2016 Winter – Competitive Math Prep

BANNER_Top_Mathletics

Competitive Math Program — Winter 2016 Schedule

Class Day/Time Grade
AMC 10/12 Prep Sunday/6:00pm – 8:30pm 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Intensive AIME Prep Sunday/3:00pm – 5:30pm 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Middle School Competition Math Saturday/6:00pm – 8:00pm 5, 6, 7, 8

1. AMC 10/12 Prep (for 8th to 12th Graders) Winter Weekend Course

Purpose: To prepare for the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 17, 2016. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contest at Montgomery College on February 2, and February 17, 2016

8 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pm), Total: 20 Hours

Jan. 1/10, Sun 1/17, Sun 1/24, Sun 1/31, Sun
Feb. 2/7, Sun 2/14, Sun 2/21, Sun 2/28, Sun

View Course Outline

Tuition: $800 (including all materials)

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

2. Intensive AIME Prep Winter Weekend Course

Purpose: To prepare for the AIME I — Thursday, March 3, 2016 or AIME II — Wednesday, March 16, 2016

10 Weekends (Time: 3:00 – 5:30 pm), Total: 25 hours

Jan. 1/10, Sun 1/17, Sun 1/24, Sun 1/31, Sun
Feb. 2/7, Sun 2/14, Sun 2/21, Sun 2/28, Sun
Mar. 3/5, Sun 3/13, Sun

View Course Outline

Tuition: $1250 (including all materials). We offer discounts of $50 for returning students.

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

3. Middle School Competition Math (for 5th to 8th Graders) Winter Weekend Course
Purpose: To help 5th-8th graders prepare for math competitions, such as Mathcounts, AMC 8, Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), Math Kangaroo, and Math League

12 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm), Total: 24 hours

Jan. 1/9, Sat 1/16, Sat 1/23, Sat 1/30, Sat
Feb. 2/6, Sat 2/13, Sat 2/20, Sat 2/27, Sat
Mar. 3/4, Sat 3/12, Sat 3/19, Sat 3/26, Sat

View Course Outline

Tuition: $720 (including all materials and an extensive correction of the incorrect answers of all homework. Click HERE to see a sample)

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

  1. Self-studying for AMC 8/10/12 Contests

Even if you cannot attend our classes, you can purchase the official AMC materials from our bookstore and, using our solutions, self-learn/study the tricks, shortcuts, tips, and strategies to solve AMC problems as well as test-taking tactics. VIEW ALL OFFICIAL AMC MATERIALS

  1. Private and Semi-private Coaching/Tutoring

(1)     One-on-One Private Individualized Coaching/Tutoring:                 $110/hour

  • 1-on-1 instruction
  • Completely personalized prep
  • Books and materials included
  • Only our best and most sought after tutors
  • Tutors with the skills and style to totally meet your needs
  • The freedom to meet when you want
  • A plan to help you get into your top-choice schools

(2)     One-on-Two Semi-Private Instruction:    $90/hour/person

  • Specialized 1-on-2 instruction
  • Books and materials included
  • Only our best and most sought after tutors
  • Individualized attention
  • Customizable schedules

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Our Uniqueness

We have a long history of close collaboration with the MAA‘s American Mathematics Competitions (AMC), which are dedicated to strengthening the mathematical capabilities of our nation’s youth, and are the first of a series of competitions in high school mathematics that determine the United States team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO). There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world. We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our students have received top scores and awards at prestigious national and math competitions. We have collected all AMC8/10/12 and AIME Official Problems and Official Solutions as shown in the article ” American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) Materials,” which have formed our “big data” system, a golden resource for our students, who are the ultimate beneficiaries.

 math-olympiad-620x350Featured Instructors

All of our sessions are taught by highly qualified instructors who are excellent experts on preparing students for the contests. We distinguish ourselves by the high quality of our instructors. Finding top-quality instructors is no easy task. We’ve hand-picked some of the best, including distinguished mathematicians. Meet some of them here:

medalbg

Our Students

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA

Read more:
Notable Achievements of Our Students
2015 AMC 8 Results Announced
AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center (2014)

Great Benefits of Math Competitions

In an increasingly competitive college application pool, the process of mastering math skills through our courses and participating in the American Math Competitions will help students strengthen and diversify their extracurricular activities. These contests can motivate students’ interest and passion in math, and they can discover their talent through solving challenging problems different from those in the school classes. Many top colleges also request AMC scores as part of the college application process. Both MIT and Caltech have entry blanks on their official admission application forms for the applicant to enter their best AMC and AIME scores. Ivy League Colleges and Stanford ask for to the AMC and AIME scores in their Supplement to the Common Application Forms. Your children deserve the chance to list these scores on their applications! Good AMC scores will greatly enhance admission opportunities for students to elite colleges.

Read more:

Locations:
13902 Bromfield Road, Germantown, MD 20874
18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

Click the following articles to read more about our competitive math prep courses:

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

education priceless treasure

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Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems

Henry Wan, Ph.D.

The AMC 10 is a 25-question, multiple choice contest. The questions are arranged from the easiest to the hardest. The scoring will be 6 points for a correct answer, 1.5 point for a blank answer, and 0 points for an incorrect answer. The key to doing well on the AMC 10 is not to get the most difficult questions (usually question #21 – #25) right; rather, it is to correctly answer the first 20 problems without error. However, the last five problems of the AMC 10 almost always contain at least two geometry problems that can be solved using a ruler, protractor and compass. Getting these two problems correct can give a student even more points, so they can get at least 120 points on the AMC 10 and advance to the next level, the AIME.

2015 AMC10B-CoverAlthough the rules of AMC state that no calculators are allowed, students are permitted to use scratch paper, graph paper, rulers, compass, protractors, and erasers. We must use these tools to our advantage. Even if you do not know to solve a problem mathematically, you can always use these tools to solve it.
stock-photo-17284174-drafting-tools-ruler-drawing-compass-protractorFor example, 2014 AMC 10 Problem #22 is a very difficult problem to solve mathematically. But by simply using a ruler and a protractor, one can easily solve this problem.

2014 AMC 10A #22

In rectangle ABCD, AB = 20 and BC = 10. Let E be a point on CD such that Angle 1. What is AE?

Answer 1

Click HERE to see a detailed solution.

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

Intensive AIME Prep Course Starting Jan. 10

aime2
This program has been carefully designed for the students with higher expectation for their American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) scores. While enriching their resume through the school classes, honing the test skill for AIME becomes even more critical.

The AIME is used to determine qualification for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

Instructors:

10 Weekends (Time: 3:00 – 5:30 pm), Total: 25 hours

  1.       1/10
  2.       1/17
  3.       1/24
  4.       1/31  (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
  5.       2/7
  6.       2/14
  7.       2/21  (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
  8.       2/28
  9.       3/5
  10.       3/13  (Final Mock Exam/Review)

Tuition: $1250 (including all materials). We offer discounts of $50 for returning students.

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.

Payment Policy

  • Full payment must be received on or before the day of first class.

Refund Policy

  • Withdrawal before the first class: Full Refund
  • Withdrawal after the first class: $140 deduction
  • No refund after the second class

NOTE: We reserve the right to cancel classes due to lack of enrollment.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.

Locations:
13902 Bromfield Road, Germantown, MD 20874
18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

Purpose: To prepare for the AIME I — Thursday, March 3, 2016 or AIME II — Wednesday, March 16, 2016

ObjectivesAIME-Logo

  • Improve student scores by working on both fundamental theorems and ideas
  • Develop and foster creative problem solving strategies
  • Make the USA(J)MO!!!

For Whom?
This AIME course is aimed at those students with AMC 10/12 scores of 100+ to students who have scored around 4 on the AIME.

AIME_RGB

What?
This class will focus mostly on building strong basics in the five main pillars of Combinatorics, Number Theory, Geometry, Algebra, and Probability. The goal is for students to obtain the mental agility required to tackle these complex problems and hopefully get them within and past range of qualification for the USAMO and USAJMO, or around 9 problems.

How?
Focus on basic concepts and essential knowledge before moving on developing the skills and intuition to find and pursue good lines of attack for complex problems.

Class Outline:
In AMIE Prep Class, we will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve AIME problems as well as test-taking tactics.

Class Date Topic Homework Tutorial Handouts
1 1/10, Sun Number Theory: Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, Greatest Common Divisor and Least Common Multiple, Modular Arithmetic, Divisibility Tests AIME Problem Set on Number Theory Yes
2 1/17, Sun Combinatorics: Partitions and Bijections, Generating Functions, Combinatorial Identities, the Inclusion-Exclusion Principle, the pigeonhole principle AIME Problem Set on Combinatorics Yes
3 1/24, Sun Probability: Properties of Probability Functions, Geometric probability, Algebraic Probability, Tournaments, Socks, and Dice AIME Problem Set on Probability Yes
4 1/31, Sun Algebraic Equations: Distance-Rate-Time Problems, Systems of Nonlinear Equations AIME Problem Set on Algebraic Equations Yes
5 2/7, Sun Diophantine Equations, Systems of Diophantine Equations, Quadratic Diophantine and Pell Equations, Special Factoring Trick –– Completing the Rectangle AIME Problem Set on Diophantine and Pell Equations Yes
6 2/14, Sun Sequences and Series: Arithmetic Series, Geometric Series and the Telescope Tool, Tiling and the Fibonacci Recurrence, The Catalan Recurrence AIME Problem Set on Sequences and Series Yes
7 2/21, Sun Logarithmic and Trigonometric Functions: Putting Logarithmic, Exponential,  and Trigonometric Functions Together AIME Problem Set on Logarithmic and Trigonometric Functions Yes
8 2/28, Sun Complex Numbers and Polynomials: The Algebra of Complex Numbers, The Geometry of Complex Numbers, Basic Definitions and Facts about Polynomials, Polynomials with Complex Roots AIME Problem Set on Complex Numbers and Polynomials Yes
9 3/6, Sun Plane Geometry: Triangle Geometry, Circle Geometry, Geometrical Concepts in the Complex Plane AIME Problem Set on Plane Geometry Yes
10 3/13, Sun Spatial Geometry: Rectangular Boxes, Cylinders, Cones, Spheres, Tetrahedra and Pyramids AIME Problem Set on Spatial Geometry Yes

Two FREE textbooks:

  • Paul Zeitz: The Art and Craft of Problem Solving, 2nd Edition
  • Richard Rusczyk   and   Sandor Lehoczky: The Art of Problem Solving, Vol. 2: And Beyond, 7th Edition

Homework: At least 5 hours per week. Students are expected to complete all of the previous AIME contests in the past 10 years, which is over 60 hours of practice. Our instructors are open to questions on any previous AIMEs.
AIME_large

All problems from all of the previous 49 AIME contests (1983-2015) form our “big data” system. We have used data mining and predictive analytics to examine the types and the frequencies of questions in all these materials, and then completely “decoded” the AIME. We will show all the “secret code” cracked from the above big data to students, and teach them to totally grasp and “control” the AMC. For all questions on the recent AIME contests, we can find their “ancestors” and “roots” from the old AIME problems. Therefore, the best way to prepare for the contest is to practice by solving old AIME problems.

Bronze_medal

Our Students

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA.

Read more:

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!education priceless treasure

 

 

AMC 10/12 Prep (for 7th to 12th Graders) Winter Weekend Course Starting Jan. 10

logo_americanmath
Instructors:

8 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:30 pm), Total: 20 Hours

  1.       1/10
  2.       1/17
  3.       1/24
  4.       1/31  (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
  5.       2/7
  6.       2/14
  7.       2/21
  8.       2/28  (Final Mock Exam/Review)

Tuition: $800 (including all materials). We offer discounts of $30 for returning students.

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.
Click HERE to view our Tuition Payment-Refund Policy.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.

Locations:
13902 Bromfield Road, Germantown, MD 20874
18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

math-olympiad-web

Purpose: To prepare for the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 17, 2016.

BANNER_Top_MathleticsSpecific Goal: To earn a score of 120 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10), or a score of 100 or more out of 150 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12), and then qualify for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME), which is used to determine qualification for the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO). See for more details: Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems

There are many math competitions in the United States. Of those, only AMC → AIME → USAMO sequence would take you to the IMO (International Math Olympiad), the highest level math competition for high school students in the world.

imagesFX9CEY3L

Who should take this class: This class is very appropriate for 7th-12th grade students who are hoping to qualify for the AIME.

Mock Tests: Two simulated tests help students assess their level of preparation for the Math Competitions. The test consists of 25 questions similar to AMC 10/12 level from the licensed AMC Database, and is intended to mimic an actual math competition exam. After attempting the test, students get answers, explanations, and a detailed score report and wise performance summary.

Weekly Homework: At least 3 hours per week. Each week, we will carefully review and check 2 students’ homework, and correct any mistakes. The next week, we will check another 2 students’ homework, and this will continue on a rotational basis until all students have had their homework checked at least once and the cycle will start again. Based on the work of the 2 students that week, we will provide the those 2 students with individualized proposal and support.

The only way to learn mathematics is by doing mathematics. Homework assignments are a fundamental part of a mathematics course. Homework is also seen as a welcome challenge and an opportunity for further learning. Homework given prior to a lesson can aid in understanding later during class. Homework also provides opportunities for reinforcement of the material learned in class.

We have to face the simple truth that to do well on this grueling contest, we will need to practice. Just like it is for sports and music, the key to success is repetition and practice. We strongly believe in effort and the malleability of intelligence. Intelligence can be enhanced through effort. People can develop impressive levels of expertise through hard work and practice. Effort and persistence are the keys to success. Hard work always pays off. Practice makes perfect!

All problems from past AMC 10/12 exams (2000-2015) and AHSME (1973–1999) form our “big data” system. The AHSME (American High School Mathematics Examination) was the former name of the AMC, before 2000. We have used data mining and predictive analytics to examine the types and the frequencies of questions in all these materials, and then completely “decoded” the AMC 10/12. We will show all the “secret code” cracked from the above big data to students, and teach them to totally grasp and “control” the AMC. For all questions on the recent AMC contests, we can find their “ancestors” and “roots” from the old AMC problems. Therefore, the best way to prepare for the contest is to practice by solving old AMC problems.

Bronze_medal

Our Students

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA.

Read more:
Notable Achievements of Our Students
2015 AMC 8 Results Announced
AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center (2014)

Small-sized Class Teaching Model: We utilize the highly effective small-sized class teaching model. Smaller classes lead to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having more active interactions with them. We focus on every individual, not the whole class. Students will thrive from the smaller class sizes that allow them to reach their full potential. Particularly, students can benefit tremendously from high-frequent individualized student-teacher interactions leading to establishment of a stronger foundation for lifelong learning.

Benefits:

  • 8 tutorial handouts (>160 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 400 new problems similar to AMC 10/12 level from the licensed AMC Database
  • 2 FREE mock tests, each of which has 25 questions taken from the licensed AMC Database
  • FREE registration for the AMC 10/12 A — Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and/or AMC 10/12 B — Wednesday, February 17, 2016. Please see: The AMC 10/12 Contest at Montgomery College on February 2, and February 17, 2016

Course Description:

This course is designed to extend skills in problem solving and critical thinking, to foster mathematical creativity, and to introduce the fundamentals of proof. Students learn to think at an advanced level as they tackle challenging problems.

Topics addressed in this course will draw from: number theory, set theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics, graph theory, and probability. The class will also discuss problems from all past AMC 10/12 exams (2000-2015), as well as efficient strategies for taking the test.

Each week, students explore a different math topic or problem-solving strategy in depth, and practice both non-routine and contest problems. In tackling non-routine problems whose solutions are not immediate, students are encouraged to approach problems from different angles. Additionally, they will learn to create inductive and deductive proofs, with a focus on the proper use of notation and terminology and precision in their writing. Our classroom provides interactive and team-building experiences for students.

Each topic covered in the course is independent of the other topics. Students will not necessarily start with “Topic 1” in their first week of enrollment.

Class Outline:

In AMC 10/12 Prep Class, we will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve AMC problems as well as test-taking tactics.

AMC 10/12 Prep Class

Class Date Topic Homework Tutorial Handouts
1 1/10, Sun Using the ruler, protractor, and compass to solve AMC geometry problems (See for more details: Optimal Strategies to Solve Hard AMC Geometry Problems) AMC 10/12 Problem Set on geometry, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
2 1/17, Sun Tricks and shortcuts for solving AMC counting and combinatorics problems AMC 10/12 Problem Set on counting and combinatorics, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
3 1/24, Sun Number bases, modular arithmetic, integer divisions, and linear congruences at the heart of a great many AMC problems AMC 10/12 Problem Set on number theory, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
4 1/31, Sun The art and craft for solving AMC statistics and probability problems AMC 10/12 Problem Set on statistics and probability, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
5 2/7, Sun Efficient strategies for testing primality to solve AMC problems AMC 10/12 Problem Set on arithmetic, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
6 2/14, Sun Problem solving in algebra equation, inequalities, polynomials, rationals, and quadratics AMC 10/12 Problem Set on algebra and functions, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
7 2/21, Sun Sophisticated and elegant strategies and tactics to solve sequences and series problems in the AMC AMC 10/12 Problem Set on sequences and series, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes
8 2/28, Sun Arts and tricks to solve AMC problems related to circles, polygons, coordinates and graphs, and three-dimensional geometry AMC 10/12 Problem Set on three-dimensional geometry, Plus some new problems with a similar difficulty level from the licensed AMC Database Yes

 

Our main purpose is to help our students gain deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are so valuable to success in any career. We are big believers in the FUNDAMENTALS! Our students will receive the LIFELONG BENEFITS from learning math.

IMG_2563_0Regardless of his/her math level, each student will have the opportunity to learn math in a fun, friendly, cooperative, supportive learning environment. The most important thing is to have fun.

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our tutoring model is very unique. We ask that all students complete all the required problems at home, and then email their work to us before come to the class. We will carefully review and check the students’ work. Based on their work, we can detect what are the student’s specific weaknesses and use those problems in class to teach the students all the tricks, shortcuts, strategies, and tactics for taking the contest. The entire two hours are used for instructional teaching only. We firmly believe that learning is extremely important, and that a student should not waste time doing problems with our supervision if they can do those problems at home. So our 2-hour session is equivalent to a regular 4-hour session, and thus our hourly rate is equivalent to $20 per hour.

Read more:

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

education priceless treasure3

Middle School Competition Math (for 5th to 8th Graders) Winter Weekend Course Starting Jan 9

math-contestInstructors:

12 Weekends (Time: 6:00 – 8:00 pm):

1.       1/9
2.       1/16
3.       1/23
4.       1/30  (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
5.       2/6
6.       2/13
7.       2/20
8.       2/27 (Monthly Mock Test/Review)
9.       3/5
10.      3/12
11.       3/19
12.      3/26 (Final Mock Exam/Review)

Tuition:
$720 (including all materials and an extensive correction of the incorrect answers of all homework. Click HERE to see a sample)
America’s public school system has a major flaw: teachers grade homework for completion, rather than accuracy. They neglect to check their students’ daily progress through their homework, and lose the opportunity to correct their students’ mistakes. Our teaching style is unique in that we adamantly believe in the importance of checking and reviewing our students’ homework. By examining our students’ homework, we can assess their current levels of academic engagement and performance, and to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, our students can learn from their mistakes and ensure that these mistakes will not be repeated. No other tutoring center will provide such an emphasis on checking homework; this is merely one of the unique aspects of our education service.

We offer discounts of $20 for returning students.

Online Registration is now open! Click HERE to register.
Click HERE to view our Tuition Payment/Refund Policy.

A commitment to the whole course can maximize the benefit of learning all the math ideas, methods, strategies, tactics, skills, and techniques.

Locations:
13902 Bromfield Road, Germantown, MD 20874
18206 Endora Cir, Germantown, MD 20841

Contact Information:
Ivy League Education Center
Tel:  301-922-9508     or        240-780-8828
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com

Math-CompetitionsPurpose: To help 5th-8th graders prepare for math competitions, such as MATHCOUNTS, AMC 8, Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), Math KangarooMath League, and Continental Mathematics League (CML)

Description: Our curriculum focuses on advancing the mathematical skills of 5th-8th graders to prepare them for math competitions, such as Mathcounts, AMC 8, Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), Math Kangaroo, and Math League. A variety of contest questions are used to teach students strategies to solve problems and help students prepare for the competitions. These problems stimulate their interest and enthusiasm for critical thinking and problem solving, broaden their mathematical intuition, and develop their brainpower. The topics taught in this class are not covered in regular school math classes, allowing our students to stay one step ahead.

Benefits:

  • 12 tutorial handouts (240 pages) developed by Dr. Henry Wan and 500 new problems similar to AMC 8 level from the licensed AMC Database
  • 3 FREE mock tests, each of which has 25 questions taken from the licensed AMC Database
  • FREE registration for the AMC 8 Contest on Tuesday, November 15, 2016. 

Grade Levels: Grades 5-8

Class Outline: In Middle School Competition Math Class, we will focus on efficient tricks, shortcuts, and strategies to solve competitive math problems as well as test-taking tactics. The emphasis of this class will be on problem-solving in fundamental discrete math which is the most important to competitive math.

Class Date Topic
1 1/9, Sat Number theory I: Prime numbers, composite numbers, and testing primality
2 1/16, Sat Number theory II: Prime factorization, divisor counting, and divisor sum
3 1/23, Sat Number theory III: Modular arithmetic, linear congruences, and Diophantine equations
4 1/30, Sat Arithmetic and propositional reasoning
5 2/6, Sat Counting I: Basic Counting, Venn Diagrams, and Bowling Pin Pattern
6 2/13, Sat Counting II: Paths on a Grid and Combinations
7 2/20, Sat Counting III: Complementary Counting
8 2/27, Sat Probability I: Discrete Probability and Compound Probability
9 3/5, Sat Probability II: Geometric Probability and Expected Value
10 3/12, Sat Statistics: Mean, Median, and Mode
11 3/19, Sat Sequences: Consecutive Integers, Arithmetic Sequences, Geometric Sequences, Fibonacci and the Golden Ratio
12 3/26, Sat Discrete Geometry: Pythagorean Triples and 3-D Pythagorean Theorem

Mock Test: Three simulated tests will help students assess their level of preparation for the Math Competitions. The test consists of 25 questions similar to AMC 8/MathCounts level from the licensed AMC Database, and is intended to mimic an actual math competition exam. After attempting the test, students get answers, explanations, and a detailed score report and wise performance summary.

Homework: On average, at least 2 hours per week. We will carefully review and check their homework, and correct any mistakes. Based on his/her work, we will provide the student with individualized proposal and support.do mathThe only way to learn mathematics is by doing mathematics. Homework assignments are a fundamental part of a mathematics course. Homework is also seen as a welcome challenge and an opportunity for further learning. Homework given prior to a lesson can aid in understanding later during class. Homework also provides opportunities for reinforcement of the material learned in class.

We have to face the simple truth that to do well on these grueling contests, we will need to practice. Just like it is for sports and music, the key to success is repetition and practice. We strongly believe in effort and the malleability of intelligence. Intelligence can be enhanced through effort. People can develop impressive levels of expertise through hard work and practice. Effort and persistence are the keys to success. Hard work always pays off: practice makes perfect!

All problems from past AMC 8 exams (1985-2014) and MathCounts (1990–2015) form our “big data” system. We have used data mining and predictive analytics to examine the types and the frequencies of questions in all these materials, and then completely “decoded” the AMC 8 and MathCounts. We will show all the “secret code” cracked from the above big data to students, and teach them to totally grasp and “control” the AMC and MathCounts. For all questions on the recent AMC/MathCounts contests, we can find their “ancestors” and “roots” from the old AMC/MathCounts problems. Therefore, the best way to prepare for the contest is to practice by solving old AMC/MathCounts problems.

Bronze_medal

Our Students

From 2011 to 2015, in total, 37 students scored above 120 on the American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 26 students scored above 100 on the American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) and qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME); 3 students qualified for the USA Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition for high school students in the USA.

Read more:
Notable Achievements of Our Students
2015 AMC 8 Results Announced
AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center (2014)

Small-sized Class Teaching Model: We utilize the highly effective small-sized class teaching model. Smaller classes lead to pupils receiving more individual attention from teachers, and having more active interactions with them. We focus on every individual, not the whole class. Students will thrive from the smaller class sizes that allow them to reach their full potential. Particularly, students can benefit tremendously from high-frequent individualized student-teacher interactions leading to establishment of a stronger foundation for lifelong learning.

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Main Purpose: Our main purpose is to help our students gain deeper understanding of the fundamental math concepts, build a solid foundation in math, and develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are so valuable to success in any career. We are big believers in the FUNDAMENTALS! Our students will receive the LIFELONG BENEFITS from learning math.

Regardless of his/her math level, each student will have the opportunity to learn math in a fun, friendly, cooperative, supportive learning environment. The most important thing is to have fun.

We are only one in the Washington DC metropolitan area to offer elementary, middle, and high-school level competition math courses. Our tutoring model is very unique. We ask that all students complete all the required problems at home, and then email their work to us before come to the class. We will carefully review and check the students’ work. Based on their work, we can detect what are the student’s specific weaknesses and use those problems in class to teach the students all the tricks, shortcuts, strategies, and tactics for taking the contest. The entire two hours are used for instructional teaching only. We firmly believe that learning is extremely important, and that a student should not waste time doing problems with our supervision if they can do those problems at home. So our 2-hour session is equivalent to a regular 4-hour session, and thus our hourly rate is equivalent to $15 per hour.

Read more:

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

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2015 AMC 8 Results Announced — Two Students Received Perfect Scores

Warmest Congratulations to the Students Who Earned Top Scores on the 2015 AMC 8 Contest!

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  • 2 of our students were among the top 76 National Winners (Perfect Scorers).
  • 12 students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers.
  • 11 students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers.

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The 2015 AMC 8 (American Mathematics Competitions 8) was held on November 17th, 2015. This is one of the biggest math competitions in America. This year’s AMC 8 was much more difficult than that of the previous years. The AMC 8 has a total score of 25. Two of our students were among 76 National Winners (Perfect Scorers): Richard Z. and DongYun S. Ten of our students received National Distinguished Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 1% test takers, and eleven of our students received National Honor Roll Certificates awarded to top 5% test takers. Furthermore, four students of our in grade 6 or under received National Achievement Roll Certificates. Srihan K., a 5th grader, got a 21 out of 25 which is very impressive.

In 2015, there were 27 students in grades 3-8 who attended our AMC 8 Prep or AMC 10/12 Prep Classes, including One-on-One Private Coaching and Small Group (4-10 students) Classes. All of them attended the AMC 8 contest on November 17, 2015, and their average score is 19.67. Remarkably, 24 students received National Certificates for the Mathematical Associations of America. Table 1 shows a full list of our top students.
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Table 1: Notable Achievements of Our Students on the 2015 AMC 8 Contest

Name AMC 8 Score Grade Award Class Year
Richard Z. 25 8 National Certificate of Distinction 2014-15, 2015-2016 AMC 10/12 Prep
DongYun S. 25 8 National Certificate of Distinction 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Eva Q. 24 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2013-14, 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Andrew J. 24 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Harry K. 23 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Tutoring
Cato W. 23 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Nicole S. 22 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2015-16 AMC 10/12 Prep
Joy S. 22 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014 Spring AMC 10 Prep Class
David H. 21 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Srihan K. 21 5 National Distinguished Honor Roll, National Achievement Roll 2014-2015 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Coaching
Ivan M. 21 7 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Coaching
Cathy P. 21 8 National Distinguished Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Coaching
Benjamin F. 20 7 National Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Coaching
Nathan M. 20 8 National Honor Roll 2014-15 AMC 10/12 Prep
Wyatt T. 20 6 National Honor Roll, National Achievement Roll 2014-2015 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep, 2015-2016 One-on-one Coaching
Ivy L. 19 7 National Honor Roll 2015-2016 AMC 10/12 Prep
Ronoy S. 19 7 National Honor Roll 2014-2015 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep
Justin H. 18 8 National Honor Roll 2014-2015 AMC 10/12 Prep
Michael P. 18 8 National Honor Roll 2014-2015 AMC 10/12 Prep
Danny S. 16 7 National Honor Roll 2014-2015 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep
William Y. 16 8 National Honor Roll 2015-2016 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep
Otto R. 16 6 National Honor Roll, National Achievement Roll 2014 Spring AMC 8 Prep Class,2014 Summer AMC 8 Prep Class
Steven E. 16 5 National Honor Roll, National Achievement Roll 2015-2016 One-on-one Tutoring
John L. 15 5 National Achievement Roll 2014-2015 AMC 8/MathCounts Prep

14,9122 students worldwide participated in the 2015 AMC 8 contest from over 2,000 schools. In the USA, 113,628 students participated, and the overall national average score is 8.18 out of a maximum of 25. In Maryland, 1,155 students participated and the overall state average score is 9.97. In Virginia, 6,261 students took and the overall state average score is 8.22. In Washington, D.C., 426 students attended and the overall state average score is 6.83.

All our students achieved a score that is much higher than the Maryland/Virginia/D.C. and national average.

There is a total of 76 students in America with a perfect score. 2 of them are from our center. If our Center is a state, our number of perfect scores would have let us beat New York, Ohio, and Florida. Each of these states has only one perfect scorer. Table 2 demonstrates a complete list of the number of students who achieved a perfect score in each state.

Table 2: The Number of Perfect Scorers by State

State Number of Perfect Scorers
California 19
Massachusetts 13
Texas 7
North Carolina 6
Virginia 6
New Jersey 4
Oregon 3
Washington 3
Illinois 2
Indiana 2
Pennsylvania 2
Arizona 1
Colorado 1
Connecticut 1
Florida 1
Minnesota 1
Nevada 1
New York 1
Ohio 1
Tennessee 1
Alabama 0
Alaska 0
Arkansas 0
Delaware 0
District of Columbia 0
Georgia 0
Hawaii 0
Idaho 0
Iowa 0
Kansas 0
Kentucky 0
Louisiana 0
Maine 0
Maryland 0
Michigan 0
Mississippi 0
Missouri 0
Montana 0
Nebraska 0
New Hampshire 0
New Mexico 0
North Dakota 0
Oklahoma 0
Rhode Island 0
South Carolina 0
South Dakota 0
Utah 0
Vermont 0
West Virginia 0
Wisconsin 0
Wyoming 0
Total 76

Top scorers and statistics can be found at http://amc-reg.maa.org/reports/generalreports.aspx

Read more at:

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

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The AMC 10/12 Contest at Montgomery College on February 2, and February 17, 2016

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We will offer the AMC 10/12 contest to local students at Montgomery College.

AMC 10/12 A
Date: Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Time: 3:30pm-5:00pm (please arrive 15 minutes early)

AMC 10/12 B
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Time: 3:30pm-5:00pm (please arrive 15 minutes early)

Germantown Campus:
Address: 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown, MD 20876
Location: HT113 (Global Hall)

Rockville Campus:
Address: 900 Hungerford Drive #110, Rockville, MD 20850
Location: SC362

Note: Parking permit will be available.
*************************************************************
Henry Wan, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor in Math
Senior Math Coach Certified by the Mathematical Association of America
Tel:  301-922-9508
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com *************************************************************
AMC affiliate_logo copy
The main purpose of the AMC 10/12 is to spur interest in mathematics and to develop talent through the excitement of solving challenging problems in a timed multiple-choice format. The problems range from the very easy to the extremely difficult. Students who participate in the AMC 10/12 should find that most of the problems are challenging but within their grasp. The contest is intended for everyone from the average student at a typical school who enjoys mathematics to the very best student at the most special school.

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In 2015, over 210,000 students from over 4,100 U.S. and international schools competed for school, regional, and national awards in this contest and found it fun and rewarding. Top 10, well-known U.S. universities and colleges, including internationally recognized U.S. technical institutions, ask for AMC scores on their application forms. Our students deserve the chance to list these scores on their applications!

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With these contests, there are awards in each school for the student with the highest score, certificates for high-scoring students in each school, state-wide awards, regional awards, and even national awards. These contests lead to other more selective math contests, all the way to the USA team sent to the International Mathematical Olympiad, the premier international high school level problem solving contest.

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But the real rewards come from challenging each student with mathematics that is new, different, and “outside of the box.” The problems on the contest are hard, but designed to be within reach. Just by participating in the contest your student should still feel accomplishment, because these problems are meant to be more challenging than routinely encountered in mathematics courses.

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Mathematics is increasingly important in our technological and scientific age. Taking enough mathematics in school is the gateway to jobs and careers of all kinds, even those that are not explicitly mathematical, scientific or technological. We hope that by offering these contests, we can challenge and inspire students to want to learn more mathematics. We hope that your son or daughter enjoys the contests and will continue to take mathematics courses in middle school, high school and beyond.

More details can be found at:
American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10)
Notable Achievements of Our Students
http://www.maa.org/math-competitions/amc-contests/amc-1012
amclogocolors

Click HERE to find out more about Math Competitions!

Google Meet Online Class Instruction

Ivy league Cnter-2017You are very welcome to sign up for our Online Course, which offers a quick and efficient way for students to interact with teachers over long distance. We use Google Meet to connect with students in real time, provide instruction, share problem-solving strategies, and offer guidance and support. Students can ask questions face-to-face and work through problems under the supervision of our teachers/coaches.

Please Note:

  • This is a live class, not a pre-recorded one. Instructors will ask students questions during class, and students are encouraged to ask questions as well.
  • We record all of our lessons as a big bonus so that our students can watch class videos after class for review and self-study.
  • These videos will only be available to view for 30 days after the class.

Please let us know ASAP what Gmail account your child will use for Google Meet to attend our online class! We have listed below several pointers you should follow to ensure that our Google Meet session goes as smoothly as possible:

  1. We will send out the Google Meet invite at exactly 5 minutes before the start of the class. Please make sure that you have your Gmail account screen ready at that time.
  2. Please use Google Chrome as your browser. This browser supports Google Hangout MOST efficiently.
  3. Before the class, please check your microphone and webcam to make sure you are wired for sound and picture. It is absolutely imperative that your computer’s audio and visual systems are working well.
  4. Shut down ALL OTHER unnecessary software programs and browser tabs.
  5. STUDENTS PLAESE PAY ATTENTION: please leave your Google Hangout window on during the whole duration of class time and DO NOT OPEN ANY OTHER TABS OR BROWSE IN ANY OTHER TABS! AND DO NOT TOUCH THE MOUSE! EVEN DURING BREAK TIME, it is NOT advised to touch the screen AT ALL. (Throughout these years of using Google Hangout, our main line has never ever dropped. Hence we firmly believe that the reason for dropping the line must be the result of the student accidentally clicking off the Hangout screen.
  6. Make sure your device is suitably charged. A lot of devices will lag if the battery is down to its last 10%.
  7. One account per student, single device at a time: Each registered account is for one student only—the student who is enrolled with us. Course access, including live online classes, recorded lessons, and handout materials, is provided exclusively to the registered student and is strictly prohibited from being shared with any other individual. Each registered account must be logged in on only one device at a time. Logging in on multiple devices simultaneously using the same account is not permitted. If multiple devices are detected during class, our administrator will randomly remove the extra devices and keep only one active device to avoid disruption.
  8. Recording, sharing, and redistribution policy:
    To protect the learning environment and our instructional content, all course contentincluding live classes, recorded lessons, and course materials, is the intellectual property of the instructors and the program owner and is provided for the personal educational use of the registered student only.
    Students and parents are not permitted to record, screenshot, share, distribute, repost, or resell any part of the course content. The instructors and program owner do not grant, and have never granted students any rights to sell, share, redistribute, or otherwise commercially exploit the course content under any circumstances.
  9. Please make sure your display name clearly shows the student’s name. If the account belongs to a parent or uses the parent’s name, that is acceptable as long as the instructor can clearly recognize which student is attending. This helps instructors address students directly and keeps the class organized.

  10. Please join the class 5 minutes early to allow time for technical checks and to ensure the class can start on time without delays.
  11. Important!! Please DO NOT sends us the invite if your line has dropped. You will have to call our assistant through the phone line (318-888-1168) to let us know. We will send out a new invite to the group.

We know for sure that if we follow ALL of these guidelines, we will always have very smooth Google Meet online sessions.

2015 AMC 8 Problems and Answers

The 2015 AMC 8 was held on November 17th, 2015. According to the AMC policy, students, teachers, and coaches are not allowed to discuss the contest questions and solutions outside their contest administration until after November 24. The term “contest administration” is defined as a group of students who are taking the contest at the same time in the same room. You can find out more about this at:

Now I can post the 2015 AMC 8 Problems and Answers. You can click the following to download them:

More details can be found at:

amclogocolors

Click HERE find out more about Math Competitions!

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The AMC 8 Contest at the Montgomery College on November 17, 2015

amc_8_reg_ad

We will offer the AMC 8 contest to local students at the Montgomery College.

Date: Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Time: 3:30pm-4:30pm (please arrive 15 minutes early)

Germantown Campus:
Address: 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown, MD 20876
Location: HT113 (Global Hall)

Rockville Campus:
Address: 900 Hungerford Drive #110, Rockville, MD 20850
Location: SC362

Note: Parking permit will be available.

*************************************************************
Henry Wan, Ph.D.
Senior Instructor in Math
Senior Math Coach Certified by the Mathematical Association of America
Tel:  301-922-9508
Email:  chiefmathtutor@gmail.com
*************************************************************

AMC affiliate_logo copy

The AMC 8 is a fun mathematics competition, aimed primarily at middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Highly motivated 4th and 5th grade students are encouraged to participate as well. Last year the AMC 8 contest involved over 150,000 students worldwide.

You-can-do-it-BABY

With these contests, there are awards in each school for the student with the highest score, certificates for high-scoring students in each school, and state-wide awards. The AMC 8 contest can lead to other more selective math contests, even all the way to the United States of America team sent to the International Mathematical Olympiad, the premier international high school level mathematical problem solving contest. But the real rewards come from challenging each student with mathematics that is new, different, and “outside of the box.” The problems on the contest are difficult, but designed to be within the reach of students. Even so, if your son or daughter managed to solve only one or two problems, this should be an encouragement to learn more, because these problems are meant to be more challenging than students routinely encounter in their mathematics courses.

you-can-do-it-1r8

Mathematics is increasingly important in our technological and scientific age. Taking enough mathematics in school is the gateway to jobs and careers of all kinds, even those that are not explicitly mathematical, scientific or technological. We hope that by offering these contests, we can challenge and inspire students to want to learn more mathematics. We hope that your son or daughter enjoys the contests and will continue to take mathematics courses in middle school, high school and beyond.

body_youcandoit

More details can be found at:
Premier National Mathematics Competition — AMC 8
AMC 8 Winners for the U.S. Ivy League Education Center

amclogocolors

Click HERE to find out more about Math Competitions!