Math Beasts Camp 5

Summer Mathematics

This summer program is designed for students who will be in a 5th-grade math class in the fall. Students who have just completed our Math Level 4 academic year course are ready for Math Beasts Camp 5. (Students are not required to take AoPS Academy academic year courses prior to enrolling in AoPS Academy summer programs.)

Each day of Math Beasts Camp 5 consists of a Problem Solving component and a Mathematical Exploration component. Problem Solving keeps students sharp on important topics while preparing them for 5th grade. We start each class with a quick review of a key topic that students should have encountered in 4th grade. The review is followed by a series of intriguing problems that push student understanding of the topic well beyond the standard fourth-grade level. We finish each Problem Solving discussion with a challenging activity in which students collaborate in teams.

Our Mathematical Explorations are designed to introduce topics that most students don't encounter until much later in their schooling, while equipping students with general mathematical strategies that will be useful throughout their education. The Math Beasts Camp 5 Mathematical Exploration consists of a series of math-related two-player strategic games. We start with seemingly simple games like Tic Tac Toe to introduce the concept of strategy, and then quickly move on to much more complex games through which students will learn essential mathematical problem-solving tactics such as pattern recognition, working backwards, and invariance.

SYLLABUS

This two-week course meets Monday through Friday for three hours each day.

Space is very limited for our summer programs. Please do not wait until the last minute to enroll. If there are more than two weeks before the course starts, a $200 deposit will be due when enrolling, with the balance due two weeks before the course begins.