Good question. Yes, you may cut the hammer to assist with device construction, as long as all of the hammer (and other mousetrap parts) are still part of the device and not disassembled or removed.
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- Teams may use scissors or another handheld tool (such as a pencil) to activate or ‘trigger’ the mousetrap device.
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*Teams will need to actually ‘trigger’ their device at the district meet. This means that teams may not set up the device and just hold it for ‘release’. Teams should be able to setup their device at the starting area, then let go of the device for a moment (without device moving), then have one team member activate the ‘trigger’ on the device (when their team and judges are ready).
The packet states (B4 of limitations)…
- Once triggered, no team member may touch the team device or guide it in any way.
*Since mousetraps are often sensitive during setup, teams may be granted some flexibility from judges at the starting area with regard to their setup. For example, if a trap accidentally goes off before it was ready to be triggered by the team, judges will allow flexibility for a quick reset of the trap.
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Correct. As stated in C3 of the competition booklet:
3. If any part of the device that is touching the floor fully crosses a lane line while in motion, it will be at that point that Judges will stop distance measurement. Measurement will be a straight line (parallel to the lane lines) from the starting line to the point at which the device went outside the lane line (no diagonal measurements).
So even if a device goes OUT of the lane (contacting the floor) and comes back IN, judges will only give distance points to the place where the device initially crossed the lane line. *Keep in mind that the words are ‘fully crosses’, so if a wheel just rides along the lane line, that’s OK, but when it completely goes out of the lane line, distance points stop there.
Comments Off on For any vehicle that travels out of the lane, I’m assuming we will measure to the point where a wheel or other part in contact with the floor leaves the lane.
Yes, measurement will be to the front of the vehicle. A maximum of 42 points is possible for distance, plus 25 more points if it touches the can. If a device goes beyond 21 feet, it will only get the maximum distance points of 42.
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Teams may use ‘some’ Legos for parts of their devices (cars), but most of each device should not be made of Legos (or any building kit system), since one goal of “Mind A-Mazes” is to have teams find and use everyday objects for their devices. Teams should focus on using materials they find or make them out of a variety of materials (cardboard, wood, plastic, glue, etc.).
*Judges will notice any devices made largely out of a manufactured kit (like Legos) and may have to disqualify a team in that situation. For example, if you use Legos just for some wheels or axles, or just for some part of the device body, that would be fine, but don’t make MOST of your device out of Legos, as it could very well not be scored by judges! If you’re unsure about what ‘most’ could be, play it safe and use a variety of different building materials for your device.
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A helium balloon would not be allowed as a means of motion (see B7):
The energy of the mousetrap spring is responsible for the motion of the device.
In regards to balloons in general, the gases held in a balloon can not be released as a means of energy, since a balloon releasing gases would be considered another source of stored energy.
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I have several students who have asked about printing 3D pieces for the car. It would be something small 1-2 inches and attach to the mousetrap. Is this okay or should I encourage them to come up with an alternate idea?
*Answer: 3D printing parts of the device is allowed 🙂
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The floor used for the competition on October 19th will be the main gymnasium floor of Skyview Middle.
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This “Mind A-Mazes” blog for 2024 will be a public space where students, coaches, or teams can ask questions about this year’s challenge! Be sure to read the problem packet, including all the rules and limitations, before posting a question to this blog :). It’s the responsibility of all teams and coaches to regularly check the blog site for any clarifications on rules that will be effective at the district meet on October 19th!
This blog site will be open for 3 weeks, from September 25 to October 16th.
Enjoy this year’s challenge! 🙂
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