Mathematical Wisdom in Everyday Life: From Common Core to Math Competitions

This book is a part of the ongoing effort by Areteem Institute to inspire students, parents, and teachers to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of mathematics. There are five chapters; the first two chapters cover the fundamental concepts of number sense, ratios, percentage, and proportions. The last three chapters cover the real-world applications of those concepts, including word problems in categories such as chicken-rabbit, motion, and work-related problems, suitable for upper elementary school and middle school students in grades 6, 7, and 8. The content is organized to emphasize on the proper implementation of the Common Core Mathematics Standard, focusing on conceptual understanding, problem solving, and real world applications. Different problem solving strategies are presented and compared. Some contest (AMC8, MATHCOUNTS, and ZIML Division M) level problems are included to challenge talented middle school students or advanced elementary school students. For information about Areteem Institute, visit http://www.areteem.org.

Dr. Kevin Wang is a co-founder and the Academic Director at Areteem Institute, a WASC-accreditted educational organization. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Pennsylvania State University, and has broad experiences in academia and industry. With great passion in STEM education, he devotes his efforts in developing curricula and educational systems to not only help the top-performing students, but also bring the less experienced students into the wonderful world of math and science. He has coached many students who eventually reached the very top of major national and international math and science competitions. Dr. Wang himself was a former China Team member for the International Mathematical Olympiad. Kelly Ren is a co-founder and the Program Director at Areteem Institute. Ms. Ren has a B.S. degree in Physics, and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Her visionary and leadership skills led her to positions in business and management in high tech, software and financial services companies. Ms. Ren also teaches math and science courses at Areteem; her logical and clear instruction has resulted in both parents and students coming back for more. She served as Grand Awards Judge at the Intel Science and Engineering Fair, as well as judges at various state and local level science fairs. John Lensmire is the Curriculm Director at Areteem Institute. John received his Masters of Arts in Mathematics at the UCLA in 2015 and his B.A in Mathematics with high distinction and a Minor in Computer Science at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in 2010. In 2011, he participated in a Symposium on Theoretical Aspects of Computer Science held in Dortmund, Germany. John also was in the 11th percentile in North America for the Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition.