Merced College held its twelfth annual siege weapons contest Wednesday.
The goal is to launch a basketball as far as possible. Every team that fires the ball at least 15 meters gets an A on the project.
The students are not allowed to use springs, elastic, or electricity, only tension and counterweights. Their professor says it's the perfect way to show calculus and physics in action.
The contest has now become a favorite annual event for many spectators who fill the soccer practice field to see just how far the basketballs will fly.