From Recess to Math Sprints: April's Chandler Changemakers

April 13, 2022
| by:
Mayor Kevin Hartke

Students at Rice Elementary School are the latest Chandler Changemakers for making learning fun.

Participants in the school’s Math League are showing off their skills one equation at a time and bringing home honors. Two 3rd graders, Joey and Benji, and 6th grader Gabe, all placed second in State during November and December 2021 competitions.

The competitions each consist of four test types, running the subject gamut from addition to algebra. We broke down the tests below:

Sprint: Forty-minute multiple choice round consisting of 30 questions. Students may not use calculators on this round. Four points are awarded for each correct answer and one point is subtracted for each incorrect answer, with no penalty for skipped questions.

Target: Four pairs of problems are administered, and students have six minutes to complete each pair. Students may use any calculator allowed for use on the SAT. Ten points are awarded for each correct answer, with no penalty for skipped or incorrect answers.

Number Sense: Ten-minute round consists of 80 problems that are designed to be solved mentally. Each correct answer nets the student five points, and each answer blank without a correct answer or with anything other than a correct answer subtracts four points. Note that problems beyond the last question attempted are not counted against the student.

Team: One to four team members work together for 20 minutes to answer 10 questions. Students may use any calculator allowed for use on the SAT. Ten points are awarded for each correct answer, with no penalty for skipped or incorrect answers.

We sat down with the group recently to discuss their favorite quizzes and elements of competition, to which they all agreed they’re excited to be sparring in-person again soon.

We’re not sure about you, but these tests would give us a run for our money. However, 3rd, 4th, and 6th graders at Rice Elementary make it look easy.