Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle School Students

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1 Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle School Students Confratute 2018 Pam Peters University of Connecticut Giftedness, Creativity, & Talent Development Doctoral Student- gifted education/talent development and research methods/measurement Parent of 2 gifted children Enrichment cluster leader/math team coach Consultant with school districts/parents 1

2 Pam Peters University of Connecticut Giftedness, Creativity, & Talent Development th grade son who had just skipped 3rd grade No accelerated or challenging math options Other schools in district offered Math Olympiad Introduced it at my school and it took off Positive Effects Students - Handled more difficult math concepts It was the only challenging math we had in elementary school. - Learned problem solving strategies - Gained confidence - Identified as Lietz Mathletes Teachers, Staff, & Parents - Developed higher expectations - Adopted some of the strategy language - Noticed that different students were excelling - Involved themselves in planning and supporting the team 2

3 First Year: Problem Solving Strategies Drawing a picture or diagram Making an organized list Making a table Solving a simpler related problem Finding a pattern Guessing and checking First Year: Problem Solving Strategies 3

4 Drawing a picture or diagram Making an organized list Making a table Solving a simpler related problem Finding a pattern Guessing and checking Experimenting Acting out the problem Working backwards Writing an equation Changing your point of view First Year: Problem Solving Strategies How many tournament games will the champion have to play if there are 16 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament? Making cuts across the diameter, a lumberjack can cut a log into 4 pieces in 12 minutes. How long would it take to cut a log of the same size and shape into 6 pieces? Strategy: Drawing a Picture or Diagram 4

5 How many tournament games will the champion have to play if there are 16 teams competing in a single-elimination tournament? Answer: 4 Making cuts across the diameter, a lumberjack can cut a log into 4 pieces in 12 minutes. How long would it take to cut a log of the same size and shape into 6 pieces? Answer: 20 minutes Strategy: Drawing a Picture or Diagram Sixteen toothpicks are arranged as shown. Remove four toothpicks so that exactly four congruent triangles remain. Strategy: Experimentation 5

6 Strategy: Experimentation Moving two adjacent coins at a time, rearrange the top row to look like the bottom row in exactly four moves. The coins you move must stay together and remain in the same order. Strategy: Experimentation 6

7 Second Year: Math Topics Number Patterns Factors and Multipliers Divisibility Fractions Second Year: Math Topics 7

8 Number Patterns Factors and Multipliers Divisibility Fractions Geometry and Measurement Trains, Books, Clocks, and Things Logic Second Year: Math Topics Elementary Admission to the local movie theater is $3 for each child and $7 for each adult. A group of 12 people pay $64 admission. How many children are included in this group? -6 minutes- 8

9 Elementary Answer: 5 children Strategy: start with all adults ($84) or start with all children ($36) then figure the difference Admission to the local movie theater is $3 for each child and $7 for each adult. A group of 12 people pay $64 admission. How many children are included in this group? -6 minutes- Elementary Answer: 5 children Strategy: start with all adults ($84) or start with all children ($36) then figure the difference Stats: 60% of all students answered this question correctly. Admission to the local movie theater is $3 for each child and $7 for each adult. A group of 12 people pay $64 admission. How many children are included in this group? -6 minutes- 9

10 Elementary What is the value of the following, in simplest terms? (20 x 24 x 28 x 32) (10 x 12 x 14 x 16) -3 minutes- Elementary Answer: 16 Strategy 1: do the math Strategy 2: format as a fraction, then reduce to 2x2x2x2=16 What is the value of the following, in simplest terms? (20 x 24 x 28 x 32) (10 x 12 x 14 x 16) -3 minutes- 10

11 Elementary Answer: 16 Strategy 1: do the math Strategy 2: format as a fraction, then reduce to 2x2x2x2=16 What is the value of the following, in simplest terms? (20 x 24 x 28 x 32) (10 x 12 x 14 x 16) -3 minutes- Stats: 11% of all students answered this correctly Middle School A quart of milk can feed either 6 cats or 10 kittens. Suppose there are 3 quarts of milk and 15 cats. After all the cats are fed, how many kittens can be fed with the leftover milk? -4 minutes- 11

12 Middle School Answer: 5 kittens Strategy: Feed the cats first. A quart of milk can feed either 6 cats or 10 kittens. Suppose there are 3 quarts of milk and 15 cats. After all the cats are fed, how many kittens can be fed with the leftover milk? -4 minutes- Middle School Answer: 5 kittens Strategy: Feed the cats first. Stats: 66% of all students answered this correctly A quart of milk can feed either 6 cats or 10 kittens. Suppose there are 3 quarts of milk and 15 cats. After all the cats are fed, how many kittens can be fed with the leftover milk? -4 minutes- 12

13 How does the program work? - 1x per week, after school or during class - 1 test per month, November-March - Tests taken at school - Submit scores to MOEMS - Access statistics - Prizes at end of the season: highest score and more $

14 Questions? 14