Middle School Mathematics Contest
MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS CONTEST
Sponsored by
The University of Tennessee at Martin
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
April 27, 2017
There are some significant changes regarding registration fees from how the contest has been previously run. Please read this in its entirety!
ENROLLMENT OF SCHOOLS
Any middle school in this area with one or more sixth, seventh, or eighth gradeclasses is eligible to enter a team in the contest. Each school desiring to enter a team should designate one person as the official Contest Supervisor to file the official School Enrollment Form and conduct all necessary correspondence with the Contest Director.
The School Enrollment Form is on the last page of this announcement. It should be filled in completely and returned by Friday, March 31st, 2017to permit the orderly organization and administration of the contest. Alternatively, please use the following website to fill out an e-form:
We deeply regret that the contest date of April 27 is in your state testing window. The contest is simultaneously held at four sites across the state. In order to get space on all our campuses on the same date, we have found that we have to select a date a year in advance. If we wait until the testing window is announced in the fall, we typically cannot get space. Moving the spring contest to a date after the testing window this spring is not feasible at all testing sites, and having it prior to the testing window interferes with either spring breaks, the NCTM conference, or the high school contest. To avoid this scheduling problem in the future we are considering moving the contest to the fall, with our first Fall contest tentatively on Thursday, November 30th, 2017. We would love to hear your thoughts on this - my contact information is below.
We must also warn you there is a danger of the contest being canceled this spring if not enough schools are participating. We will let any registered schools know by April 3rd whether or not spring contest will be held. Because of this, please make every effort to register by March 31st.
MAXIMUM NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
There will be three divisions of this contest: Sixth Grade Mathematics, Seventh Grade Mathematics, and Eighth Grade Mathematics.
Total number of students Maximum number of
enrolled at grade levelcontestants allowed
1 to 50 4
51 to 100 5
101 to 150 6
151 to 200 7
201 to 300 8
301 to 400 9
401 to 50010
501 to 60011
601 to 70012
GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATION AND SELECTION OF STUDENTS
1. )Each test is intended to be taken by students at the grade level of the test. Students may test up, i.e., sixth graders may take the seventh grade test, and so on.
2. )Students may take a grade level test exactly one time.
3. )Eighth graders enrolled in Algebra I will be allowed to take the eighth grade test even if they also compete in the TMTA Algebra I contest in the same year.
4. )The method of selection and preparation of contestants is left to each individual school.
5. )A fee of $5.00 per contestant will be collected to cover the cost of conducting the contest. Make checks payable to UTM Math and Stat Department. In the past, we have asked that you pay ahead of time. Because of the risk of cancelation, we are instead asking that you bring your payment with you on the day of the contest. If you send us a check early, we will hold off on cashing until after April 3rd.
TESTING AND GRADING PROCEDURE
Calculators will be allowed. Students may use any calculator that does not have a QWERTY keyboard. (For example, the TI-83 is allowed, but the TI-92 is not allowed.)
The test will start at approximately 9:50 amand will be conducted as one continuous test of 60 minutes. The test will consist of 30 problems or questions to which multiple choice answers are given. No contestant will be allowed to bring any material other than a calculator into the testing room. Scratch paper and pencils are provided.
The test will be scored using the formula 4R-W+30 (4 times the number of correct answers minus the number of incorrect answers, plus 30 points). Students are urged not to guess. If they are unable to work a problem, they are urged to omit it.
Each contestant will be allowed to keep his or her copy of the exam. After testing begins additional copies will be sold for $1.00 each.
AWARDS
Team awards at each grade level will be based on the total score of the four highest scores of students representing the school. The top ten individuals at each grade level will receive an award. The top individual at each grade level from each school sending at least four students will receive an award. Each participant will receive a Certificate of Participation (suitable for framing) and other items. There will also be one award for the top student in each grade level over all of the testing sites to be awarded after the contest.
SHARE THIS INFORMATION
Please share the information in this mailing with other 6th, 7th, and 8th grade teachers in your school and other schools. Thank you for your help and consideration.
Dr. Jason DeVito
Contest co-coordinator
Associate Professor of Mathematics
University of Tennesee at Maritn
731-881-7357.