1997-98
NEW MEXICO
HIGH SCHOOL
SUPERCOMPUTING CHALLENGE

TEAM ABSTRACT

Team Number:

079

School Name:

Manzano High School

Area of Science:

Mathematics

Project Title:

Is There A Santa Claus

We have met several ltimes in the past two weeks and have decided to submit a mathematics based project. Our project will be based on the existence of Santa Claus. We shall answer the probability of the following question: IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

Our project will consist of formulas based on world population, the amount of area each kid occupies, and the speed Santa must travel, factoring in wind, weather, curbature of the earth, and the weight of the sled, presents, and Santa himself. This project could be used in many forms not just in the existence of Santa Claus, but in clouds moving over the earth, a plane traveling from one destination to the next, or in the event of a nuclear explosion. This project could be used to find out the many variations of these possibilites. My partner and I plan to find the formulas and any information necessary to create a computer program out of it.

Team Members:

• Christopher Waller
• Paul Delgado

Sponsoring Teacher(s):

• Steven Schum
• Paul Wrench

Project Advisor(s):

• Steven Schum
• Paul Wrench