What are the best ways to manage time pressure in computational geometry competitions?

1 Know the basics

Prior to entering a computational geometry competition, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of the basic concepts and techniques used in this field. This includes knowledge of coordinate systems and transformations, geometric primitives and operations, convex hulls and polygons, triangulations and Voronoi diagrams, sweep line and plane sweep algorithms, point location and range queries, as well as computational geometry libraries and tools. Additionally, you should be familiar with the standard data structures and algorithms for manipulating and querying geometric objects such as arrays and vectors, stacks and queues, linked lists and trees, hash tables and maps, binary search and sorting, graphs and graph algorithms. Having a strong foundation in these topics will help you comprehend the problem statements, recognize the pertinent subproblems, and implement the solutions accurately and efficiently.

2 Plan your approach

Before you start coding, it is important to spend some time planning your approach, as this will help you avoid wasting time on trial and error and debugging. One way to plan your approach is to sketch the problem and the solution on paper or on a whiteboard. This will help you visualize the geometric aspects of the problem and the solution, as well as clarify the input and output formats. Additionally, breaking down the problem into smaller and simpler subproblems can help you focus on one aspect of the problem at a time and reuse existing solutions or algorithms if possible. Furthermore, choosing the appropriate data structures and algorithms for each subproblem can optimize the time and space complexity of your solution, while writing pseudocode or comments for each subproblem can help organize your thoughts and logic.

3 Code your solution

Once you have planned your approach, you can begin coding your solution. To ensure the readability, reliability, and robustness of your code, it is important to follow certain best practices. For example, using meaningful and consistent variable names and comments will help you keep track of the purpose and function of each variable and code segment. Additionally, using modular and structured code can help you avoid repetition and redundancy. If allowed, computational geometry libraries and tools can also be beneficial for quickly computing intersections, distances, angles, areas, or volumes. Lastly, testing your code on sample and edge cases can help you verify the correctness and completeness of your code and detect any errors or bugs.

4 Manage your time

Finally, managing your time wisely during the competition is key to success. Allocate your time according to the difficulty and value of each problem, and prioritize the ones you are more confident and comfortable with. Additionally, estimate the time required for each problem to set realistic goals, and use a timer or stopwatch to keep track of the time elapsed and the time remaining. Dividing your time into phases can help structure your workflow and focus on one task at a time. Reviewing your code and solutions can check for errors, inconsistencies, or improvements, boosting your chances of getting a correct and optimal solution. Computational geometry competitions can be challenging and stressful, but with these tips and strategies, you can manage the time pressure and perform well. Good luck and have fun!

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?