Charlotte Mathematics Club
Newsletter, Fall 1998

Fall is almost here--we just about survived the uncommonly hot, sticky summer.... It's time, once again, to rustle up some mental muscle, sharpen our pencils and our wits, and pound some math problems into submission with the help of old and new Math Club friends.

Read on to find out how to join in on the fun....

Outline:
  • Background
  • Who
  • When
  • Time & Place
  • Who's in charge?
  • Acknowledgements
  • Where are they now?
  • Related Groups & Events
  • Ponder these
  • Contacts
    • Background:
    The Charlotte Mathematics Club was begun in 1987 by Dr. Harold Reiter for the purpose of providing enrichment and challenges for students who have a strong interest and ability in mathematics. The club meets approximately once a month from September to May. At club meetings, students work individually and in small groups to solve problems from various areas of mathematics. Occasionally there is a presentation of a special topic, as well.

    In February the club attends the College of Charleston Math-Science Weekend, and the club has participated in such contests as the Mandelbrot Competition and the Tournament of Towns ("T of T"), a Russian competition. We will participate in the ARML Power Question at the November and February meetings this year. The December meeting is a pizza & welcome-back-alumni event, and we gather in May for an end-of-year picnic; location and date for the picnic is TBA.

    Who:
    We invite young people who are interested in joining together with other highly motivated students from Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding areas. Our club members are typically in eighth grade or higher and are taking Algebra, Geometry, or higher level mathematics courses. Student backgrounds include public, private, parochial and home-school environments.

    When:
    Meeting dates for 1997-98 are:

    August 29 February 6
    October 10 February 26-28 (Charleston)
    November 14 March 6
    December 19 (10 am - 1 pm)April 10
    January 9 May picnic (date & place TBA).

    Time & Place:
    Meetings start at 9:30 and end promptly at 12 noon. Parents, please arrange to pick up your student no later than 12:10. Unless otherwise noted, our meetings are at Providence Day School (PDS), located at the corner of Rama Rd. and Sardis Rd.

    Who's in charge:
    The club is administered by the CMC Coordinating Committee (see "Contacts" below). Stephen Davis and Harold Reiter lead activities at our meetings, with able assistance from Susan Schaeffer and Daren Starnes.

    Acknowledgements:
    There are no dues, although each student is asked to bring $1 to the December meeting to be used for a thank you gift for PDS. The CMC is indebted to those that have donated time, space and funds. PDS has been a gracious host for many years, and we have benefited in the past from the generous contributions of Pepsi Cola (the Halton Foundation), Okuma Machinery, Clariant Corporation and other, anonymous, benefactors. Thanks also to supportive parents and other friends of the club.

    Where are they now?
    Congratulations to club members who have recently matriculated on... Christiaan Janssen is at NC State University; Alexa Mason is at UNC-Charlotte; Anand Patel is at NCSSM; Bill Tracy is at NC State University; Fred Zahrn is at Duke University.

    Related Groups & Events:
    The Mecklenburg Math Club (MMC) is a group for students of grades 4 through 6. Local teachers and mathematicians lead the students in problem-solving sessions and other interesting math-related activities. This year, the MMC will again participate in the Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary Schools (MOES). MMC meets once a month on a Saturday morning from 9:30 to noon at Northridge Middle School, 7601 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC. Dates for 1998-99 are Sept. 12, Oct. 10, Nov. 14, Dec. 12, Jan. 9, Feb. 13, Mar. 13, and Apr. 10. If you have younger siblings, tell them about the MMC. For more information about the Mecklenburg Math Club, contact Mr. Russell Hinson, Elementary Mathematics Specialist for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, at 704-343-6975.

    The American Junior High School Mathematics Examination (AJHSME) will be administered in schools on Tuesday, November 17. Remind your math teacher about the AJHSME in September; the deadline for registration is mid-October. Tuesday, February 9, 1998, is AHSME day!

    MATHCOUNTS Piedmont Chapter competition at UNCC will be in February, 1998.

    Some of our members also compete in the USA Computing Olympiad (USACO); contact them for further information.

    Ponder these...
    The numbers 1, 2, 22, 23, ..., 28 are written on a chalkboard. We are allowed to erase any two numbers and write their difference instead (this is always a nonnegative number). After several repetitions of this procedure only a single number will remain.

    1. Could the last number be 63?

    2. Could it be even?

    3. What are all the possible values for the remaining number?

    Contacts:
    The CMC Coordinating Committee (CMC^3?)...
    Stephen Davis: 704-894-2343 (w); 704-894-2005 (fax);
    704-892-1394 (h); stdavis@davidson.edu
    Harold Reiter: 704-547-4561 (w); 704-510-6415 (fax);
    704-364-5699 (h); hbreiter@email.uncc.edu
    Susan Schaeffer: 704-552-2869 (h); susans@conninc.com
    CMC homepage: http://www.davidson.edu/academic/math/cmc.html
  • Background
  • Who
  • When
  • Time & Place
  • Who's in charge?
  • Acknowledgements
  • Where are they now?
  • Related Groups & Events
  • Ponder these
  • Contacts