Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about contest rules last updated 4/14/07
This section will be updated as new questions come in between now and contest day.

Misc.

• Q: Are using the rat trap and mouse trap considered different steps? They are triggered by different methods.
  A: If the steps are right after one another such that the rat trap trips the mouse trap, then that is a single step. Think about it as in the same way that 5 dominoes in a chain reaction is one step, not 5. If the traps are separated by another step, they are defined as "repeated" and will count as two separate steps. Keep in mind that the more "repeated steps" you have, the fewer creativity or complexity points your team is likely to score. So while they reduce the variables in the machine, they decrease the likelihood that their machine will win the overall prize; it's all about risk/reward analysis.
• Q: I know we are not allowed to attach anything to the floor, but am I correct in saying that we can attach (most likely with tape) something to the table that we will be provided?
  A: The rule reads: "No part of a team’s machine or any associated materials may be attached in any way to the walls, floor, or ceiling of the competition venue. No action of building, cutting, or drilling shall damage furniture provided at the Competition venue." The spirit of this rule is more important than the letter. We are okay with folks taping to the table or floor in their areas, but once folks start pulling out the power drill and trying to go into the table or gym floor, we draw the line. So the spirit really is: "no part of the machine can be attached in such a way that it permanently changes that to which it is attached."
• Q: If one of the team members has to leave the contest during the construction phase for another committment, can a student alternate take their place?
  A: Yes.

The toothbrush

• Q: Does the toothpaste have to be on the bristle part of the toothbrush, or can it be anywhere on the toothbrush?
  A: Anywhere on the brush to complete the task. Read the description very carefully -- it was worded that purposefully because we know this is very challenging. If two teams are tied, however, I am sure that the team which has done the neatest or most elegant job will take the prize.
  
• Q: Is the specific target weight 10.7 grams (+ 15%/-5%), as it says on the rule sheet, or is it meant to read 10.7 grams (+15%/-15%)?
  A: It's the first: +15/-5%. Turns out that -15% would mean you would not need to put any toothpaste on the brush, so we had to adjust the lower tolerance bound.
  
• Q: Were the toothbrushes checked to see that they are all of identical weight? I went to CVS and bought an identical toothbrush. It weighs 13 grams. The one given to us weighs 9.3 grams. If a group has a toothbrush that is overweight you can see that would be a problem reaching the task of 10.7 grams for brush and paste.
  A: As a molded product, this variance was anticipated. Reconciling this is a part of this task.
  Teams need to use the same brush when creating their machine that they use in their final machine being judged, thereby calibrating the machine to work towards the target weight, +15%/-5% with the known brush. The tolerance will allow for a bit of sloppiness under or over the target weight, but may not totally compensate for weight differences between brushes, so stick to the same brush and you will be fine.
  Start with the 10.7g target weight and work backwards to know how much paste to squeeze out, again keeping in mind that you do have some wiggle room. If we were going to hand you a surprise toothbrush on the day of the contest, or make every team squeeze out a specific weight of toothpaste, this would be an issue. Since we are asking only for a final weight, the variance you point to is not a concern unless you lose your toothbrush day of, and cannot find one that is approximately the same weight. You will receive spare toothbrushes on the day of the contest, but these are meant for practice runs. Once you have standardized the amount of toothpaste between runs, knowing it is the right weight to work with your toothbrush, then load your final-run toothbrush for the final judging.
  
• Q: Does this mean we are allowed to use the competition toothbrush that we received the day of training? We have been using a brush that we purchased. Are we allowed to practice with the competition brush?
  A: You may use it to practice, but do not bring it to the contest changed in any way that a judge can detect. For that matter, you can use anything we gave you in practicing the construction of your machine. Just don't mark it up, cut it, change its shape, glue it to anything, fold it, drill it, or otherwise permanently manipulate it in any way. You will forfeit any part you have changed between receiving it at MIT and 4/14. On this the judges will be merciless.
• Q: Can we attach the toothbrush to the machine using 2 small pieces of velco, which will be removed from the toothbrush before the judging so that no weight is added (other than by the toothpaste)?
  A: Yes. You may not permanently alter the brush in any way. Velcro would be fine.

Tools

• Q: What is the largest drill bit in the toolkit?
  A: 1/2"
  
• Q: Is the workbench allowed to be part of the machine? If so, does it have to be the workmate 425?
  A: You have one workbench, provided, and it can be a part of the machine, though you may not damage it at all by screwing into it, gluing to it, etc. The rules regarding attaching your machine to the tables, floor, or walls apply here. The workbench used must be the one provided.
  
• Q: Are we allowed to open and use the items that were distributed at the training? For example: can we open the string package and cut and use a piece of string? Do we have to show up at the competition with the package unaltered? Do we have to show up with exactly the same number of straws, balls, bolts, etc. as were provided? I understand that the wood we bring to the competition cannot be pre-drilled, but can the items be utililzed beforehand so long as they are not altered?
  A: Anything that has been altered in any way will be forfeited before you go to your building area. Teams must show up with exactly the same number of small kit parts (straws, balls, bolts, etc.) as were provided. You may not alter in any way any of the materials in the kit prior to the building period during the contest. If a judge at the registration desk determines that something has been altered (in number, weight, shape, etc.), you will lose it. It is important for your team to understand that the competition has already begun, in a very real way. Closely following instructions (and asking for clarification) is paramount; the judges take it very seriously. That said, if it does not say you can't do it in the instructions, and you can argue that you ARE following instructions in your actions, go for it.
  
• Q: Do we have a wire cutter on the pliers that are supplied?
  A: On the needlenose, yes.
  

Work Area

• Q: In addition to the two tables each team will have, do we get six folding chairs as we did last year?
  A: Yes, your team will have two tables and seven folding chairs in its work area.

Paperwork

• Q: I have not received any of the forms, although I found the team registration and coach certification forms on the website. Should I have received others already, such as the W-9, travel voucher, and photo release? Were they forms to download that I missed? The one form that I should have for my kids ahead of time is the photo release form. Was it an attachment to an earlier email?
  A: All forms will be given to you in your registration packet when you register on the day of the Contest. We found that giving them out ahead of time only results in our having to give them again at the contest. That's why we are not asking for them ahead of time.
• Q: When is paperwork for this year (mileage form, income tax forms, etc) to be distributed and collected? We all got a packet at the training during the previous 2 years.
  A: This paperwork will be distributed and collected at the contest. Team member lists will be collected just before contest day.
• Q: Last year we were able to designate the $350 meant for the coaches to the school. I assume that is still a possibility this year? Do you have to know about this before hand or do we do that on Saturday?
  A: You will notice, in your team folder received at registration, a green form (the color of money), all filled out except for the "Pay to the Order of..." spot. Please fill this out some time during the day, or mail it back to Chris, with travel receipts (up to $150) and amount filled in. Chris will mail the check, payable to whomever. In the case of NOT going to you, there is no need to fill out the 1099. If this form is not filled out/submitted, your stipend and travel expenses will be delayed.

The toothpaste tube

• Q: When the team captain removes the toothbrush for weighing, may he/she take it at a moment of his/her choosing so as to grab it before too much oozing toothpaste comes out? Or might the judges require the team to wait until almost all oozing has stopped?
  A: The machine must have completed its action, including any oozing, before the team captain removes the brush. Removing the brush BCO (Before the Completion of Oozing) will count as a human intervention.
  
• Q: May the captain lift up and rub the toothbrush against the tube's opening to achieve a neat separation (such as most of us do whenever we brush our teeth) or will he/she be required to pull the brush directly away from the tube?
  A: I will leave the distinction between lifting the brush free and scooping an amount of paste from the tube's end to the judges. That said, my inclination would be to allow a lift at 90 degrees or greater from the opening of the tube. Less than 90 degrees may be defined as a scoop, and the judges may see that as effort to supplement the action of a machine that put too little paste on the brush.
  
• Q: May the team modify the toothpaste tube by making a hole?
  A: If it does not say you cannot do this in the rules, go ahead and modify the toothpaste tube. The toothpaste must be caused to leave the tube by the machine you construct, that is all.
  
• Q: How much can the toothpaste tube be altered before it’s placed in the machine? Can they cut the end off? Can they remove half the toothpaste? Can they slice it down the middle?
  A: Through the action of the machine, the toothpaste must be caused to leave the toothpaste tube. That is the only stipulation regarding the toothpaste tube. Beyond that, in the spirit of the rules, there are two things. First, the goal is to put toothpaste on a toothbrush, so the judges will focus on that. Second, as with the book last year, the tube should retain its essential "tubeness," so obliterating it beyond any semblance of a tube is disallowed. If you can define what you have, in the end, as a tube and argue that convincingly with the judges, pointing to definitive tube qualities still present in your tube, that should be fine.
  
• Q: May the toothbrush be removed for weighing such that the toothpaste is wiped from the end of the tube, or must the machine separate the deposited toothpaste from the tube?
  A: The toothbrush will be removed from the machine by the team captain and placed on the judge's scale by the team captain. If the toothpaste falls off, is pulled off, or otherwise caused to leave the surface of the brush, the machine will be determined to be ineffective. If the team determines that it will not weigh in within the target weight, the team will have the balance of their 15 mintues to give it another try. The task is not complete until the toothpaste/brush is weighed. The rules allow the team captain to separate the deposited toothpaste in the act of removing the toothbrush from the machine.
• Q: The concept of a "90 degree angle to the toothpaste opening" is confusing. Does that mean upward, sidewards, forwards or backwards? May any toothpaste be removed from the brush as the brush is extracted from the machine if the removing mechanism is part of the machine?
  A: This rule means: do not scoop. Lift straight up or straight out and away from the tube opening, not scooping to try to get more to supplement your weight. Toothpaste ribbon may be separated by the lifting and removing action, though if too much is removed, you may go under your weight. Sorry for the confusion.

The scale

• Q: Our scale needs to be recalibrated and I have no idea how to get this done.
  A: We're working on it.

Questions from previous years' contests:

MIT Student Mentors
What is the role of the MIT student mentor?
MIT student mentors are here to encourage, support, and help the teams without giving them answers or building the device for the teams. They formulate their responses around physics principles and encourage teachers and students to think outside the box. Teachers should pool questions from their students and communicate (via email, etc) with the MIT student mentor.

Materials
Can we modify any of the materials that we received in January?
No. All of the materials given to you at the training day in January must be brought to the contest (Fay School) in their pristine conditions. If the judges find that any item has been modified - marked on, cut, painted, etc. - the judge reserves the right to take away that item from your team.

The Rube Goldberg Machine
Can we use tools as part of the device?
Yes. As long as you don't alter the tools, you may use them as part of your device.
Can we keep the tools that we use as part of our device?
Yes. But Chris needs to know that for the tool inventory.
What's considered a "step"?
Please see rule #13
Can humans be part of the machine?
No. That counts as human intervention.
Can we use objects that were not included in the kit?
No. You can only use the materials supplied to you.

Returning Teams
If a student participated in the contest last year, can he/she participate again this year?
Certainly.

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