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Math contest encourages students to "Go Figure"

Budding mathematicians are invited to compete in the Laboratory's sixth annual Go Figure Mathematical Challenge Saturday in Santa Fe, Los Alamos and Española.

The contest is open to students in grades 7 through 12 and any interested students are welcome to participate on their own initiative, regardless of sponsorship. Parents are especially encouraged to have students participate. The contest is from 9 a.m. to noon, at Los Alamos Middle School, rooms 111 and 112; Española Middle School's Main Library; and Santa Fe Indian School's Lecture Hall. Registration begins at 9 a.m.; the challenge starts at 9:30 a.m.. Participants should bring sharpened pencils but not calculators.

"The goal of the 'Go Figure' competition is to identify young people with talent in mathematics," said Rick Alexander of the Education Programs Office (STB-EPO). "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 a solid foundation that includes mathematics, a students' opportunities are limited."

Problems for the contest 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. The test results are used to identify talented students who - along with their parents and teacher/advisor - will be invited to a recognition banquet to be held at Cities of Gold Hotel Conference Center on Nov. 13. At least one prize will be awarded in each grade level category.

A sample test is available at http://stb.lanl.gov:8080/wosaserver/web?pg=/education/skills/math/index.xml online. For more information, contact Alexander at 5-4373.

--Steve Sandoval

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