set of solutions for each set of problems.


1995 Contest

Sixteen teams participated; there were six problems; the programming language was Pascal (using the Turbo or Borland environment).  Solutions to all problems, including the practice ones, can be viewed in this one file:  Solutions  Note:  the solutions have no comments - just like the student teams would have written.  Generally, there is more than one set of data to test the solutions.  For the links to the data below, the name of the link indicates how many sets of test data are provided - all sets for one problem are in the same file; for example, the 1-2-3 in pr1data1-2-3.txt indicates three data sets.   Data sets are separated from one another by a dashed line in the tile.  Kathy McKelvey created Practice #2 and Problem A.
Problem No. Teams that Solved Data Required Output
Practice #1 - Nth Largest Number N/A pr1data1-2-3.txt pr1-answers.txt
Practice #2 - Prime Factorization N/A Keyboard input - see output pr2-answers.txt
Problem A - Sum of Like Powers One Keyboard input - see output a-answers.txt
Problem B - Line up the Band Four b-data1-2.txt b-answers.txt
Problem C - Find the Battleship Three c-data1-2.txt c-answers.txt
Problem D - Tourist Information Zero d-data1-2.txt d-answers.txt
Problem E - Match the Trees Four e-data1-2-3-4-5-6.txt e-answers.txt
Problem F - Decompression Three f-data1-2-3.txt f-answers.txt


2000 Contest

Ten  teams participated; there were six problems; the programming language was C++ (using Turbo or Visual Studio).  Required output (the answers) for all problems, including the practice ones, can be viewed in one file:  Answers  The is no information available about the contest itself, other than the winning team solved three problems and only two teams solved more than one problem.  For the contest, a Notes file was provided because it was expected that the teas would find the problems rather difficult; the notes were a little xtra guidance.  Generally, there is more than one set of data to test the solutions.  For the links to the data below, either the data files are listed separately or the name of the link indicates how many sets of test data are provided - all sets for one problem are in the same file; for example, the 1-2-3 in pr1-00data1-2-3.txt indicates three data sets.   When the data sets are in one file, they are separated from one another by a dashed line in the tile.  Note:  the data files for Problem B are all Pascal files and should have type .pas; the file type was made .txt for avoid browser problems.  Similarly, all solutions are C++ program files and should have type .cpp; the .txt type avoids problems; the programs do not have comments.
Problem No. Teams that Solved Data C++ Solutions
Practice #1 - Expression Tree N/A pr1-00data1-2-3.txt infix.txt
Practice #2 - Survey Closure N/A pr2-00data1-2.txt survey.txt
Problem A - Decryption Unknown a00-data1-2.txt and masks.txt decoder.txt
Problem B - Pascal Program Profile Unknown copy-pas.txt  seeword-pas.txt  simulate-pas.txt  fakeload-pas.txt cprofile.txt
Problem C - Server Scheduler Unknown request1.txt sched.txt
Problem D - Crossword Puzzle Unknown d00-data1-2.txt crossit.txt
Problem E - Restricted English Unknown sentence.txt  goodbad.txt natural.txt
Problem F - Network Paths Unknown network.txt  and Keyboard input shortest.txt


2006 Contest

Nineteen teams participated; there were nine problems; the programming language was C++ (Visual Studio).  Required output (the answers) for all problems and keyboard inputs for those problems that used them, can be viewed in one file:  Answers  The problems were deliberately easier that previous contests; I wanted to get more solutions and I did.  There are two data sets for each problem:  the first is the one the students were given; the second is what the judges used.   All solutions are C++ program files and should have type .cpp; the .txt type avoids problems.  The programs do not have comments.
Ptoblem No. Teams that Solved Data C++ Solutions
Problem A - Two-bit Encryption Six minisecret.txt  bigsecret.txt 2bitdecode.txt
Problem B - Basic Surveying One measure1.txt  measure2.txt survey06.txt
Problem C - Space Station Maze Two maze1.txt  maze2.txt 3d-maze.txt
Problem D - Predicted Flight Four Keyboard input - see answers predict.txt
Problem E - Crossword Jumble Fifteen cross1.txt  cross2.txt 2uses.txt
Problem F - Pronunciation Nine Keyboard input - see answers syllable.txt
Problem G - Directory Structure Two smtree.txt  bigtree.txt   and Keyboard input - see answers directories.txt
Problem H - Flight to Costa Rica One flights1.txt  flights2.txt costarica.txt
Problem I - Word Frequencies Eleven questions.txt  definitions.txt wordcount.txt