Local schools compete, win math competition

***image1***Seven Schools competed in this year’s 2004 Kaiserslautern District Chapter Mathcounts competition held Feb. 19 at the Ramstein Officers’ Club.
Official teams of four “mathletes” represented Baumholder High School, Bitburg Middle School, Kaiserslautern American Middle School, Landstuhl Middle School, Ramstein American Middle School, Sembach Middle School and Spangdahlem Middle School in the competition.
The competition was open to all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students.
“Mathcounts is a national coaching and competition program designed to stimulate sixth through eighth-grade student’s interest and achievement in mathematics,” said Thomas Whitney, Mathematics and Science Liaison, Kaiserslautern District.
There were a total of 54 mathletes involved in the competition. In addition to the official teams, many schools also had exhibition teams competing.
Students from Bitburg Middle School came in first place, Kaiserslautern American Middle School, second-place and Ramstein American Middle School, third-place.
The competition consists of four rounds; Sprint, Target, Team and Countdown Round.
The Sprint Round consists of 30 questions. The students take this round individually and are allowed 40 minutes.
***image2***The Target Round consists of four pairs of questions. The students also take this round individually. They may use calculators and are allowed six minutes per pair of questions.
The individual ranking is based on both the Sprint and Target Rounds.
The Team Round is 20 minutes long and consists of ten questions. Students are allowed to work together and use calculators.
The team ranking is based on all three rounds. In the Countdown Round the top ten individuals, based on the Sprint and Target Rounds, are paired for an oral competition. The answers to these questions, which are projected onto a screen, must be given within 45 seconds.
“The top two teams as well as the top two scoring individuals not on the winning team progress to the state contest in March,” said Mr. Whitney.
Teachers and volunteers coach student mathletes beginning each fall and continuing through the year.
The top four individuals and the coach of the winning team in Department of Defense Dependent Schools from the state competition represent DODDS at the national finals in Washington, D.C. in May.
(Courtesy of Kaiserslautern District Public Affairs)