MathCounts

= = =[|*****All About MathCounts Site]= = = =**Cullman Middle School MathCounts Team**=

*STATE MATH COUNTS Results
Drake - 27th Christina - 31st Nicholas - 42nd Bryant - results later Aimee - results later**
 * Leigh Marie - 5th place in state - 4th in countdown round

__**TEAM Results**__
Baldwin - 2nd Pizitz - 3rd**
 * Challenger - 1st

**Cullman - 4th (First year and fourth in the state - great job!)**
Other schools participating: Auburn Holy Spirit Montgomery Catholic Randolph Northside Wacooche D. A. Smith Florence Liberty Muscle Shoals Northside Methodist Phillips Preparatory St. Mary's Simmons**
 * ASFA - 5th

State MathCounts Agenda at bottom of page.
== MATHCOUNTS is the only international math competition for seventh and eighth graders. Students must learn and apply course content ranging from pre-algebra to algebra II topics. A four-person tournament team is chosen to represent Cullman Middle School. District competition is held on February 13 at Berry Middle School with the top two teams and top two individuals advancing to the state competition held on March 27 at Faulkner University in Montgomery. If we are one of the top two teams, we will go down on Friday and spend the night in Montgomery. Registration will be at 8:30 on Saturday, March 27. The top four individuals at state will represent the state of Alabama at the national competition in Orlando May 6 - 9. == == Outstanding seventh or eighth grade Math Team members are invited to join MATHCOUNTS. Based on grades, practice and math team competitions, the team will be chosen. A team of four eighth graders and two seventh graders will be chosen for district competition (4 from the 6 will compete) but anyone can come to MATHCOUNTS practices. ==


 * __MathCounts meets every Friday from 3 - 4:30 pm in Mrs. Sellers room.__

Jan. 15 - Sprint Round, Target Round, Team Rounds**

**Jan. 22 - School Competition**
Leigh Marie 1st place with 100% of Sprint Problems with 30 12 out of 16 Target Points
 * Sprint Round and Target Round

Christina Oanca and Nicholas Fillinger - 20 Sprint Problems

Drake Hollingsworth - 19 sprint Problems

Jan. 29 - Countdown Round - Leigh Marie 1st place

__MathCounts__ __Participants__** Christina Oanca - Team Drake Hollingsworth - Team** Aimee Forrester Tyler South Bryant Kelley Claire Lindsey Molly McLeroy
 * Leigh Marie Braswell - Team
 * Nicholas Fillinger - Team**


 * Jan. 29 - Countdown Round

Feb. 5 - Sprint Round - Team Round Great job on the team round today (9 out of 10 is good). Remember to go to the Official MathCounts site this week and work problems from the Students and Alumni link. All of you did a great job today.

Feb. 13 - Chapter MathCounts at Berry Middle School. We will leave from CMS at 6 am, eat on Walker's Chapel Road and proceed to Berry Middle School. We will need a couple of parents to drive. Team members include: Leigh Marie, Christina, Drake and Nicholas. Alternates are Aimee and Bryant. Molly, Tyler and Claire have also done a great job at practices. We look foward to Drake, Nicholas, Molly and Claire as MathCounts leaders next year. Anytime any of the 7th graders can get on the website and practice problems, that will only make us stronger for next year. The problems are also good practice for your ACT and SAT college tests in high school.

Directions to Berry Middle School:** Berry Middle School 4500 Jaguar Drive Hoover, AL 35242 Phone: 205-439-2000 Fax: 205-439-2001

Traveling north on I-459, take exit 15 onto Interstate 65 South. On I-65 proceed to exit 247 (Valleydale Road). Turn left on Valleydale Road and continue for approximately 5 ½ miles, passing Caldwell Mill Road and Jefferson State Community College (Scrushy Campus). Turn left at Jaguar Drive. At the stop sign turn right and follow Jaguar Drive until you see Berry Middle School on the right. Visitor parking is in the front and on the side of the school.

Birmingham Chapter - Feb. 13 at Berry Middle School
Rudd Middle School Berry Middle School Simmons Middle School Irondale Middle School Mt. Brook Junior High School Liberty Park Middle School Bumpus Middle School Our Lady of the Valley School Oak Park Middle School Altamont School Top three teams will travel by private vehicles to Montgomery for state competition on March 27 at Faulkner University. The team will stay at the Renaissance Hotel on March 26.
 * Cullman Middle School - THIRD**
 * Pizitz Middle School - **SECOND**
 * Alabama School of Fine Arts - **FIRST**

Directions from ** Renaissance to Faulkner ** - about 15 minutes.
Through the RSA rate the 3 rooms are only $99 each for the students: Bryant, Nicholas and Drake / Christina, Leigh Marie and Aimee / Mrs. Sellers A parent is welcome to stay with Mrs. Sellers. Just send an e-mail.
 * || . || Start out going NORTHEAST on  TALLAPOOSA ST   toward   COMMERCE ST   . ||> 0.0 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_right_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 2. ||  Turn RIGHT onto   COMMERCE ST   . ||> 0.1 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_left_sm.gif]] ||  || 3. ||  Turn LEFT onto   BIBB ST   . ||> 0.1 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_straight_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 4. ||    BIBB ST   becomes   MADISON AVE   . ||> 2.2 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_straight_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 5. ||    MADISON AVE   becomes   ATLANTA HWY / JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY   . ||> 3.4 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_uturn_left_sm.gif]] ||  || 6. ||  Make a U-TURN at   E EAGLE DR   onto   ATLANTA HWY / JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY   . ||> 0.0 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/icon-dirs-end_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 7. ||    5345 ATLANTA HWY  is on the RIGHT  . ||>   || Map | Avoid ||   ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_straight_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 5. ||    MADISON AVE   becomes   ATLANTA HWY / JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY   . ||> 3.4 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_uturn_left_sm.gif]] ||  || 6. ||  Make a U-TURN at   E EAGLE DR   onto   ATLANTA HWY / JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY   . ||> 0.0 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/icon-dirs-end_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 7. ||    5345 ATLANTA HWY  is on the RIGHT  . ||>   || Map | Avoid ||   ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/rs_uturn_left_sm.gif]] ||  || 6. ||  Make a U-TURN at   E EAGLE DR   onto   ATLANTA HWY / JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY   . ||> 0.0 mi || Map | Avoid ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/icon-dirs-end_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 7. ||    5345 ATLANTA HWY  is on the RIGHT  . ||>   || Map | Avoid ||   ||
 * || [[image:http://content.mqcdn.com/dotcom-release51b-1/cdn/dotcom/images/roadsigns/icon-dirs-end_sm.gif width="32" height="32"]] ||  || 7. ||    5345 ATLANTA HWY  is on the RIGHT  . ||>   || Map | Avoid ||   ||

Agenda for State Math Counts at Faulkner University in Montgomery (March 17)

 * 2010 State Mathcounts Competition ||
 * Faulkner University, Montgomery Alabama ||
 * Saturday, March 27, 2010 ||
 * || 8:15 || 9:00 || Registration ||
 * || 9:00 || 9:10 || Greeting and Instructions ||
 * || 9:10 || 10:00 || Sprint Round ||
 * || 10:00 || 10:10 || Break ||
 * || 10:15 || 11:00 || Target Round ||
 * || 11:00 || 11:10 || Break ||
 * || 11:15 || 11:45 || Team Round ||
 * || 11:45 || 12:30 || Lunch ||
 * || 12:45 || 13:15 || Countdown Round ||
 * || 13:15 ||  || Awards and Photos ||
 * || 11:00 || 11:10 || Break ||
 * || 11:15 || 11:45 || Team Round ||
 * || 11:45 || 12:30 || Lunch ||
 * || 12:45 || 13:15 || Countdown Round ||
 * || 13:15 ||  || Awards and Photos ||
 * || 11:45 || 12:30 || Lunch ||
 * || 12:45 || 13:15 || Countdown Round ||
 * || 13:15 ||  || Awards and Photos ||
 * || 13:15 ||  || Awards and Photos ||
 * || 13:15 ||  || Awards and Photos ||

National MathCounts - May 6-9 in Orlando (You can be one of the 4 that go to Orlando if you study, work problems, and know your formulas)
[|Official MathCounts Site]

[|The Art of Problem Solving]

=How to Prepare for Math Counts by Matthew Crawford= Recently, several parents of MIST Academy students have asked me to give study advice to their children to help them prepare for the upcoming state MATHCOUNTS competition. For those not familiar with MATHCOUNTS, many educators (myself included) consider MATHCOUNTS to be the premier middle school problem solving program. In fact, I build a considerable number of my Introductory Problem Solving class lessons with the MATHCOUNTS curriculum in mind. As a student, I enjoyed considerable success at the national MATHCOUNTS competition. Each year I participated I missed no problems or one problem. Yet I still find giving advice as to how to prepare for MATHCOUNTS difficult. Most of the important advice I want to give is the same advice I give during any given class as to how to study mathematics and prepare for anything important in life. I have tried my best to separate advice into a few convenient categories: 1. **Work Problems**. There is no substitute for practice. But it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t divide this most important point up into subpoints: (a) **Think about what you did to solve each problem**. Mathematics is about exploration. Along the way to solving each problem, you have to explore various concepts, techniques, and aspects of many areas of mathematics. Spend time consciously identifying all of them. Then use your imagination to dig deeper each of them. (b) **Work Harder Problems**. Working harder problems forces you to do more of what I recommend in subpoint (a), and is more likely to lead you into areas you need to explore in order to solve the hardest problems that might appear at MATHCOUNTS. I highly recommend AMC 10 problems for students who have high, but not perfect scores at MATHCOUNTS. (c) **Work Fun Math**. Work the problems you love the most — the ones that give you the energy to continue moving forward. (d) **Focus On Your Weaknesses**. When the problems you hate the most — the ones that give you the most trouble. If you are a student with a chance of making the countdown round, there may be no better way to improve your ranking. (e) **Practice Without Pencil**. By this I do not mean just practice mental arithmetic. I mean that you should see how many of the problems you can learn to unravel in your head. With MATHCOUNTS problems, this is nearly always possible when you have mastered the nice way to approach the most common problem types. (f) **Teach Others**. If you can’t teach a concept, you don’t know it well enough [to get all the hardest problems]. Teaching forces you to organize ideas that you know only well enough to get right answers. Right answers are not everything. If you want to solve the hardest problems at MATHCOUNTS, you need to know the concepts forward, backward, inside-out, and in your sleep. Perhaps more importantly in life, when you cannot communicate an idea, you cannot make much value out of it. 2. **Develop Number Sense**. There are educators who dismiss concepts of number sense as nothing but a worthless bunch of tricks. I strongly disagree and would go so far as to say that a great deal of the number theory I know is a result of exploring and developing my own number sense. In regards to competitive test taking, number theory can help you solve number theory problems. But just as importantly on a timed test, it gives you a significant time advantage, and when your number sense gets good enough, that edge can become dramatic. That extra time allows you to spend more time on the harder problems, and checking over your work. You might not solve many of the five hardest Sprint Round problems if you get to them with three minutes left. But if you get to them with fifteen minutes left, you have a chance at solving them all! Here are a few of the things I did as a student to help develop my number sense: (a) **Practice factoring integers**. As often as possible, I did this without pencil and paper, though serious exploration often does involve pencil and paper. When you’re bored in the carpool line, factor the numbers on the car tags in the parking lot. (b) **Explore algebraic relationships between integers**. This one can be at first hard to explain. An example is using algebra to improve your arithmetic skills. For instance, 104 x 107 = (100 + 4)(100 + 7) = 100(100 + 7) + 4(100 + 7) = 100 x 100 + 100 x 7 + 4 x 100 + 4 x 7 =10000 + 700 + 400 + 28= 11128. I plan to make a more instructive post about algebraic arithmetic in the future. 3. **Learn to pay great attention in your studies to the “messy” problems**. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, think about those problems with more than a dozen criss-crossing lines drawn, and you’re asked to find the total number of triangles. There are other kinds as well — problems that don’t fit well into traditional problem types — problems for which you have to invent your own approach on the spot. It is a rare student who gets most of these problems right. It’s easy to miss something, so the key to working through these problems is to find better and better methods of //organizing the way you think//. Sometimes this means casework, where your success often depends on how well you define the cases. 4. **Prioritize**. You don’t regard all the problems on a test as equally hard. You know better. As you work through the problems, you know which ones will give you more trouble. These are the problems you need to be more careful with. These are the ones that require something more than the haphazard scratch work that gets you through the easy ones. 5. **Incubation — Learn to Skip Problems**. I don’t mean that you should skip them and never come back. Work the easy problems first. When you read a problem, and feel less confident that you’re going to find a nice method of attack within a minute, skip over that problem and come back to it later. Scientists tell us that these problems do rattle around in our heads even when we’re not thinking about them. From experience, I know this to be true. Sometimes, a fresh look at a problem that seemed tough before is enough. A fresh pair of eyes may have that flash of insight necessary to find a correct solution. 6. **Finally, I feel the need to make this point one last time: Work Problems!** Work lots of problems. Work the problems that push your limits. I hope to create a PDF document out of this post sometime, and add to it from time to time. For now, I hope it is of some benefit to students preparing for the state MATHCOUNTS competition. This entry was posted on Monday, March 17th, 2008 at 10:08 am and is filed under [|Competitions], [|MATHCOUNTS]. You can follow any responses to this entry through the [|RSS 2.0] feed. 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