Computer Programming Olympiad Contest 2018

Organization : Computer Olympiad South Africa
Competition Name : Programming Olympiad Contest 2018
Applicable For : Who can use a programming language like Scratch, Python, Java, C++ or Delph
Competition Deadline : 13 August to Friday 17 August 2018
Website : http://olympiad.org.za/programming-olympiad/

Computer Programming Olympiad

** The Programming Olympiad is a challenge for learners who can use a programming language like Scratch, Python, Java, C++ or Delphi.

Related :  Computer Programming Olympiad Contest 2019 : www.southafricain.com/14005.html 

** In the First Round, the participants have to solve a number of problems using the language of their choice.
** For the Second Round and also for the Final Round the languages are more restricted.
** Selected participants are entered into the International Olympiad in Informatics.

** The questions are available in Afrikaans and English.
** There is only one paper for all age groups.
** The competition is most beneficial if an entire class takes part, but individual participation is also encouraged.

Who Is Who Programming

The Scientific Committee is a group of ex-Olympiad winners and other enthusiasts. They help in: Setting the questions, Checking the answers, Providing sample solutions, Marking the results, Tweaking the evaluation software, Keeping the hardware and software humming and Training IOI team members

Max Brock
Curriculum Advisor IT WCED

Michael Cameron
SACOT

Mike Chiles
Independent Consultant

Shamiel Dramat
Curriculum Advisor IT WCED

Laurens Weyn
Bronze winner 2015

James Gain
Associate Professor, Computer Science, UCT

Robin Visser
Past Bronze and Silver Winner

Peter Waker
SACOT

Dates

First Round : Monday 13 August to Friday 17 August 2018
Who may participate?
** Schools may enter as many candidates as they like.

Requirements :
** Participants will be required to complete a number of programming tasks in one hour.Each participant must have access to a computer. Participants may use any programming language generally recognised as a programming language, such as C, C++, Java, Pascal, Python and Delphi.

Location :
** Where schools do not have computer facilities, they may make use of computers at another school or tertiary institution. Schools will have to make theses arrangements themselves.

Marking :
** The answers are entered online and the results sent to schools after the event. The teacher in charge of the Computer Olympiad need not be an expert in computer languages.

Prizes :
Certificates to the top 50% of all participants in the country :
Gold: the top 7% of all participants
Silver: the next 14% of all participants
Bronze: the next 29% of all participants

Second Round : Wednesday 5 September 2018
** This round is for those who make the cut-off. We will advise schools of the cut-off after we have all the results for Round one.
** Please take note of the language requirements for the Final Round.

Final Round : Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October – in Cape Town
Who may participate?
** In order to qualify for the Final Round a candidate
** has to use one of the following languages: Scratch, Python, Java, Delphi, C++, Pascal

** has to write the Second Round on the official competition day and have his program submitted electronically to info AT olympiad.org.za by the time specified by the organisers
** has to be among the best 10 to 15 candidates from the Second Round

Requirements :
** Each participant will be given access to a computer
** Participants will have a choice of a limited range of Computer languages such as C++, Java and Python which are suitable for algorithmic problem solving.

** The contest stretches over two days. Each day the candidates will be given a number of problems to solve in the allotted five hours.
** Evaluation is automated.

Location :
** The competition uses a laboratory at the University of Cape Town. Out-of-town participants are housed at a nearby bed-and-breakfast.
** The Computer Olympiad office will arrange and pay for flights, accommodation, meals and refreshments.

Awards Function : Monday 8 October 2018 in Cape Town

Prizes

** Each participant receives a certificate and a number will receive university scholarships.
** The winning participants receive medals and cash awards. In addition their schools receive cash awards for the purchase of hardware or software.

International Olympiad In Informatics (IoI) :
Who may participate?
** The top participants from the Final Round of the Programming Olympiad are invited to training camps to prepare them for the IOI. Four of them are eventually selected to represent South Africa at the IOI in the year after they are finalists. The team is accompanied by two team leaders.

Requirements :
** The IOI is a competition that brings together participants from different countries of the world. These participants should have a proven, outstanding ability to solve problems by writing appropriate computer programs.

Location :
** Every year a different country hosts the competition – usually over a period of seven or more days. Only two days are devoted to the competition itself, the other days are spent exploring the host country and becoming acquainted with each other.

Prizes :
** Gold, Silver and Bronze medals
** Certificates of participation
** Gifts and other prizes

Rules

NB: Please see the entry requirements for the Final Round as this may affect how the First Round is run *
First Round :
1. The Programming Olympiad is open to all full-time high school learners (grade 7 to 12) in South Africa.
2. Although designed for high school learners, primary school learners are welcome to participate.

3. Post-matrics and learners from outside South Africa are welcome to enter as unofficial participants.
4. A school may enter as many participants as they please.
5.There is no charge, entry is free.

6. Participants may use any programming language recognised as such. (See rules for the Final Round below)
7. A school may participate on any day at any time during the week of the First Round.
8. The test conditions are the same as for the IT practical matric exam. A teacher must supervise.

Second Round :
1. For the Second Round a cut-off is decided each year after Round 1, schools will be notified.
2. There is no charge: entry is free.
3. Participants have to use one of the following languages: C++, Delphi, Java, Pascal and Python.
4. Participants have to take part on the designated date (within a two-hour window period when groups write back-to-back.)
5.The test conditions are the same as for the IT practical matric exam. A teacher must supervise.

Final Round :
1. In order to qualify for the Final Round a candidate :
** has to use one of the following languages in the Second Round – C++, Delphi, Java, Pascal and Python.
** has to write the Second Round on the official competition day.
** has to have their programs submitted electronically to info AT olympiad.org.za by the time specified by the organisers
** has to be among the best 10 to 15 candidates from the Second Round

2. Each participant will be given access to a computer.
3. Participants will have a choice of a limited range of computer languages (C++, Java, Pascal and Python) which are suitable for algorithmic problem-solving.

4. The contest stretches over two days. Each day the candidates will be given a number of problems to solve in the allotted five hours.
5. Evaluation is automated.
6. The test conditions are the same as for the International Olympiad in Informatics.

FAQ’s

May home-schoolers participate in the Programming Olympiad?
The contest has to be written at a school under the supervision of a qualified teacher. Certificates are issued in the name of the school and are signed by the Principal and the Teacher. Home-schoolers could approach a school in their area and if the school is not yet registered with the Olympiad, encourage them to register, and request permission to participate at that school.

Which programming languages may we use?
Programming Olympiad Round 1: Any language commonly used
Programming Olympiad Round 2: C++, Delphi, Java, Pascal, Python, Scratch
Programming Olympiad Final Round: C++, Delphi, Java, Pascal, Python
IOI: Subject to confirmation, C++, Pascal, Java

Who may participate?
Anyone, who in the opinion of the school, should take part.

Who may participate in the Programming Olympiad?
Any learner at any school. However, the Programming Olympiad tasks are designed for high school learners

May the school send papers to the Computer Olympiad office to be marked?
No. All answers are submitted online, all marking is done on our servers.

Do you have past question papers available?
Yes. See the “Past Papers” section on this website.

Who sets the questions?
Most questions are set by the following:
• Past Olympiad participants, especially past winners
• Past members of the South African IOI team
• University of Cape Town staff, students and graduates
• Experienced Educators, including the Computer Olympiad office staff