Computer Science

Ooh, CS! UIL's Computer Science competition is actually split into two parts. The written test is a mostly-MCQ test that assesses a contestant's ability to analyze and predict a code's output, alongside testing other general techniques such as two's complement, digital expressions, and graph theory. Although changing since the competition's introduction, UIL has utilized Java as the official language since the 2004 season.

The other part is actually a team competition: programming! Although one can compete in CS individually and advance to even state, the programming section must be a team of 3. These three people work together on a single laptop to solve a series of problems within the two-hour limit. Each problem has a set point value, which decreases for wrong submissions, and typically range from basic printing to the equivalent of some USACO Gold & Platinum topics. Like the written, programming only allows competitors to use Java.

Written

• 40 questions
• 45 minutes
• 38 Multiple-Choice
• 2 Free-Resopnse
• Scoring:
• +6 for a right answer
• -2 for a wrong answer
• No deductions for not answering a question
• Ranges from basic printing to program and OOP analysis

Programming

• 12 questions
• 2 hours
• Base total of 60 points per question, decreasing by 5 for each wrong submission
• Deductions only affect your programming score if you eventually get the problem right