OPINION - Math Competitions

Okay, here's my research on math competitions. I know that we have SEVERAL students who love math.

Personally, I really like the 2nd option - MathCounts. Like Battle of the Books, this offers an opportunity for MANY students in CHSS to participate at the school level, and a chance for kids who want to participate, to compete to join a group of (up to eight of) CHSS's finest students to represent the school at the next level. If we could get a commitment from a coach and parent volunteers, we could go ahead and register for MATHCOUNTS Club (registration for the club is free), get materials (materials for the club are free), set up the club "meetings" as an extra-curricular activity, and still have some time before December 7th to get the coach's opinion on whether or not we can be competitive.

I will list and summarize these and then put more detail below.

1) MOEMS: Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools - www.moems.org SUMMARY: The deadline to enter was September 30th - not an option for this year - the fee is beween $89 and $99, and no travel is required. 6th, 7th and 8th grade may participate, although 6th grade participation is not recommended.

2) MATHCOUNTS - http://www.mathcounts.org/ SUMMARY: The deadline to register is December 7th, 2007. Up to eight students per school may compete (up to 4 team members and 4 individuals) from grades 6, 7 and 8. The competition registration fees are $80 per team (up to four students) and $20 per individual. Reduced fees of $40 per team and $10 per individual are available to Title I schools. School competitions generally take place in January; Chapter Competitions are in February, State Competitions are in March and the Lockheed Martin MATHCOUNTS National Competition is in May. Participation in MATHCOUNTS Club (and materials) is free, and there is not a limit to the students who can participate.

3) AMC: American Mathematics Competitions - http://www.unl.edu/amc/ SUMMARY: AMC 8 contests (more info below) are Tuesday, November 13, 2007. Registration is $33 until Oct. 14, $43 from Oct. 15-28, and $53 from Oct. 29-Nov. 6. There is a charge of approximately $2 per "contest" for each student. To add the Math Club Package, it's an additional $25. **This is the competition that feeds the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad

4) ARML: American Regions Math League - http://www.arml.com/ SUMMARY: I have included the information below, but think this is too cost-prohibitive. Plus, it's created for high school students and very few middle school students participate.

5) Math Kangaroo Competition - http://www.mathkangaroo.org/ SUMMARY: Competition is Thursday, March 27, 2008 at Lacey Elementary School in Raleigh (or any school, including CHSS, can apply to host a competition). Deadline to register is December 15th. Cost is $20 per student.

6) Math League - http://www.mathleague.com/ SUMMARY: Deadline is Jan. 31, 2008 to register. The contest date is in February (either the 19th or 26th). Registration is $30 (for each set of 30 participants).

1) Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS)

Rules, etc:
INFORMATION:
1. Fee Per Team: USA, Canadian, or Mexican Postal Code: US $89 ONLINE, $99 MAIL; All Other Foreign: US$125 ONLINE, $150 MAIL.
2. Credit Card Payment: MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express are accepted.
3. Foreign Payment: because of bank surcharges, only credit cards as listed above or International Money Orders or American Express Money Orders, payable to Math Olympiads, can be accepted. Checks drawn on foreign banks or foreign branches of domestic banks will be returned.
4. Each team may contain up to 35 students. All students must be enrolled as full-time in the same school.
5. No team may be in both divisions. Teams with any seventh or eighth grade students MUST be in Division M.
6. Team Letter: if a school enters more than one team, you may find it helpful to designate each team, using A, B, C, etc. Please complete a separate form for each team.
7. Make payment or P.O. payable to: Math Olympiads (2154 Bellmore Avenue; Bellmore, NY 11710-5645). Only U.S. dollars are acceptable. Enrollments cannot be completed online at this time
8. Please enroll by September 30. Refunds are granted only to schools that withdraw prior to October 1.
9. Membership is open to any accredited school or homeschool association that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, or gender in its educational program or employment practices. Membership is granted upon paying the annual membership fee for each team prior to the enrollment deadline.
10. For further information, call (866) 781-2411 or e-mail info@moems.org

Your school's math club meets weekly for an hour. Club members explore a topic or strategy in depth.
Choose from two grade-appropriate divisions.
· If a team has any 7th or 8th graders, it must be in the DIVISION M.
· If a team has NO 7th or 8th graders, we strongly recommend that it be in the DIVISION E.
· NO team may have any student who has completed grade 8.
· Teams may not be split between two divisions.

While younger students will be accepted into either division, we do not recommend it. Without proper support, younger students can easily become afraid of math, rather than excited by it.
The highlights for students are the five monthly contests, given from November to March. These contests provide an incentive for students to intensify their study of math. The number of contests reinforces learning to think mathematically. The contest dates are: DIVISION E - Nov. 20, Dec 11, Jan 15, Feb 5, March 4 and DIVISION M - Nov. 14, Dec 12, Jan 16, Feb 6, March 5

· Contests are taken in the participating school.
· Each contest consists of five nonroutine problems.
· Every problem requires careful mathematical thinking and has a time limit.
· Each student, working alone, scores 1 point for each correct answer. Thus, a student may score up to 25 points per year.
· Calculators are not permitted.
· When a problem introduces a more advanced concept, all necessary definitions are included.
· The detailed solution for each problem usually names the strategy required.
· Many solutions include follow-up problems and activities.

After each contest, results are submitted to us for scorekeeping. Our records will determine which awards are to be shipped after the last contest.

Each team has up to 35 students. Many schools have more than one team. Only schools or homeschool associations, not individuals, may participate. Each team competes in just one division. Teams from more than one school are called "District Teams" and are not eligible for team awards. The team score is the sum of the ten highest individual scores, taken after the fifth contest.

Awards: INDIVIDUAL:
Each participant receives a Certificate of Participation. The high scorer of each team receives a trophy. (Note: An Honorable Mention troply is also available for purchase.) Each of the top 50% of all participants in each division receives a handsome embroidered Olympiad patch. Each of the top 10% of all participants in each division receives a silver or gold pin. Each student who achieves a perfect score of 25 points receives a bronze medallion.

TEAM:
For each division, each team in the top 10% of all teams receives a plaque; the next 10%, a certificate. The grade level of a team is the highest grade level of any of its members. In Division E, special certificates are awarded to the top 20% of all Grade 5 Teams and also of all Grade 4 Teams. In Division M, a special certificate is awarded to the top 20% of all Grade 7 Teams.

2) MATHCOUNTS

MATHCOUNTS® is a national math enrichment, coaching & competition program that promotes middle school mathematics achievement in every U.S. state & territory. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, MATHCOUNTS is one of the most successful education partnerships involving volunteers, educators, industry sponsors & students.

Thousands of teachers use the free MATHCOUNTS curriculum materials to supplement classroom materials or as an extracurricular activity. Those wishing to fully capitalize on the ability of the creative MATHCOUNTS materials to challenge students & motivate them to develop strong math skills also participate in the MATHCOUNTS competition series.

Schools select students to compete individually or as part of a team in one of the more than 500 written & oral competitions held nationwide. Top students advance to the state, & ultimately, national level. MATHCOUNTS challenges students' math skills, develops their self-confidence & rewards them for their achievements.

Students enrolled in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade are eligible to participate in MATHCOUNTS competitions. Students taking middle school mathematics classes who are not full‑time 6th, 7th or 8th graders are not eligible. Participation in MATHCOUNTS competitions is limited to three years for each student though there is no limit to the number of years a student may participate in the school‑based coaching phase.

SCHOOL REGISTRATION: A school may register one team of four and up to four individuals for a total of eight participants. You must designate team members versus individuals prior to the start of the local (chapter) competition (i.e., a student registered as an "individual" may not help his/her school team advance to the next level of competition).

Why Participate in MATHCOUNTS

Each year, more than 500,000 students participate in MATHCOUNTS at the school level. They tell us that their experience as a Mathlete is often one of the most memorable and fun experiences of their middle school years. MATHCOUNTS provides students with the following benefits:

A challenging and fun activity that helps them in their math classes.
A chance to share common interests with new and often long-lasting friends.
An opportunity to meet students from other schools.
The experience of developing teamwork skills.
A chance to vie for scholarships and prizes.
A sense of accomplishment that comes from setting and achieving goals.
An opportunity to explore mathematics and mathematics-related careers.
A chance to explore mathematics that isn't always taught in middle school classrooms.

Club Program - MATHCOUNTS is pleased to launch the MATHCOUNTS Club Program to coincide with its 25th anniversary. This new program may be used by schools as a stand-alone program or incorporated into the student preparation for the MATHCOUNTS competition.

What is it? The MATHCOUNTS Club Program provides schools with the structure and activities to hold regular meetings of a math club. Depending on the level of student and teacher involvement, a school may receive a recognition plaque or banner and be entered into a drawing for prizes.

What Resources do Schools Receive?
Schools participating in the Club Program will receive the Club in a Box resource kit, as well as the 2007-2008 School Handbook, Volume II. Among other items, the kit includes:
- Further details on the club program
- Club Resource Guide, which outlines structured club activities
- First monthly math challenge
- Poster and hands-on activity
- 12 MATHCOUNTS pencils
- MATHCOUNTS lapel pin for the coach.
Additionally, five other monthly math challenges and an Ultimate Math Challenge will be made available online for use by math club students.

3) American Mathematics Competitions

The AMC 8
The AMC 8 is a 25 question, 40 minute multiple choice examination in junior high school (middle school) mathematics designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem solving skills. The examination provides an opportunity to apply the concepts taught at the junior high level to problems which not only range from easy to difficult but also cover a wide range of applications. Many problems are designed to challenge students and to offer problem solving experiences beyond those provided in most junior high school mathematics classes. Calculators are allowed. High scoring students are invited to participate in the AMC 10.
A special purpose of the AMC 8 is to demonstrate the broad range of topics available for the junior high school mathematics curriculum. This is done by competencies. The AMC 8 has the potential to increase the perceptions of the importance of problem solving activities in the mathematics curriculum by stimulating these activities both preceding and following the examination —specifically by studying the solutions manual.

Additional purposes of the AMC 8 are to promote excitement, enthusiasm and positive attitudes towards mathematics and to stimulate interest in continuing the study of mathematics beyond the minimum required for high school graduation. Developmentally, junior high school students are at a point where attitudes toward school and learning, and perceptions of themselves as learners of mathematics are solidified. It is important that they be provided opportunities that foster the development of positive attitudes towards mathematics and positive perceptions of themselves as learners of mathematics. The AMC 8 provides one such opportunity.

We encourage all students in grades 6, 7 and 8 to participate in the AMC 8. All USA, USA embassy, Canadian and foreign school students in grade 8 or below are eligible to participate.

AMC 8 Intramural Awards
A Certificate of Distinction is given to all students who receive a perfect score.
An AMC 8 Winner Pin is given to the student(s) in each school with the highest score.
The top three students for each school section will receive respectively a gold, silver, or bronze Certificate for Outstanding Achievement.
An AMC 8 Honor Roll Certificate is given to all high scoring students.
An AMC 8 Merit Certificate is given to high scoring students who are in 6th grade or below.
The members of the Committee on the American Mathematics Competitions (CAMC) are dedicated to the goal of strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation's youth. The CAMC believes that one way to meet this goal is to identify, recognize and reward excellence in mathematics through a series of national contests called the American Mathematics Competitions. The AMC include: the American Mathematics Contest 8 (AMC 8) (formerly the American Junior High School Mathematics Examination) for students in grades 8 and below, begun in 1985; the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10), for students in grades 10 and below, new in 2000; the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) (formerly the American High School Mathematics Examination) for students in grades 12 and below, begun in 1950; the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), begun in 1983; and the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), begun in 1972.

4) ARML: American Regions Math League

ARML FAQs
Q: How many students per team?
A: There are 15 students per team.
Q: How many teams can be brought to a competition?
A: As many as you wish BUT you will need two coaches per team.
Q: Where are the three sites?
A: Penn State University, PA; University of Iowa, University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Q: What are the costs associated with the competitions?
A1: $300 per team and a fee for room and board at the competition ($55/person in 2007). There is a
fee for staying an extra night ($17/night in 2006).
A2: For a team competing for the first time, the $300 registration fee is waived.
A3: Coaches must pay all team fees before the start of the competition.
Q: How is a team selected?
A1: There are a number of ways and here are a few suggestions:
1. Have an open tryout and provide individual style questions.
2. Invite high scorers from your mathematics leagues.
3. Use individual scores from statewide competitions.
4. Use the results of the AMC, AIME, USAMO competitions.
5. Recommendations from other coaches in the state.
6. After an initial tryout, select more than 15 students and have repeated practices to
determine the better mathematics students.
A2: Coaches may contact the MAA at amcinfo@unl.edu to obtain the AMC, AIME
individual scores for their state.
A3: The ARML By-Laws specify that each team shall consist of 15 students that are currently
enrolled at a level no higher than the 12th grade. In addition, each team must draw its
students from a well-defined geographic area. No two teams can draw students from
overlapping areas.
Q: How many competition rounds are there?
A: There are 4 rounds. In order they are: Team, Power, Individual, and Relay. At the western site, the
Team and Power are done on Friday night. At the other sites, all rounds take place on Saturday.
Q: How will teams be arranged for each round?
A: The Team and Power rounds are seated by teams. In the Individual and Relay
rounds the team members are seated in rows or columns.
Q: How many minutes for each round?
A: Each round is different:
1. In the Team round each team is given 20 minutes to answer 10 problems.
2. In the Power round the team has 1 hour.
3. In the Individual round the participants are given 4 sets of problems. Each set has 2
problems and the players are given 10 minutes for each set. Thus the Individual round is 40
minutes.
4. In the Relay round the team is divided into 5 smaller teams of 3 players each. Answers are
submitted to the proctor in 6 minute intervals. The problems are in sets of 3 (one per
student). There are 2 relay questions.
Q: How are the 4 rounds graded?
A: The Team, Individual and Relay are by correct answer only. The power round may
require a complete solution with justification or a mathematical proof.
Q: When do you start practicing; how often; how long?
A: As soon as you select a team or have the candidates for a team. Much depends on the
location of the team and the geographic area that the players are coming from.
Practices can be weekly, monthly or something in between and range in time from one to 4 hours.
It may be necessary to do some practice by mail or email. As
you approach the competition date, it may be necessary to change the frequency of
meeting or increase the practice time.
Q: What training practices have been found to be effective?
A: Most teams practice using previous ARML contests or something similar and they
practice all 4 rounds. A number of teams teach topics such as Number Theory,
Geometry and other advanced topics.
Q: How do you practice Relay questions?
A: Some coaches place the top students on one team. Others spread out the top students
among the 5 teams. If you have found a better way, please let the board know.
Q: If we fly to the site, how do we get to the campus?
A: Usually, it is up to the team to arrange for transportation from the airport to the
college. If you have difficulty arranging transportation, contact the Site Director for
assistance.
Q: A student on my team wants to take the SAT’s and the date is the same as the ARML
Competition, is there an Alternative Testing Date?
A. Yes, there is. Go to the ARML Home Page and click on the SAT Information Link
Q: How does the coach arrange for the money to pay all team and student costs?
A: Some teams have sponsors but most teams receive cost of student fees from their school. Many
parents pay their child fees.
Q: How do I arrange travel plans?
A: Most teams travel by tour buses, others by car, and a few fly to the sites. All travel costs,
team fees, and student costs must be included in the price you request from each student.
Edited: Feburary 20, 2007

5) Math Kangaroo Competition

All students from grades 2 - 12 of any national or ethnic origin are invited to participate in Math Kangaroo in USA.
The objective is to motivate students to learn and master mathematics.
We encourage participation of students from public schools, private schools and those who are home schooled.
All schools and communities in USA are welcome to host Math Kangaroo.
The competition problems are selected by International Committee every year in a different country and students solve the same problems worldwide.
There are eleven levels of participation: level of grade 2, level of grade 3, level of grade 4, ... and so on until level of grade 12.
Students participate at their school level or at a higher level (if they attend accelerated math programs at their schools).
The competition has a form of a multiple choice test. (You may see past Kangaroo problems at this site.
At each level of participation the first prize is awarded to the student who earns the largest sum of points at her/his level of participation in the competition nationally in USA. If more than one student earns the highest number of points, there are more than one students placed first. Likewise the second and the consecutive prizes are awarded at each level of participation. 10 places are recognized at each level of participation in USA. Additional prizes are funded provided resources are available.
The competition questions are selected by Math Kangaroo representatives from all participating countries who meet at their annual conference each fall.
If a student is awarded with the first prize (or second, etc ) at a certain level of participation, it means he/she is first (or second, etc) nationally in USA.
In USA we award all participants and inform schools and public about students participating in Math Kangaroo.
The prizes are funded with money from participation fee and by sponsors.
We recognize students for their achievement but we do not compare schools' results, states' results and we do not report results to other countries.
We are a not for profit organization who has been awarded 501(c)3 status by IRS.

grades V & VI
The duration of the competition is about 75 min.
Thirty problems to solve: 10 – 3 points each, 10 – 4 points each, 10 – 5 points each.
Calculators are not allowed. You may use basic geometric tools.
Scope of problems:
addition, subtraction, multiplication, division; magic squares; fractions and decimals; a clock, a calendar; perimeter of a polygon; area of a rectangle and a triangle; lines and rays on a surface; a cube, a rectangular solid; acute, right, and obtuse angles; mathematical logic.

grades VII & VIII
The duration of the competition is about 75 min.
Thirty problems to solve: 10 – 3 points each, 10 – 4 points each, 10 – 5 points each.
Calculators are not allowed. You may use basic geometric tools.
Scope of problems:
operations on rational numbers; powers of natural numbers; equations, inequalities and systems of linear equtions; area of a rectangle, a triangle and a circle; lines and rays on a surface; volume and lateral of surface area of geometric figures; angles: acute, right, and obtuse; supplementary angles, sum of angles in a triangle and in a quadrilateral; mathematical logic.

What is the responsibility of the hosting school/organization/church?
•to devote about 2 hours on the Kangaroo Day in the afternoon or evening (the test lasts 75 minutes);
•to inform students that registration takes place on Internet or by mail with our fliers;
•to receive the competition material for each registered student (we send the material in advance);
•to make sure the students work independently in the designated time;
•to mail the answer forms on Friday after the test, back to the Kangaroo Center in Lisle, IL (the questions stay with the participants);
•to receive and distribute diplomas and prizes in May.
Why students like to participate:
Certificates of Participation for all participants;
Math Kangaroo in USA t-shirts for all participants;
Some souvenirs/prizes for all participants ;
Certificates of Excellence and prizes for the top winners: about 20-25% of all the participants.

What is the cost of participation in Math Kangaroo in USA?
The participation fee for Math Kangaroo 2007was $20 for a student. Parents pay the fee, sometimes schools, or local sponsors.

6) Math League

Math League's 6th, 7th, and 8th grade contests challenge students and schools in interschool league competitions. Students in each league compete for the highest scores, while schools compete for the highest team score: the total of the top 5 scores in each school. Each contest's questions cover material appropriate to each grade level. Questions may cover: basic topics, plus exponents, fractions, reciprocals, decimals, rates, ratios, percents, angle measurement, perimeter, area, circumference, basic roots, patterns, sequences, integers, triangles and right triangles, and other topics, depending on the grade level. Detailed solution sheets demonstrate the methods used to solve each problem. These contests encourage a variety of problem-solving skills and methods, to improve students' abilities and understanding of mathematical connections, while having fun!

Contest Format: Each contest consists of 40 multiple-choice questions that you can do in 30 minutes. On each 3-page contest, the questions on the 1st page are generally straightforward, those on the 2nd page are moderate in difficulty, and those on the 3rd page are more difficult. There is a 6th Grade Score Report, and a 7th and 8th Grade Score Report sent to schools in each league after the contest.

Q:I teach a 6th grade student who is doing 7th grade math. In which contest should this student participate?
A: A student may participate officially in only one of the contests for grades 6, 7, and 8. A 6th grade student taking 7th grade math may participate officially in either the 6th Grade Contest or the 7th Grade Contest, but not both. In this case, the choice of contest is not made by us: it's made by you and/or your student.

Q:We only have 1 or 2 students in our school interested in these contests. May we participate?
A:There is no minimum number of students required to participate in any of these contests.

Q:Our school wants to participate but we do not want our scores listed. May we participate on an unofficial basis?
A:Any school may choose to be an unofficial participant in the contests. Unofficial schools receive the same materials as official schools, but are not eligible for plaques. For grades 6, 7, and 8, only high scoring schools and students are listed on the score report summary published by the League. For high schools, the scores of all schools are listed in the score report summary unless a school requests not to be listed.