What are math competitions like?

[trulycrabby]

Hello! DS12 signed up for math club this year, and will be participating in math competitions such as Mathcounts.

 

I am curious (and a little nervous) as to what happens in the math competitions; what types of problems are given, do they work individually or as a group, and are they judged on speed of solving the problems?

 

DS12 is in 7th grade at a privae school this year. In addition to his school algebra class, he is taking an online algebra class with Art of Problem Solving. We also have several Mathcounts books, but haven't started working in them yet.

 

Thanks in advance for any help or advice! :)

[Arcadia]

MathCounts 2016/17 coach handbook explains everything about MathCounts

https://www.mathcounts.org/sites/default/files/u49/1617%20HB%20WITHOUT%20SOLUTIONS%20(No%20Cover)%20-%20FINAL.pdf

 

Ask your son to try out AoPS MathCounts trainer. He just need to login with his AoPS account.

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/mathcounts_trainer

 

Also checkout AoPS MathCounts forum. He can post there with his AoPS account

http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/community/c5t1f5_mathcounts

 

Also see if his school host AMC8 for their students

http://www.maa.org/math-competitions/amc-8

[trulycrabby]

Thank you very much! :)

[Lilaclady]

It depends on the competition. Most my kid had attended start about 9-12 or later. They may have an individual round, a team round and then other rounds like count down round at mathcounts. It's a lot of fun for the kids but also some competition.

 

The kids tend to see each other at other math competitions around town.

 

There is usually some downtime so my kid takes games etc to play then