Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: I'm the gifted coordinator for multiple schools. May I create a team with students from more than one school and/or more than one grade?
  
  A: Yes! If you don't have enough students from one school to create a team then you may form a team with students from multiple schools. However, only current fifth and sixth grade students may complete in the fifth and sixth grade competition, and only current seventh and eighth grade students may compete in the seventh and eighth grade competition.
• Q: In my district fifth and sixth grade are in separate schools. How many teams may I bring?
  
  A: You may bring two teams of fifth graders and two teams of sixth graders since they are in distinct schools.
• Q: Is there a certain way in which I must select the students who will be on our team?
  
  A: No, you are welcome to select students any way you choose. If you would like, we do have a selection test that can be administered (please e-mail Erin Bancroft if you would like a copy).
• Q: What if one of the students on my team is absent on the day of the competition?
  
  A: We suggest that you have alternates who could attend in place of students who are absent. If you don't have an alternate then the rest of the team may still compete, but they will be at a disadvantage for the total score.
• Q: I've never taken students to a math competition before -- how should I prepare them?
  
  A: We suggest that you meet frequently with the students to work on word problems as a team and to work on individual problem solving skills. See the "Preparing Your Students" link for some books and web sites with banks of words problems and problem solving tips.
• Q: The questions from previous years seem very difficult; our students haven't even seen some of the topics found in the questions. Is this normal? Should I be concerned?
  
  A: It's always a balancing act as we try to select questions that are challenging but not impossible. It is common for students to only answer a few of the questions correctly during the competition, especially if this is their first math competition. But, as we will tell the students during the competition, even getting one answer correct is an accomplishment! As is typical with math, the more the you practice the better your problem-solving skills will become. One of the goals of the competition is that the students are learning even while they are competing. During the competition, we go over a solution to each question after the students have turned in their answers.
• Q: May parents attend the competition?
  
  A: Yes! Parents are welcome to attend. We will have a seating area and refreshments available for both parents and teachers.
• Q: I teach ninth grade and my students would really like to compete. Is there a competition for them?
  
  A: Currently, we only have the fifth through eighth grade competitions. In the future, we would like to add competitions for grades 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12. If you would like to be notified when these competitions are starting, please e-mail Erin Bancroft.
• Q: What is the Calcu-Solve Super Bowl?
  
  A: Currently there are three Calcu-Solve competitions being held in different regions of Western Pennsylvania, with the hope of eventually expanding throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Super Bowl is a chance for the top teams from each of the regional competitions to compete with each other. The Super Bowl takes place at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.
• Q: I saw that one of your sponsors is the II-VI foundation, and that their mission is to encourage students in science, engineering, and mathematics. What other sorts of activities do they support?
  
  A: They sponsor summer science and invention camps in Pennsylvania, offer opportunities to be awarded college scholarships, fund undergraduate research, and much more. Please see their web site for more information.