AOPS Prealgebra Math Contest A

Objective: This one-year course covers most of the topics that are taught in regular middle school prealgebra courses in grades 6, 7 and 8, and aims to challenge students for deep understanding of math concepts. Many homework problems are real problems from math contests, such as MathCounts, MOEMS, and AMC 8. It is ideal for students who are looking for challenging math problems and/or systematically preparing middle school math contests. It also helps students prepare middle school math course test-out. Prealgebra Math Contest is a one-year course (Prealgebra Math Contest A  in the fall semester and Prealgebra Math Contest B in the spring semester). Prealgebra Math Contest A covers the first-semester content of the course.

In the fall semester, the course includes a thorough exploration of the fundamentals of arithmetic, including fractions, exponents, and decimals. We also introduce beginning topics in number theory and algebra, including common divisors and multiples, primes and prime factorizations, basic equations and inequalities, and ratios. In the spring semester, building off the concepts mastered in the fall semester, the course introduces percents and square roots, delves into a thorough exploration of geometric tools and strategies, and provides an introduction to topics in discrete mathematics and statistics, while continuing to facilitate discussion of general problem-solving strategies.

Prerequisite: This course is suitable for driven students who have mastered the elementary school math at the 5th grade level. This group often includes students who are in grade 4, 5, 6, or 7 in fall 2021. Given the depth and breadth of the topics covered in this course, it can be very helpful developing problem solving and critical thinking skills even for students who have learned Prealgebra and Algebra 1 in the middle school. Motivated students who are interested in challenging math problems can use this course to prepare testing out middle school math courses and systematically prepare for future middle school math contests.

Textbook: The Art of Problem Solving – Prealgebra, 2011. Authors: Richard Rusczyk, David Patrick, and Ravi Boppana. This course covers topics in the textbook in two semesters. WE WILL NOTIFY YOU WHEN SUFFICIENT ENROLLMENT IS REACHED. YOU CAN PLACE THE BOOK ORDER UPON THE NOTIFICATION.

Schedule:
Class will meet once a week on each Sunday 3 pm-4:30 pm ET from 09/05/2021 to 12/19/2021 (except for the Thanksgiving week, 15 meetings in total): 09/05, 09/12, 09/19, 09/26, 10/03, 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31, 11/07, 11/14, 11/21, 12/05, 12/12, 12/19/2021.

Small class for maximized individual attention: 5-10 students

ONLINE INSTRUCTION USING ZOOM IN A FACE-TO-FACE LIVE FASHION! Syllabus and coursework will be distributed in the course Curriculum section (course registration is required).

Tuition: $330 ($22 per 1.5-hour class) non-refundable after first class.