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For the MathCounts Competition: Teachers and volunteers coach student Mathletes® beginning each fall and continuing through the year. Participating schools can select up to four individual students and a team of four additional students (up to eight students in all) to compete in on-site competitions. There are four levels of the competition. Each year the top few teams and individuals in the various statewide Regional competitions meet in a State competition, and the top four finishers in the State competition form the State Team which participates in the National competition (all expenses paid).
Success at the competition involves five parts:
1. Learn the math concepts used in MathCounts problems.
2. Learn the 4-step approach to problem solving, and about the different types of strategies.
3. Learn the Competition Components and Competition Rules.
4. Attend meetings to do the warm-ups and work-outs, problems similar to the competition.
5. Practice, practice, practice. (Successes in many of the competition components arise simply from how fast you can do the problems accurately.)
Please Read: Rules, Forms of Answers, Scoring (Details)
MATHCOUNTS competitions are organized at four levels: school, chapter (local), state and national for the 6th- through 8th-grade.
SCHOOL COMPETITION: In January, schools may administer the School Competition to all interested students.
CHAPTER COMPETITIONS: Held February. Winning teams and students will receive recognition. The winning team and the two highest ranking competitors not on the winning team (who may be registered as individuals or as members of a team) will advance to the State Competition. There is a minimum of six advancing MathletesTM (assuming the winning team has four members). Additional teams and/or Mathletes also may progress at the discretion of the state coordinator.
STATE COMPETITIONS: Held March. Winning teams and students will receive recognition. The four highest-ranked Mathletes and the coach of the winning team from each State Competition will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Competition.
LOCKHEED MARTIN MATHCOUNTS NATIONAL COMPETITION: Held May. The National Competition consists of the Sprint, Target, Team, Countdown and Masters Rounds. Expenses of the state team and coach to travel to the National Competition will be paid by MathCounts. The national program does not make provisions for the attendance of additional students or coaches. All national competitors will receive a plaque and other items in recognition of their achievements. Winning teams and individuals also will receive medals, trophies and college scholarships.
MathCounts competitions are designed to be completed in approximately three hours:
The SPRINT ROUND (40 minutes) consists of 30 problems. This round tests accuracy, with time being such that only the most capable students will complete all of the problems. Calculators are not permitted.
The TARGET ROUND (approximately 30 minutes) consists of eight problems presented to competitors in four pairs (6 minutes per pair). This round features multi-step problems that engage Mathletes in mathematical reasoning and problem-solving processes. Problems assume the use of calculators.
The TEAM ROUND (20 minutes) consists of 10 problems that team members work together to solve. Team member interaction is permitted and encouraged. Problems assume the use of calculators.
The COUNTDOWN ROUND is a fast-paced, oral competition for top-scoring individuals (based on scores in the Sprint and Target Rounds). In this round, pairs of Mathletes compete against each other and the clock to solve problems. Calculators are not permitted.
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