2010 State Math Contest

Information Page

Southern Utah University

Contest Date: Wednesday, March 17, 2010

(Best wear green if you don’t want to be smarting from pinches during the test.

However, SUU faculty WILL NOT pinch you.

I cannot speak for faculty from the other test sites.)

                                                                                                                                           

 

FAQs about the State Math Contest (for Those Coming to SUU)

 

Date held

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Time

Arrive by 9 a.m.; the test is from 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., although some will finish earlier.  If you have to get here later, let us know ASAP so we can make other arrangements for you.

Cost

$15 per student if registered by Tuesday, Feb. 16; $20 if between Feb. 17 and March 2.  Deadline is Tuesday, March 2.

Registration

It’s easy!  Do immediately online at this link.  See “Cost” above for details.

Location

Sharwan Smith Student Center: Meet in the Rotunda; the doors will open for students to enter the Ballroom at 9:15.  The test begins at 9:30.  See the map.

Parking

The parking lot on 800 W, 300 S (see the map below)

Who can take the test?

Students in grades 7-12 (at most ten students per grade); there is one test for students in grades 7-9 and a different test for grades 10-12

Meals provided

Breakfast and lunch for teachers; lunch for students

Can my students do it?

Yes! This is a link to the tests from 2009 to judge how your students might do.

Why take the test?

There are many awards available - even scholarships for high individual and school placers.  Even if you are not one of the top finishers, it still looks good on an application to college if you did well on the test. Individuals (such as from St. George, where this test is during Spring Break – just like it is for us at SUU!) are also welcome to come as well.

Contact people at SUU

Seth Armstrong (armstrong@suu.edu) and Jim Brandt (brandt@suu.edu); you may also phone us at (435)590-4516 (Armstrong) or (435)586-5448 (Robin, our Department Admin. Asst.)

What do my students need to bring?

Just their brains! We provide the pencils (they can even keep it - wow!), bubble sheets, and scratch paper for your students. Calculators are not allowed.

Can I get a super high score if I guess?

Well, sure, but the phrase anything is possible is very different from saying anything is probable! The test has 30 multiple-choice questions. You get four points for choosing the correct answer, but lose one point for choosing the wrong answer. (This means that, if there are five choices per problem, the expected score for someone that guesses on every problem is (1/5)*4 + (4/5)*(-1) = 0. You must not guess on a problem, then, unless you are pretty sure you have the correct answer!)

What if I win?

This isn’t all bad! There is an awards banquet for top individual finishers. The Awards Banquet will be held on Tuesday, April 27th, 2010, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Ballroom of the Sorensen Center, Campus of UVU in Orem. The individual winners will each be allowed to bring two guests to accompany them to the dinner/awards ceremony.

 

 

 

Schedule of Activities for Students and Teachers

 

We have activities planned until 1:00. We plan to have more giveaways this year, a grand prize for teachers as well as a grand prize and many other small prizes for students. The grand prizes are quite nice, but we’ll surprise you!

           

Time

Students

Teachers

 

9:00-9:30

 

Arrival and seating in Ballroom

Arrival and getting students ready to go and seated.

9:30-12:00

-Math Test

-Students can walk around the Student Center after they’re done.  There’s a bookstore, candy score, and so on. (Please encourage your students to take as much time as they can stand on the test—you never know but what the winning question takes the last hour to solve!)

Breakfast and Social. We’ll also give you copies of the tests so you can work through them. (Students usually have many questions for their teachers about the answers to problems they tried!)

12:15-1:00

Lunch/Presentations and Prizes

-Pizza and drinks will be served

-While eating, professors – and maybe alumni from your schools – will talk about SUU programs for a short time.

Lunch/Presentations and Prizes

-Pizza and drinks will be served

-While eating, professors – and maybe alumni from your schools – will talk about SUU programs for a short time.

 

 

Main State Math Contest Page Link

 

The Math Contest Web page from Utah Valley University is the main link for Utah.

 

 

Campus Map

 

The Sharwan Smith Student Center is circled in hot pink, and the best place to park is boxed in pink.  The parking lot is at the intersection of 800 W, 300 S.  The Sharwan Smith Center has easiest entrance through the Centrum (see #11 on the map) main doors; the Rotunda is where there are tables for sitting.  Students will be invited to sit down inside the Ballroom (which is right next to the Rotunda) about 15 minutes before the test begins so they can find a seat and fill out the initial information.

 

Driving Directions 

 

The easiest exit to take is Exit 59—the middle of the three Cedar City exits.  Go E along 200 S, then take a right onto 800 West.  The parking lot will be just before 300 S on your right.