Getting Started with Competition Math

Competition math is one of the best ways to grow one’s critical thinking skills and enhance their problem-solving capabilities. These skills apply far beyond the scope of just math, and will benefit students for their entire lives. This book covers the full battery of competition math topics at an introductory level, designed for middle schoolers who want to take the next step in their educational journey. The topics are split into four main categories: algebra, geometry, combinatorics, and number theory. Each topic is covered in its own section, and is taught through discovery and inquiry. Concepts are revealed through worked examples of problems, with key information highlighted. In this way, students are shown, not told, the importance of concepts as they learn them. Not only does this approach keep the student engaged, but ensures that they will retain the knowledge much better, as they have seen the process of discovering the information. At the end of each section is a set of practice problems, to which there are detailed solutions at the end of the book. The material in this book aligns with competitions such as MATHCOUNTS and the AMC. It is intended to be used in conjunction with consistent practice outside of the book, such as working through past competition exams. This practice will perform the crucial task of reinforcing the concepts explained in the book.