Important Dates Registration Starts Tuesday, January 2nd Qualification Round Tuesday, January 23rd Championship Round Thursday, March 1st

R$75,000 in Cash & Prizes! 1st Prize - 6,000BRL 2nd - 5th - 2,500BRL 6th - 10th - 1,500BRL 11th - 20th - 1,000BRL 21st - 50th - 350BRL

Google™ Code Jam Latin America 2007

FAQ

Is there a way to practice before the elimination rounds?
You may use your handle and password to login to the competition arena. Within the arena there is a practice area that mimics the functionality of the real competition. Nothing that you do in the practice room will count against you in the competition.

What resources can I use to help me during the competition?
You may utilize any reference materials, including those found on the Internet. You may not collaborate with any other person.

Can I use code that has already been written as a part of my solution?
Only code that has been authored by you may be used in a code submission. No third-party source code may be used as a part of any code submission.

What software is used?
Java 5.0 (build 1.5.0_03)
.NET Framework version 2.0.50727
GCC 4.0.2
Python 2.3.4

I've submitted a solution for a problem, but the time has not run out. Can I submit again?
Yes. However, if you've already submitted a problem and you choose to submit again, your score for that submission will be adjusted to account for the additional lapsed time since your last submission, as well as an additional penalty of 10% of the maximum point value for the problem.

What is the Challenge Phase?
The Challenge phase only takes place during Rounds 1 and 2. It does not take place during the Qualification Round.

During the Challenge Phase, you have the opportunity to view the source code submissions of the other competitors in your room. If you believe that any of the submissions are flawed, you may challenge the submission with a specific test case that you feel will result in that submission returning the wrong result. If your challenge is successful, and the submission returns the wrong result, you will be awarded 50 points and the competitor will lose the points for the challenged submission. However, if your challenge is unsuccessful, and the submission returns the correct result for the test case, you will lose 25 points from your score.

Be sure to read the Instructions page for a complete explanation.

How will I know if I have advanced to the next round of the Google Code Jam?
As soon as the Testing Phase has been completed, the advancers to the next round will be posted here. In addition, an email will be sent to all participants indicating whether or not each has advanced.

Does the Code Jam affect my TopCoder rating?
None of the Google Code Jam events affect your TopCoder rating.

How is the score calculated during each round of competition?
The point value of a submission is dependent upon the problem's level of difficulty and the time it took to code a solution. The TopCoder server will calculate the time spent on a problem by counting the time between when the coder selects a problem and when a solution is submitted. Keep in mind that these times are captured when a problem request or problem submission actually gets to our server, so network latency may play a minor role in the competition process.

Where can I practice on more problems, other than the limited number in the Code Jam arena?
You can utilize many other practice problems on the TopCoder website by navigating to www.topcoder.com/tc. If you are a registered member you can launch the TopCoder arena to view all the practice problems. If you are not a registered member, you may register here.

How does the timer work for the Qualification Round?
The qualification round opens at Noon GMT/UTC -2 on January 23, 2007, however you can start your qualification attempt at any time between Noon on January 23 and Noon on January 24, 2007 (GMT/UTC -2). You have one hour to complete the qualification round, so be sure to begin your attempt by 11:00 AM GMT/UTC -2 on January 24, 2007 to give yourself the full hour.

Will I need a passport?
If you qualify for the onsite finals in Brazil, it is your responsibility to have a valid passport before your date of travel.

How do I get a visa if I make it onsite?
The following countries require a tourist visa to attend the championship round:
French Guiana, Guyana, Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Mexico, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands.

Google will provide a visa invitation letter after Round 1 to anyone in the Top 250, who would need a tourist visa if they advanced to the finals. To ensure that finalists receive their tourist visa in time, it is recommended to secure an early visa appointment with the embassy.



Questions not addressed here should be directed to gcjla@topcoder.com.

Good luck!

To find out more detailed information about the Google™ Code Jam Latin America 2007, please read the Terms and Conditions.