Oregon Invitational Mathematics Tournament
Saturday May 17, 2008
What the Tournament is all about:
The Oregon Invitational Mathematics Tournament (OIMT) is an annual tournament for Oregon high school mathematics students, hosted in rotation by the mathematics departments of Willamette University, Portland State University, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University. Entry is by invitation, primarily based on students' achievement at the regional math contests offered around the state by many community colleges and other schools during the spring.When the Tournament is:
Saturday, May 17, 2008. This is an all-day event, starting in the morning and continuing through the later afternoon. Check-in will be 7:30-8:15 a.m., and the concluding awards ceremony should end by 4:45 p.mWhere the Tournament will be held:
The 2008 Oregon Invitational Mathematics Tournament will be held on the Willamette University campus. Check-in will be at Rogers Music Center. There will be direction signs posted. For driving directions and a map of the campus, visit the link below.Area Hotel Accommodations:
We welcome you to schedule your overnight accommodations at one of several Salem area hotels at a special rate for Willamette University guests.Who may participate:
To qualify for the 2008 OIMT, students must:
1) Be a currently enrolled in a math course at an Oregon high school or be an Oregon home-schooled student at a corresponding level, AND
2) Qualify either by
a) Being invited based on their performance at one of the many regional math contests offered around the state by many community colleges and other schools during the spring, OR
b) Earning a score of 97 or higher on the 2008 AMC-10 or AMC-12 national exams.
Tournament categories:
Students are placed into one of four categories, based on
their current math course: Geometry, Algebra II, PreCalculus, and
Calculus. The pre-algebra and algebra I categories will not be offered
at the OIMT this year.
Tournament format:
The 2008 contest has two parts; to encourage full
participation by students, students must complete both parts to be
eligible to win either.
Individual exam:
A one hour exam, similar to OIMTs of years past. The exam may
include any or all of: free-response questions, short-answer questions,
or multiple-choice questions.
Group competition: The students in each category will
be randomly divided into teams, for a group competition. Each
category will have a common group problem (the same for all
teams in the category). Problems will be challenging, open-ended,
and hopefully fun. Teams will find and present a solution
on provided poster materials. At the end of the solution period,
teams' posters will be displayed in a large common area for
judging, during which students will be encouraged to browse
among the other team's solutions.
Rationale: Mathematics at an advanced level is about much more than individual short-answer problem solving. Advanced mathematics often involves solving open-ended problems through discussion and collaboration with others. Communicating solutions to the larger mathematical world is also important. Participants in this year's OIMT will have the opportunity to experience all of these aspects of doing mathematics, and to meet and interact with other talented students from around the state.
Who makes the rules?
The OIMT is organized on a rotating basis by the math departments of Willamette University, Portland State University, the University of Oregon, and Oregon State University. Each year the organizing department sets the eligibility requirements, format, and rules. As such, there is variability from year to year.Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How will I get teammates for
the OIMT?
A: Teams will be assigned by the organizers by randomly dividing
entrants into groups.
Q: Will I be working with students
from my school?
A: No, organizers will assemble each team from separate schools.
The goal is to do mathematics with mathematically talented
peers whom participants haven't met before.
Q: Do we sign up for the individual
or group competitions separately?
A: Every OIMT entrant will be in both the individual and group
competition. To be eligible to win either competition, students
must complete both.
Q: What should I bring?
A: Your calculator (see below), a good night's sleep, and
a desire to work on challenging and fun problems individually
and with teammates.
Q: Are calculators allowed in both
the individual and group competitions?
A: We plan to allow non-QWERTY calculators in the group competitions
(though not laptops or palmtop devices such as Palm Pilots,
Pocket PCs, etc.). Calculator rules for the individual competitions
haven't been set yet, and may vary by category. Come prepared
with a calculator that is familiar to you.
| Willamette University Mathematics Department | Willamette University | Need More Information? Send questions to math-contest@willamette.edu |