High School National Championship Tournament Distribution


This is the template distribution used by NAQT for its 2009-2010 High School National Championship Tournament (HSNCT). The only difference between actual packet sets' distributions and this template is that in each category (not only the innermost categories) at most one question may be shifted from tossup to bonus (or vice versa). For instance, if a category is listed as 0/1 here, it does not mean that every packet set will have a bonus and no set will have a tossup; it will be split approximately 50-50 based on the random number that "salts" the distribution for each packet set.

Category Name Weights Per Packet Set Per Packet
Root26 676 / 676 26.0 / 26.0
Literature105 131 / 127 5.0 / 4.9
    Myth/Religion15 20 / 20 0.8 / 0.8
        Mythology2 13 / 14 0.5 / 0.5
            Classical_Myth60 9 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
            Norse_Myth10 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
            Egyptian_Myth5 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Nonclassical_Myth15 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        Religious_Literature1 7 / 6 0.3 / 0.2
            Christian_Literature1 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
            Non_Christian_Literature1 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
    English_Literature56 76 / 73 2.9 / 2.8
        American_Literature50 38 / 37 1.5 / 1.4
        British_Lit50 38 / 36 1.5 / 1.4
    European_Literature16 21 / 21 0.8 / 0.8
    World_Literature5 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
    Misc_Literature5 7 / 6 0.3 / 0.2
Science125 156 / 151 6.0 / 5.8
    Physics22 29 / 28 1.1 / 1.1
    Astronomy7 9 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
        Astronomy_Non_Solar_System1 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
        Astronomy_Misc2 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
    Biology22 29 / 28 1.1 / 1.1
        Anatomy_Medicine_Biology25 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
        Cell_Molecular_Biology25 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
        Organismal_Population_Biology25 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
        Non_Medicine_Biology15 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
        Miscellaneous_Biology10 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
    Chemistry22 29 / 28 1.1 / 1.1
        Chemistry_Non_Element2 19 / 19 0.7 / 0.7
        Chemistry_Misc1 10 / 9 0.4 / 0.3
    Math22 28 / 28 1.1 / 1.1
    Computer_Science4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    Earth_Science5 7 / 6 0.3 / 0.2
    Technology5 7 / 6 0.3 / 0.2
    Misc_Science10 13 / 13 0.5 / 0.5
Fine_Arts35 44 / 42 1.7 / 1.6
    Visual38 21 / 20 0.8 / 0.8
        Painting12 11 / 11 0.4 / 0.4
        Architecture4 4 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
        Sculpture4 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
        Visual_Other2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    Music26 14 / 14 0.5 / 0.5
        Composers_Works12 10 / 11 0.4 / 0.4
        Instruments_Theory_Performers3 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        Misc_Music1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
    Performance10 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
        Opera100 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
        Dance5 0 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
        Theater5 0 / 0 0.0 / 0.0
        Misc_Performance10 1 / 0 0.0 / 0.0
    Misc_Fine_Arts6 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
History105 131 / 127 5.0 / 4.9
    American_History40 49 / 47 1.9 / 1.8
        American_Military_History7 9 / 8 0.3 / 0.3
        American_Govt_History17 20 / 20 0.8 / 0.8
        American_Social_History12 15 / 14 0.6 / 0.5
        American_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    European_History23 28 / 27 1.1 / 1.0
        British_History8 12 / 11 0.5 / 0.4
        French_History3 5 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
        Russian_History3 4 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
        German_History3 4 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
        Italian_History2 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
    World_History18 22 / 21 0.8 / 0.8
        Asian_History8 10 / 9 0.4 / 0.3
            Chinese_History1 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
            Japanese_History1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Indian_History1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Middle_Eastern_History1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Misc_Asian_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
        Africa_History2 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        South_American_History2 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
        North_American_History6 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
            Mexican_History2 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
            Canadian_History2 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
            Other_North_America2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    Ancient_History8 10 / 9 0.4 / 0.3
        Ancient_Greece_History2 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
        Ancient_Rome_History3 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
        Ancient_History_Non_Classical3 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
    Religious_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    Exploration_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    Misc_Europe_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    Non_America_Non_Europe_History2 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
    Misc_History4 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
Geography43 53 / 52 2.0 / 2.0
    North_American_Geography30 16 / 16 0.6 / 0.6
    World_Geography70 37 / 36 1.4 / 1.4
        European_Geography25 9 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
        Asian_Geography30 11 / 11 0.4 / 0.4
        African_Geography20 7 / 8 0.3 / 0.3
        South_American_Geography10 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
        Misc_World_Geography15 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
PC_Sports40 50 / 48 1.9 / 1.8
    Sports33 16 / 16 0.6 / 0.6
        Major_Sport12 8 / 9 0.3 / 0.3
            Baseball2 2 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
                Baseball_Modern10 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
                Baseball_Any_Time10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Football2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                Football_Modern10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                Football_Any_Time10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Basketball2 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
                Basketball_Modern10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
                Basketball_Any_Time10 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Hockey1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
            Soccer1 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
        Minor_Sport5 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
            Minor_Sport_Modern2 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
            Minor_Sport_Any_Time3 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        Misc_Sports6 4 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
            Misc_Sports_Modern1 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
            Misc_Sports_Any_Time1 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    Pop_Culture67 34 / 32 1.3 / 1.2
        PC_TV18 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
            PC_TV_Modern1 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
            PC_TV_Any_Time1 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.2
        PC_Music18 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
            PC_Music_Modern1 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
            PC_Music_Any_Time1 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.2
        PC_Film18 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
            PC_Film_Modern1 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
            PC_Film_Any_Time1 3 / 4 0.1 / 0.2
        PC_Computer_Games4 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
        PC_Broadway4 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
        PC_Comics2 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
        PC_Other8 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
            PC_Other_Modern4 2 / 1 0.1 / 0.0
            PC_Other_Any_Time4 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
        PC_Misc12 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
Social_Science15 19 / 18 0.7 / 0.7
    Anthropology_Sociology16 4 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
    Archaeology8 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    Economics16 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
    Government8 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    Jurisprudence4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
    Political_Phil4 1 / 1 0.0 / 0.0
    Psychology16 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
    Misc_Social_Science6 1 / 2 0.0 / 0.1
Theo_Phil10 12 / 12 0.5 / 0.5
    Theology40 5 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    Philosophy60 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
        Philosophy_Pre_180030 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        Philosophy_Post_180030 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
        Philosophy_Misc40 3 / 3 0.1 / 0.1
Current_Events40 50 / 48 1.9 / 1.8
    CE_Business5 2 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
    CE_Science10 4 / 4 0.2 / 0.2
    US_CE50 22 / 21 0.8 / 0.8
        US_CE_Political36 10 / 10 0.4 / 0.4
        US_CE_Social22 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2
        US_CE_Misc20 6 / 5 0.2 / 0.2
    World_CE50 22 / 21 0.8 / 0.8
        World_CE_Political45 11 / 11 0.4 / 0.4
        World_CE_Social15 4 / 3 0.2 / 0.1
        World_CE_Misc30 7 / 7 0.3 / 0.3
Foreign_Language2 3 / 2 0.1 / 0.1
Miscellaneous22 / 40 27 / 49 1.0 / 1.9
    Mixed18 / 35 21 / 43 0.8 / 1.7
        Mixed_Pure_Academic10 / 21 11 / 26 0.4 / 1.0
        Mixed_Impure_Academic8 / 14 10 / 17 0.4 / 0.7
    Mixed_or_GK5 6 / 6 0.2 / 0.2

The weights column gives the numerical weights associated with each category; these are relative to the weights of sibling categories. If, for instance, a category had two children, one with weight 2 and the other with weight 3, then the first would receive 40% of questions (2/(2+3)) and the second would receive 60%. If two weights are specified, then tossups and bonuses are treated differently.

The per packet set column shows the total number of tossups and bonuses in that category for the entire set.

The per packet column shows the per packet set numbers divided by the number of packets in the set. The total number of tossups in this category in a single packet will be this number either rounded up or down; the bonuses follow a similar constraint. In addition, a single packet set will never have a packet in which both of those numbers are rounded up and another in which both of those numbers are rounded down.