Mathematics Competitions: A workshop for talented high school students
in Las Vegas
Purpose: "…to increase interest in mathematics and to develop problem
solving ability through a series of friendly mathematics competitions".
This is the stated aim of the American
Mathematics Competitions (AMC) series of exams. The aim of this workshop
is essentially the same -- to increase interest in mathematics by preparing
talented local students for these competitions. The workshop will also
provide an opportunity for the students to meet like minded students from
other high schools and give them a different and perhaps more accurate
perspective of mathematics.
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Dates of the workshop: Tuesdays, starting February 15th and ending
with the ARML competition (June 2/3), except Spring Recess, March 14th.
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Expenses: Because we will use old exams for practice, I am
suggesting students purchase an MAA contest problem book. These range
in price from $10 to $28, plus shipping, etc.
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Times: 4:00pm to 5:15pm.
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Location: In CBC-C315 on the UNLV campus.
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Parking: There is free parking in the Green Lot (see the map below).
On rare occasions, there are events at the Thomas and Mack for which they
charge for parking. During these times, there is free parking in
the Q lot. Follow Swenson north to Harmon. Turn right onto
Harmon, and right into the parking lot which is west of the tennis courts.
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Registration: Please let me know that you want to come by
calling me at 837-8624 (home) or 895-0378 (work). If I am not there,
please leave a message (on the machine or by e-mail baragar@nevada.edu
) with your name, home phone number, and your intention to show up.
Schedule and brief description of exams:
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February 15th - AMC 10, AMC
12 (formerly the American High School Mathematics Exam -- AHSME): This
is a 75 minute 25 question multiple choice exam with a maximum possible
score of 150. Each question is worth 6 points for a correct answer,
2 points for no answer, and 0 points for a wrong answer. This exam is taken
at your high school, and is the first in the American Mathematics Competitions
(AMC) series of exams. A score of 100 earns an invitation to take the American
Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). Up to 130 of these students are then
invited to take the USA Mathematics Olympiad (USAMO), and from those, six
are invited to represent the USA at the International Mathematics Olympiad
(IMO).
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June 2cd and 3rd (6pm Friday to 1pm Saturday) - The
American Regions Mathematics League (ARML): This is a team competition,
and resembles a game show more than it does an exam. It is probably the
most fun of all the competitions. This event is simultaneously held in
three locations across the United States. The western section has been
hosted by UNLV for the past five years. Last year, we fielded a partial
team (ten students) and placed 71st (of 81) in division B. The year
before, Nevada did not send a single team. This exam often conflicts
with graduation and the SAT. This may also be the last time it will
be hosted by UNLV.
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Other exams:
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The Southern Nevada Math Council series of exams, April 29th.
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The Nevada State Prize Exam.
A word about the instructor: I am an assistant professor in the
Department of Mathematical Sciences here at UNLV. I wrote numerous math
competitions in high school, including the USAMO, the Canadian
Math Olympiad, and the '81 IMO
(representing Canada). I was a coordinator at the '95 IMO when it was hosted
by Canada, one of the coaches for the '98 Canadian IMO team which competed
in Taiwan, and Deputy Leader
of the '99 Canadian IMO team which competed in Romania.
How to contact me:
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E-mail: baragar@nevada.edu
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Phone: 895-0378 (w), 837-8624 (h).
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Fax: 895-4343
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Arthur Baragar, Department of Mathematical Sciences, 4505 Maryland Parkway,
UNLV, Box 454020, Las Vegas, NV 89154-4020.
Questions? Please don't hesitate to call.
UNLV Home Page * Arthur's
Home Page
URL: http://www.nevada.edu/~baragar/hscontests.html
e-mail: baragar@nevada.edu
This page was launched October 5th, 1998, revised January 28th, 2000.