Preparing Young Mathematicians Through Math Competitions

Fenqjen LuoAmy Chou

Montana State University

MCTM ConferenceMissoula, Montana

Friday, October 21, 2011

Why Math Contests?

Math contests spark students to become interested in math outside the classroom textbook.

They encourage students to explore beyond the usual sequence of studies in math ( Prealgebra, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Precalculus...).

It's fun! Kids like to turn everything into a game. Math included.

Available to Grade 6 – 8. Club and Competitions programs ranging from school to

national levels. Consists of o Sprint Round (30 Questions, 40 Minutes)o Target Round (4 sets of 2 questions, 6 minutes per set)o Team Round (10 questions given to a four person team)o Countdown Round (Fast-paced Jeopardy style Buzzer

Round)

https://mathcounts.org/

Jean-Guy Béliveau, P.E. MATHCOUNTS Scholarship  The Jean-Guy Béliveau, P.E. MATHCOUNTS Scholarship is awarded annually to a high school senior who formerly participated as a competitor in the MATHCOUNTS program and who has been accepted into an ABET-accredited engineering program at a four-year college or university.The scholarship is awarded in one disbursement of $3,000.A.Eligibility RequirementsApplicant must be a graduating high school senior who:

• participated as part of MATHCOUNTS in middle school, • has been accepted into an 

ABET-accredited engineering program at a four-year college or university.

National Rank: 35 Coach: Jeffs, Amzi

2010-2011 MATHCOUNTS State Sprint Round

Rose was making $45,000 per year. She received a 10% raise tip. Later in the year, the company started losing money and reduced all salaries by 10%. Rose said, “I’m making less money than last year.” Is her thinking correct? Tell why using numerical evidence.

Rose was making $45,000 per year. She received a 10% raise tip. Later in the year, the company started losing money and reduced all salaries by 10%. Rose said, “I’m making less money than last year.” Is her thinking correct? Tell why using numerical evidence. (Textbook, p. 307)

• Art of Problem Solvinghttp://www.artofproblemsolving.com/

American Mathematics Competitionshttp://amc.maa.org/

American Mathematics Competitions - “AMC” — Mail-in contest divided into different levels.

AMC 8 (Eighth Grade or Below) – 25 question, 40 minute test administered in November

AMC 10/12 — 25 question, 75 minute test administered twice in February. Covers high school math topics up to Precalculus.

American Mathematics Competitionshttp://amc.maa.org/

• College applications (e.g., MIT)• Math Prize for Girls

http://mathprize.atfoundation.org/index

Be a part of this exciting challenge and become a leader of tomorrow!

American Regional Mathematics Leaguehttp://www.arml.com/

National level contest taken during the first week of June at four sites: University of Las Vegas, University of Pennsylvania, the University of Iowa, and the University of Georgia.

Each team comprises fifteen members from the same region. The size of each “region” varies— it ranges from a school to the entire midwest!

Contest includes a team round, power round, individual round, and relay round.

American Regional Mathematics Leaguehttp://www.arml.com/

http://www.davidsongifted.org/

Davidson Young Scholars

What topics are covered in middle school math competitions?

Algebra Geometry Topics in Discrete Math

Number Theory Combinatorics (Counting and Probability) Set Theory/ Logic Graph Theory

2011 AMC 10B #8

Example of a Logic Problem

2011 AMC 10B #8

Example of a Logic Problem