By the numbers
Practicing for the Math 24 competition June 14 are recent Trinity North Elementary School fifth-grade graduates, clockwise, from front left, Bodie Morgan, Assaad Nassar, Tyler Hulbert and Luke Cowden.
Carolyn Deiderich, who retired this year as a math teacher at Trinity North Elementary School, poses with her students who have advanced to the Math 24 state competition in Harrisburg. They are, clockwise, from front left, Assaad Nassar, Tyler Hulbert, Luke Cowden and Bodie Morgan.
Four cards in the Math 24 problem-solving program
School may be out for the summer in Trinity School District, but for four Trinity North Elementary School graduates, their work is not yet done.
Luke Cowden, Tyler Hulbert, Bodie Morgan and Assaad Nassar have advanced to the Math 24 state competition, which will be held June 14 at the Capitol in Harrisburg.
And Carolyn Diederich, their teacher and coach, can’t say enough good things about the boys, all of whom placed in the top four in the regional competition sponsored by the Intermediate Unit.
“We were hoping to do OK, but I am going to do a little bragging here,” she said. “All four were mine!”
Luke placed first, Bodie was second and Assaad was third. Tyler finished fourth and is going to Harrisburg as an alternate. The top there will play for trophies; Tyler, if he is not needed to play in the top tier, will compete with other alternates. Sixty students from throughout the state are expected to participate.
Math 24 is a fast-paced mathematics program invented by Robert Sun, a Shanghai, China, native who now lives in Easton, that builds strong mental math and problem-solving skills. The challenge is to create equations that total 24 by using all numbers once on each card in any combination of addition, subtraction, multiplication or division.
Diederich’s initial example contained the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4. Her solution? One times two is two; four times three is 12; and two times 12 is 24.
“There are a lot of ways to solve it,” Diedreich said. “However you solve it is fine, as long as it is mathematically correct.”
Of course, that is a level one problem.
Her students were practicing at level three, with double-digits popping up everywhere.
Nevertheless, they were all quick on the draw, having just three seconds after touching the card to give the last step of the solution first and 15 seconds to finish it.
“I’m pretty intense with this,” Diederich said. “They see my passion for it, and they pick up on it. They wanted to do well for me as well as themselves.”
According to the rules, a student cannot change the pattern he states within the first three seconds, and must complete his solution using the same pattern. Students also can be penalized if they don’t announce the pattern and correct solution within the allotted time, the solution is incorrect, they touch the card with more than three fingertips or they touch the proctor’s hand before it is withdrawn. Students who receive three penalities in the first two rounds are disqualified; students are limited to two penalities in rounds three and four.
Three to four students compete at each table, and points are won by students in the first two rounds to determine who advances to the semifinals. The highest-scoring student at each table in the semifinals, which is round three, then advances to the finals.
“Truly, these kids are so fast,” Diederich said. “I really have high hopes for them. These guys are good.”
She should know. This isn’t her first go-round with Math 24, and it’s not Bodie’s either. Diederich started using Math 24 in the classroom 12 years ago, and last year, Bodie made it to the semifinals of the regional tournament.
Diederich said the boys were very dedicated throughout the year, often practicing before school each day and staying after school every night for an hour to practice. She said Luke’s dad plans to hold practices now that school is out in preparation for the state competition.
“This is the fastest team I’ve ever taken, but they’ve got to be faster,” said Diederich, who will serve as a proctor at the state competition.
The secret, she said, is to learn the patterns on each card.
“They’ve got good memorization,” Diederich said, noting that they’ve been stumped just three times. “I love seeing kids progress through math and take it to the next level.
“I am so proud of these kids. Their biggest joy was the day when they made me cry. It was so exhilirating to see them do well.”