Great work to everyone on the prime number and pythagorean triple challenge. After the challenge, we worked on some problems that incorporated some competition question strategies, like using prime numbers and pythagorean triples to identify shortcuts in some problems. We also worked on some problems from workout 3. The problems and solutions from both of those are attached.
As a note, the expectation is that when you get stuck on a problem during practice, you ask one of your teammates or coaches to help you. If you simply stop when you get to a problem you don’t know how to solve, you get stuck in a frustrating loop. Because you didn’t do the problem, you didn’t learn how to do it, so you’ll continue to be in that situation every time that kind of question comes up. Instead of the joy of solving new problems, you get continually stuck. One of the differences between math team and math class is that in math team, the students have most of the responsibility and ownership for their progress and performance.
The bonus work for this week is Warm-up 6. Those problems and solutions are attached.
Next week we are taking Math Olympiad #2. This is an official competition. (We took Math Olympiad #1 on Nov 12.) If you absolutely do not want to take Math Olympiad #2, let me know by Monday evening. If there are multiple students that do not want to participate, Coach Rob will hold a separate practice in another classroom. However, I highly encourage everyone to participate because it helps the team, and working on hard problems is how we learn and get better.
Take care,
Coach Ben
strategy problem solutions Dec 3.pdf
OJH Math Team 