MANITOBA MATHLETICS PAGE

MATHLETICS: (n.) training for, and participating in, competitive mathematical competitions
MATHLETE: (n.) one who participates in mathletics

"It is important to learn more mathematics. The contest itself wouldn't be that important, but it creates new enthusiasm.
From this point of view it is important. Also it has a good effect: it stimulates interest in mathematics..."
Paul Erdos -- address to participants in the 6th annual Colorado Math Olympiad

(Erdos was widely regarded as the greatest living mathematician until his recent death; a bright high school student in Hungary, he excelled in math competitions and went on to a brilliant career as an itinerant mathematician known by many simply as"Uncle Paul". His life and work is a testimony to the value of mathletics in identifying, encouraging, and training young mathematical talent.)

These pages host information and resources for Manitoban mathletes and their teachers and provide an online home for the University of Manitoba Mathletics teams.

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University of Manitoba Math team home	Current problem sets and solutions, a schedule of our activities, our archives and various information of use to our own mathletes. If you are interested in participating in any of our activities, visit this page and contact the current coaching staff.
Manitoba Mathematical Competition (Grade 12)	This contest is locally run and written concurrently with the Pascal/Cayley/Fermat contest each year to (i) discourage age-advancing -- the contest is that it is for graduating seniors, so a student may write it only once; and (ii) facilitate invigilation of both contests by a single teacher. This year's contest will be written Feb. 24, 2011. See also the first "News and Announcements" item below. Watch this space for up-to-date information, an archive of recent prizewinners.
2010 IIMS/UofM Problem Solving Workshop	Held early in every year, during the lead-up to the high school math contest season, 100 or so students from the Winnipeg area converge on our campus for four Saturdays to experience training in problem solving. Up to 6 students from each school can be mentored in labs by our own university-level mathletes, learn mathematical games, be exposed to sample contests and compete for prizes in an internal competition we hold during the workshop. Each week a dynamic speaker opens up some area of mathematics to these eager young minds. This year's workshop will be held on: Jan. 22, 29 and Feb 5, 12 2010.
Olympiad-Level High School Mathletics Training (no link yet)	In the Spring of 1998, over a 5 week period, 12 of the top Mathletes in Manitoba from grades 8 through 12 participated in Olympiad-level training sessions at the University of Manitoba, a pilot project for a proposed permanent program in which our top Mathletes can receive appropriate instruction in Olympiad-style and invitational competitions such as the CMO, IMO and APMO. The program involves instruction in tools and techniques and exposure to problems and solutions from these contest. We are contemplating a year-round training program in which elite university-level mathletes from around the world would mentor the best and brightest in Manitoba. Watch this spot for updates. In the meantime, students hoping to prepare for competitions at this level are strongly encouraged to participate in OLYMON, the national-level training correspondence program run by the CMS, which is open to all students who show promise at this level.
Highschool Mathletics Bulletin Board	Up-to-date information, news, and archival information about mathletics in our province, at all levels from K to 12: Manitoba Contest; Problem Solving Workshop; Math Camp; National/International Training Program.
Contest Information Directory	Everything you might need to know about various competitions at all levels, for which Manitoba Schools may be eligible. This includes links to central sites for the various contests as well as summaries of: deadlines, target grade levels for each, and the style of each competition (multiple choice, short answers, full solutions, etc.), any registration fees or special conditions. CURRENTLY OUT OF DATE -- Watch for Fall 2010 update.
Manitoba Mathletics Email List	Updates about current and upcoming Mathletics events and opportunities in Manitoba will be sent several times per year to High Schools around the province. This list is continually under construction, and it is currently incomplete -- YOU CAN HELP: check out the list of schools for which we have no current contact and have someone who is willing to play this role get in touch with us.

News and Announcements

Get regular mathletics updates by email: If your school is currently active in mathletics or hoping to become more active it will be very helpful to be apprised of events, deadlines and opportunities throughout the year. In our experience surface mail to schools often goes astray, or ends up on the wrong person's desk. To avoid this problem we are trying to move to electronic updates, by keeping a current email list of mathletics contacts at every Manitoba school teaching grades 8 through 12. Often things change mid-year, particularly for the workshop, and it would be very helpful to have a means of rapid contact to all interested parties---that is the sole purpose of this list; it won't be used or distributed for anything beyond Manitoba mathletics-related information. If you are (or know who should be) the mathletics contact at your school please let us know by email, the sooner the better. Thank you for helping us stay in touch.
The winner of the 2009 UMOMC (annual beginning-of-year internal Contest at U of M) was Todd Sierens. Todd will receive a cheque for $100 and a book prize ... not to mention fame, glory and personal satisfaction!
The winner of the 2008 UMOMC was Ruiqang (Richard) Liu, an engineering student.
In spring of 2008 we piloted a brief training program at the University of Manitoba for students showing aptitude for competition at National and International levels. Sometime in the Fall or winter of 2009 we hope to reprise this with a more permanent program involving training and mentoring by past mathletics champions, and in conjunction with the national OLYMON correspondence training program. Direct enquiries to R. Craigen,

Advice on Various Things

When should students begin to write the COMC competition?
Advice about writing multiple-choice tests
Age-advancing in mathletics -- pros and cons. Who should consider it?

Links to Mathletics Resources for Manitoba Schools

Manitoba Mathematics Teachers Contest Page

Please help by sending me further links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to come. Email me any pressing questions you don't see here.

WHY SHOULD STUDENTS BECOME INVOLVED IN MATHEMATICS COMPETITION? ISN'T THERE TOO MUCH COMPETITION ALREADY IN SCIENCE FAIRS, ATHLETICS, BAND COMPETITIONS, ETC.?
THERE ARE MANY PLACES FOR TEACHERS TO GO TO PREPARE THEIR STUDENTS FOR CONTESTS. WHY ONE MORE?
HOW CAN I GET STARTED TRAINING STUDENTS FOR CONTESTS?
I AM AN INTERESTED STUDENT AND WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A MATHLETE. WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING? WHERE DO I START?
ARE THERE MATH COMPETITIONS FOR KINDERGARTEN OR THE PRIMARY GRADES?
ARE THERE MATH COMPETITIONS FOR STUDENTS OR OTHERS WHO ALREADY HOLD UNDERGRADUATE DEGREES, BUT WHO WOULD STILL LIKE TO COMPETE?

This page is maintained by Dr. R. Craigen of the University of Manitoba Mathematics Department.
Comments, requests and suggestions welcome.

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University of Manitoba Math team home

Highschool Mathletics Bulletin Board

Contest Information Directory

Manitoba Mathletics Email List