Today, Group 1 worked primarily with pictorial models, a method of problem solving where the word problem is translated to a visual representation. They then played a two-person game where one person picks a number between one and twenty-five and then takes turns with the other person, subtracting in units of 1, 2 and 3. The person stuck with 1 left (thus having to be the last to subtract) loses. They then took a 15-question Online Math League test to get a feel for the type of math problems used in competition.


Group 2 continued their work with exponents and basic geometry, focusing on solving area and circumference of circles and finding ("chasing") angles. They have been working everyday in a MathCounts workbook as well.

Throughout this past week, both groups have worked toward solving the Rubik's Cube. Step 1 is to form a white cross with a yellow center. Step 2 is to make a white cross while making sure all the white edge cubes are on the right side (ex. white and red edge cubes lined up with the red center). Step 3 is to fill in the corners to complete the white face. Over the next week, they will learn how to fill in the second layer and then the third. http://www.thedryeraseboard.com/ has a useful tutorial under "mechanical puzzles" if you'd like to learn outside of class.

Another game they have played is 24, a card game where four cards are dealt and you must put the four values in an arithmetic expression--using each only once--that evaluates to 24. One strategy is to manipulate the values to get 3 and 8, 5 and 4, or 2 and 12 which can then be multiplied to get 24. Others include trying to get 30-6, 29-5, 28-4, 18+6 etc. On the final day of class, 24 will be one of the competitions, so the groups will get more practice next week.