Math Competition (Selected Questions)

This is only for this week’s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday classes (Monday’s class will do this on June 2nd).   

Recently, one of my sixth graders took an international math competition given to thousands of 5th and 6th graders throughout the United States. He came in second in Massachusetts and fifth in the country. I was curious as to how our students would do on selected questions so created over a dozen questions for them this week. We did them in class together. Some of them needed prompting and some of them were able to comprehend and solve each of these challenges. I did not tell them until the end of class that it was given to 5th and 6th graders lest it would create anxiety. They did surprisingly well and this again supports that we do not stretch our kids enough and underestimate their abilities.

Here I attach the selected questions I gave the K-1st graders and, in a separate attachment, the 2nd-5th graders. Each question is followed by a page with the worked out solution. The last attachment is the actual math competition with 30 questions and my answer key with explanations. I only recommend that they attempt other questions from the actual test accompanied by a parent. Of course, if they want the challenge, let them have at it.

I encouraged them to underline and circle important words and phrases and to draw pictures to help them organize their solutions.