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Math contest encourages students to "Go Figure"

Budding mathematicians are competing in the fifth annual 'Go Figure' math contest in Santa Fe, Farmington, Los Alamos and Española on Nov. 15, sponsored by the Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico and California.

The contest is open to students in grades 7 through 12 and interested students are welcome to participate on their own initiative, regardless of sponsorship. Parents are especially encouraged to have students participate. Although formal pre-registration is not required, teachers are encouraged to register students by writing to Joe Vigil of the Education Programs Office (STB-EPO) at jlv@lanl.gov by electronic mail. Participants should bring sharpened pencils but not calculators.

The contest is from 9 a.m. to noon in the Zia Center rooms 55338, 55339, 55351 and 55421 at San Juan College Community College's Computer Science Building in Farmington; Los Alamos Middle School, Room 112; Española Middle School's Main Library; and Santa Fe Indian School's Lecture Hall. The Laboratory, San Juan Community College, Los Alamos Middle School, Española Middle School and Santa Fe Indian School sponsor the "Go Figure" contest.

"The goal of the 'Go Figure' competition is to identify young people with talent in mathematics," said Vigil. "Many of these students may not demonstrate a latent talent in math in the usual ways and their talent goes unrecognized. Mathematics and algebra are the building blocks for all the scientific disciplines. Without the foundation that includes mathematics, a students' opportunities are limited."

Problems for the contest will range from easy to challenging, but most will require only basic arithmetic. Some problems are designed to test the contestants' ingenuity and ability to apply what they have learned. A prize will be awarded in each grade, and the top 10 percent will receive individual letters of congratulations. Winners' names also will be posted on the World Wide Web.

A sample test is available at http://education.lanl.gov/newEPO/k12/GoFigure/math.htm online.

For more information, contact Vigil at 5-7917.

-- Steve Sandoval

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