Math Web Resources and Standardized Test Preparation

Math Resources (Page 4 of 4)

Math Contests, Competitions, Challenges, and Camps

American Regions Math League sponsors an annual national competition for high school students, although some exceptional middle school students attend each year.  The contest is held the weekend after Memorial Day.  Prior contest questions are posted with answers.  You will also find lists of other national, state, and regional math contests under Resources for Mathletes.

Aunty Math poses a challenging math problem for students in grades K-5 every other week.  Each challenge, written in age appropriate language, is presented as a story taken from the life of Aunty Math and her two nephews and niece.  Problems encourage use of thinking skills and are correlated to NCTM standards. Students can submit their answers and solution methods for posting on the Web.  Teachers and parents can access archived problems, view solution strategies, and find tips to extend each lesson.  The site contains colorful graphics and large type suitable for reading by young students.

Figure This! contains math challenges for middle school students and their families and is award winning, funded by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education.  Each challenge describes the math involved, where the math is used in the real world, a hint to get started, and complete solutions.  There are a "Try This" section, additional related problems with answers, additional questions to think about, related math fun facts, and resources for further exploration.  The math index categorizes challenges according to strands: algebra, geometry, measurement, number, and statistics and probability.  Engaging cartoon characters illustrate features of at least 80 different challenges, such as Line Up, Beating Heart, Popcorn, and Don't Fall In.

MATHCOUNTS is a national math enrichment, coaching & competition program that promotes middle school mathematics. Schools select students to compete individually or as part of a team in one of the more than 500 written & oral competitions held nationwide. Top students advance to the state, & ultimately, national level. MATHCOUNTS also has a problem of the week and an extensive archive of problems posed each year, dating back to 1996.

Math League specializes in math contests, books, and computer software designed to stimulate interest and confidence in mathematics for students from the 4th grade through high school.  Whether or not you choose to participate in a contest, educators will find the Help Facility for Grades 4-8 of value.  This reference guide addresses math topics for grades 4-8, complete with examples, definitions, and explanations for whole numbers, decimals, using data and statistics, fractions, geometry, ratio and proportion, percent and probability, integers, measurement, introductory algebra, and more. 

Math Olympiads for grades 4-6 and 7-8 features five monthly contests (November-March) with five non-routine problems per contest, which can be completed at the participants' school.  Each team can have up to 35 students. Prizes are awarded at the end of the fifth contest.  There is also a problem of the month posted, along with the answer to the prior month's problem.

Mathschallenge.net contains a variety of puzzles and challenges suitable for grades 6-12, and adults. Problems are divided into appropriate levels: junior, senior, and advanced. There is a section for recreational mathematics dealing with number, code breaking, and geometry. Project Euler contains a series of challenging mathematical/computer programming problems.

Platonic Realms delivers fresh math humor, quotes, historical notes, and a mathematical challenge problem every day.  Each day the solution from the previous day's challenge problem is made available.

Problem of the Week math contest is hosted by Columbus State University (GA) and David Rock and Doug Brumbaugh.  You can submit your answer, and if correct, your name can be posted at the site.  These are very engaging problems promoting interest in math at all age levels.  Problems from other sections (Algebra in Action, Middle School Madness, and Elementary Brain Teaser) are geared to specific audiences.--highly recommended.

Problems of the Week (PoW):  The Math Forum at Drexel University provides weekly challenging problems for students in grades 3-12 in six categories: elementary, middle, algebra, geometry, discrete mathematics, and trigonometry/calculus.  Each category also contains a schedule for upcoming problems, and an archive to past problems and solutions.  Problem-solving and communicating math are key elements to all problems.  An information page and PoW discussion area are provided for teacher support.  Also see the Technology Problem of the Week.

USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) is a free mathematics competition open to all United States middle and high school students.  Students can take up to a month to solve the problems and must submit their justifications.  According to USAMTS, "Problems range in difficulty from being within the reach of most high school students to challenging the best students in the nation. Students may use any materials - books, calculators, computers - but all the work must be their own. The USAMTS is run on the honor system."  There are prizes.

Word Problems for Kids, located at St. Francis Xavier University, is for teachers and students in grades 5-12.  Problems, which were selected to help develop problem-solving skills, have been adapted from the Canadian Mathematics Competitions and are divided by grade level.   Hints and answers are included.  Select a problem of the week to add to your curriculum.

Back to top

Study Skills and Homework Help

Students: Do you need help with studying, homework or solving problems?

Hotmath provides 24/7 help with homework in your pre-algebra, algebra 1 or 2, geometry, pre-calculus or calculus course.  Choose your text from the major publishers, get hints and step-by-step tutorials for odd-numbered problems shown on your selected page.

HowToStudy.com contains a series of tips and strategies for studying, dealing with anxiety, taking tests, listening and taking notes in class, reading, solving math problems, writing research papers, managing time, and more.

howtostudy.org contains a how to study model and resources for study skills, how to study, and how to write within several subject areas.

Study Guides and Strategies contains several sections: study skills, preparing for tests, taking tests; improving research, project management, reading, writing, science, and math skills.

Quandaries and Queries brought to you by Math Central at the University of Regina (CA) will help you answer "nagging" math problems or questions you can't solve.  You can browse for topics already covered, read questions and latest answers, or send an email with your question, if you can't find help in what is already posted.

QuickMath, powered by Mathematica, is an automatic problem-solving site developed by Dr. B. Langton of Sydney, Australia.  Secondary and college students and their instructors will benefit from the quick solutions to problems encountered with algebra, equations, inequalities, calculus (differentiation and integration), number concepts, and matrices.  Graphing appearance can be user-modified.  The only thing you will need to know to use the free service is how to enter expressions and equations.  Highly recommended.

Webmath is composed of many math "fill-in-forms" into which you can type the math problem you're working on. Linked to these forms is a powerful set of math-solvers, that can instantly analyze your problem, and when possible, provide you with a step-by-step solution.  Categories include Math for Everyone, General Math, K-8 Math, Algebra, Plots & Geometry, Trig & Calculus, and Other Stuff.

Back to top

Dictionaries, Glossaries, and Math Encyclopedias

Students: Are you having difficulty with a particular math term or idea?  If so, check out these resources:

A Maths Dictionary for Kids by J. Eather is an attention-getting, animated collection of over 500 terms found in K-8 math.  Definitions with examples and interactive activities reinforce concepts.

Connecting Mathematics from the University of Cambridge and Partners is a thesaurus with brief explanations of mathematical terms and ideas.  There are various multimedia galleries with images, animations, dynamic geometry diagrams, and 3D views.  Mathematical ideas are linked to others using five types of links:

• A link to a broader - more general or more encompassing - idea.
• A link to a narrower - more specific - term.
• A link to a term used in explaining this idea.
• Links to ideas which build on this one
• A link to something relevant to the math term

Math.com Glossary

Mathwords.com.  "This website is designed for math students who need an easy-to-use, easy-to-understand math resource all in one place. It is a comprehensive listing of formulas and definitions from Algebra I to Calculus. The explanations are readable for average math students, and over a thousand illustrations and examples are provided," according to developer Bruce Simmons, who teaches math.

MathWorld is a comprehensive and interactive mathematics encyclopedia for students (grades 7-12, post-secondary), educators, math enthusiasts, and researchers.  This award winning site, hosted by Wolfram Research, Inc., makers of Mathematica, has been assembled over the past decade by E. Weisstein with assistance from the mathematics and internet communities.  Subjects indexed include algebra, applied math, calculus and analysis, discrete math, foundations of math, geometry, history and terminology, number theory, probability and statistics, recreational math, and topology.  Explanations include mathematical exposition and illustrative examples.

Multimedia Math Glossary from Harcourt School Publishers is a dictionary of mathematical terms associated with each grade level K-6.  Each term is accompanied by a definition, example, and audio.  Animation is included.

Or, enter your word.  TheFreeDictionary.com will provide a definition:

 

Students and Teachers: Print Graph Paper for Free! Graph paper and grids from Mathbits.com: number lines, dot, rectangular, trig, polar, and blank calculator screens.  Print free graph paper! -- Cartesian, polar, logarithmic, and more.

Back to top | Math Resources: Page  1  |   2   |   3   |   4

See other pages of the section on Math Web Resources and Standardized Test Preparation:  Math Manipulatives and Standardized Test Preparation.