εpsilon talk

Musings on math and education. Made with love by the Washington Student Math Association.

Upcoming Knights of Pi Math Tournament

The annual Knights of Pi Math Tournament (KPMT) is coming up soon! This year it will be held on Saturday, January 7th at Newport High School.

KPMT is hosted by Newport Math Club and is aimed towards 5th to 8th graders. The competition is split into two divisions, 5th-6th graders and 7th-8th graders, and it consists of six tests: Individual, Algebra and Operations, Geometry, Mental Math, Probability and Potpourri, and Block Math. While the Individual and Block Math tests are done individually, the other four are completed in teams of 3-4 competitors. Timing for each test varies, but competitors usually get one to two minutes per problem.

One unique aspect of KPMT is the Block Math portion. The Block Math test is divided into five blocks of questions, with each block consisting of three questions. The problems in each block are around the same difficulty, and the difficulty of the blocks increase as the test progresses. When the test is scored, the number of points the competitor has earned for the test is multiplied by a value corresponding to the most difficult block in which he/she completed 2 out of the three problems. For example, if a competitor completed 2 out of three problems in the 4th block, his total score for the test would be multiplied by 3.

Last year, nearly 450 students and 130 teams participated in the competition. Awards are given individually and as teams to those with the highest number of points.

If this kind of competition appeals to you, go to Newport’s KPMT website to register. Late registration is open until December 31st, and the fee is 54$ per team. This is also a great volunteering opportunity for those in high school who are interested in organizing and running competitions. You can sign up to be a proctor, grader, or runner.

For more information on KPMT and other similar competitions and events, visit WSMA’s test hub.