This column highlights local and national extracurricular opportunities for K-12 students interested in mathematics, including collaborative, individual, online, and in-person challenges, contests, and camps. For dates, registration procedures and applications, and other information about the contests listed, please head to the contest websites, included below the descriptions. If we have missed an event that should be on our list, please contact us at thevariable@smts.ca.
If you are looking for contests available in other provinces, head to the Canadian Mathematical Society website (cms.math.ca/Competitions/othercanadian). The CMS also maintains a list of resources for students who are looking to build their problem-solving skills and succeed in competitions: see cms.math.ca/Competitions/problemsolving.
The following events are hosted locally:
University of Regina Regional Math Camp
March 11, 2017
The Math Camp is a full day event for students in Grades 1 through 12 who are interested in exploring the infinite frontier of mathematics beyond the school curriculum. Participants are guided by professors and students through a fun and enriching day. In a variety of grade appropriate sessions, students will explore mathematical topics in hands-on activities, games, puzzles, and more.
See https://www.uregina.ca/science/mathstat/community-outreach/mathcamp/
Extreme Math Challenge
March 18, 2017
The Extreme Math Challenge is a math competition for students in Grades 7 to 10 consisting of three rounds: individual, team, and team relay. The event will challenge students mathematically and encourage them to work together to solve math problems. Oh, and there will be prizes, too!
The contest will be held at Centennial Collegiate in Saskatoon. Register teams of 3-5 students by Tuesday, March 14 at 6 pm; pay $5 per student on the day of the competition to cover the cost of the pizza lunch. Contact MilnerC@spsd.sk.ca for more details.
Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest
March 26, 2017
The purpose of this competition is to introduce youngsters from Grade 1 to Grade 12 to math challenges in a fun and enjoyable way, thus inspiring their further interest and advancement in mathematics. The competition is held yearly in more than 40 Canadian cities. Students may choose to participate in English or in French.
Students in Saskatoon may write the contest at Walter Murray Collegiate; students in Regina may write the contest at the University of Regina. Contact Janet Christ at christj@spsd.sk.ca (Saskatoon) or Patrick Maidorn at patrick.maidorn@uregina.ca (Regina).
See https://kangaroo.math.ca/index.php?lang=en
Students may also compete in their schools in the following national contests:
Canadian Computing Competition
February 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) is a fun challenge for secondary school students with an interest in programming. It is an opportunity for students to test their ability in designing, understanding and implementing algorithms. Students may compete in one of two levels: Junior Level – any student with elementary programming skills; Senior Level – any student with intermediate to advanced programming skills.
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/computing.html
Canadian Team Mathematics Contest
April 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Canadian Team Mathematics Contest (CTMC) is a fun and challenging competition for teams of 6 secondary school students in any combination of grades. One teacher and groups of six students participate at their own school over 3 consecutive hours.
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/ctmc.html
Caribou Mathematics Competition
February, April, May 2017
The Caribou Mathematics Competition is a worldwide online contest that is held six times throughout the school year. Each of these days, five contests are offered, one for each of the grade levels 3/4, 5/6, 7/8, 9/10 and 11/12 and each one in English, French and Persian. Available in English, French, and Persian.
Euclid Mathematics Contest
April 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Euclid Mathematics Contest is an opportunity for students in their final year of secondary school and motivated students in lower grades to have fun and to develop their mathematical problem solving ability. Most of the problems are based on the mathematical curriculum up to and including the final year of secondary school. Written in April.
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/euclid.html
Fryer, Galois and Hypatia Mathematics Contests
April 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Fryer, Galois and Hypatia Math Contests are an opportunity for students to write a full-solution contest. They are fun way to develop mathematical problem solving skills through a written mathematical activity. For students in Grades 9 (Fryer), 10 (Galois) and 11 (Hypatia).
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/fgh.html
Gauss Mathematics Contests
May 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Gauss Contests are an opportunity for students to have fun and to develop their mathematical problem solving ability. For all students in Grades 7 and 8 and interested students from lower grades.
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/gauss.html
Opti-Math
March 2017
Presented by the Groupe des responsables en mathématique au secondaire
A French-language mathematics challenge for secondary students who would like to exercise and develop their problem-solving skills.
See http://www.optimath.ca/index.html
Pascal, Cayley, and Fermat Contests
February 2017
Presented by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (University of Waterloo)
The Pascal, Cayley and Fermat Contests are an opportunity for students to have fun and to develop their mathematical problem solving ability. For students in Grades 9 (Fryer), 10 (Galois) and 11 (Hypatia).
See http://www.cemc.uwaterloo.ca/contests/pcf.html
Sun Life Financial Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge
November 2017
Presented by the Canadian Mathematical Society
A national mathematics competition open to any student with an interest in and grasp of high school math. The purpose of the COMC is to encourage students to explore, discover, and learn more about mathematics and problem solving. The competition serves to provide teachers with a unique student enrichment activity during the fall term. Available in English and French. Written in November.
Approximately the top 50 students from the COMC will be invited to write the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad (CMO). Students who excel in the CMO will have the opportunity to be selected as part of Math Team Canada — a small team of students who travel to compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).