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Grace Church School’s ABACUS International Math Challenge is
open to any child, anywhere in each of three age groups (see details
and rules below). Science and math teacher, Tivadar
Divéki posts eight problems a month in each age group.
Students are asked not only to solve the problems but also to present
the reasoning in their solutions. If a student submits an incorrect
solution or is simply having trouble with a problem, a teacher will
offer hints as to how to go about solving the problem, giving students
multiple chances to succeed.
  The
Abacus Project, launched in 1997 by Mr. Divéki, is based
on a printed journal that originated in Hungary over 100 years ago.
The original journal focused on gifted students--participants over
the years included Edward Teller, Leo Szilard, John von Neumann
and other notables in physics, computer science and mathematics--and
showed that mathematical talent can be stimulated and developed
through individual attention, instant feedback, and challenging
subject matter with flexible levels of difficulty. The advent of
the World Wide Web has made the same methodology available to a
much broader range of students.
This, the Twelvefth Annual
ABACUS International Math Challenge, starts in September 5, 2008
and ends on April 30, 2009.
Age categories
Group A – 3rd and 4th graders (ages 9-10)
Group B – 5th and 6th graders (ages 11-12)
Group C – 7th and 8th graders (ages 13-14)
How to participate
Solve the problems in
your group and send your solutions to us.
If you are in Group A, send your responses to Tivadar Diveki:
diveki@gcschool.org.
If you are in Group B, send your responses to Prof. Patrick
J. Sullivan: Abacus.56@valpo.edu
.
If you are in Group
C, send your responses to Dr. Zsuzsanna Szaniszló: Abacus.c@valpo.edu
.
In your first e-mail, please indicate your name, your grade/age,
the name of your school, and the city where you live. Make sure
that you indicate the number of the problem you are responding to.
For proper identification, every e-mail you send should include
your name.
The solution of a problem should include the results and your reasoning.
Make sure that you try to find all the possible solutions for a
problem. Your reasoning has to be given in English, but do not be
discouraged if English is your second language. We believe that
you will become accustomed to expressing your thoughts in English,
so don’t worry! If we have a question about your answer, we
will contact you.
Try to send your answers
by the last day of the month for the posted problem, however solutions
to any of the problems will be accepted until April 30, 2009. (You
are welcome to participate in higher age groups by solving their
problems.)
Scoring
You get 5 points for a thorough solution with reasoning; fewer
points for a partial solution or solution with no reasoning, and
more points if you find additional different solutions or prove
more than required.
You may earn extra points if you design your own problems and they
get posted in the challenge. So, try to make up some problems and
solve them.
ARE
YOU READY? IF SO, LET’S GO!
Sponsors
Byelocorp Scientific, Inc.
Picower Foundation
QED Technologies
Begell House
With special thanks to NASA
for its support.
More…
If you read Hungarian, see the homepage of the Abacus
Matematikai Lapok 10-14 éveseknek.
Learn how to use an ABACUS,
the ancient calculator.
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