March 13 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 13, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Jolesha Cruickshank. This geometry and algebra problem involved using algebra with properties of a parallelogram. Answer is B.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Jolesha Cruickshank's solution.
  
• Jolesha Cruickshank won a free dress down day.

--Mr. Bujak

March 12 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 12, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Tishell Wessells. This geometry problem involved relating a rectangle's perimeter and area with algebraic constructs. Answer is C.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Tishell Wessells' solution.
  
• Tishell Wessells won a free lunch.

--Mr. Bujak

March 10 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 10, 2009 PSSA math challenge (algebra) problem involved exponents. Possible strategies involved subtitution, using logarithms, or "solving" technology (graphing calculator or computer software such as Mathematica). Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solutions.
• The problem and solutions (utlizing Mathematica software).

--Mr. Bujak

March 9 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 9, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Tyler Linder. This geometry problem involved properties of a midpoint. Answer is C.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Tyler Linder's solution.
  
• Tyler Linder won 10 points on his math test of choice.

--Mr. Bujak

March 6 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 6, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Nadine Redic. This geometry problem involved finding the lines of symmetry (reflective symmetry) on a regular pentagon. "Regular" means all sides are the same. "Pentagon" means a 5-sided polygon. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.

--Mr. Bujak

March 5 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 5, 2009 PSSA math challenge (algebra) problem involved extrapolating a data point from a table of data values given that the fact that the data is inversely related. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solutions.
• The problem and solutions (utlizing Mathematica software).

--Mr. Bujak

March 4 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 4, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Nadine Redic. This geometry problem involved finding the length of the body (or space) diagonal of a rectangular prism. Note that this is the Pythagorean Theorem in 3 dimensions. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and some solutions.
• Nadine Redic's solution.
• Nadine Redic won a free lunch.

--Mr. Bujak

March 3 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our March 3, 2009 PSSA math challenge (algebra) problem involved selecting the system of inequalities that matched the given graph. Answer is B.

• The problem.
• The problem and some solutions.

--Mr. Bujak

February 27 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 27, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Ernest McCollum. This geometry problem asked for the area of the circle given the circumference of the circle. Answer is B.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Ernest McCollum's solution.
• Ernest McCollum won 10 points on his math test of choice.

--Mr. Bujak

February 26 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 26, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Salah Bey. This algebra problem involved the evaluating a function at a particular value. Answer is B.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• The problem and solution using Mathematica software.
• Salah Bey's solution.
• Salah Bey won free 10 points on his math test of choice.

--Mr. Bujak

February 25 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 25, 2009 PSSA math challenge (data analysis) problem involved understanding the how the mean, median, mode, and range, are affected when all the data values are incremented by a value. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.

--Mr. Bujak

February 24 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 24, 2009 PSSA math challenge (algebra) problem involved the identification of an equation as quadratic and hence the graph as a parabola and finding the maximum height (at the vertex or axis of symmetry). Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and a few solutions.
• The problem and solution using Mathematica software.

--Mr. Bujak

February 23 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 23, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Shkeem Brown. This geometry/algebra problem involved the application of the Pythagorean Theorem to solve for a leg of a right triangle. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Shkeem Brown's solution.
• Shkeem Brown won a free dress-down day.

--Mr. Bujak

February 20 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 20, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Nadine Redic. This algebra/geometry problem involved knowing and applying the equation of a circle. Answer is A. See also: conic sections.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Nadine Redic's solution.
• Nadine Redic won a free snack.

--Mr. Bujak

February 19 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 19, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Tiffany Swan-Henley. This algebra problem involved examining a scatterplot for correlation: negative (inverse), positive (direct), constant, or not related. Answer is A.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Tiffany Swan-Henley's solution.
• Tiffany Swan-Henley won a free lunch with Principal Mr. Worley.

--Mr. Bujak

February 18 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 18, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Nadine Redic. This algebra problem involved solving the inverse of a function. Answer is B.

• The problem.
• The problem and solutions.
• Nadine Redic's solution.
• Nadine Redic won a free lunch with Principal Mr. Worley.

--Mr. Bujak

February 17 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 17, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Shkeem Brown. This geometry/algebra problem involved solving areas of a triangle and a similar area for a square. Answer is A.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Shkeem Brown's solution.
• Shkeem Brown won a snack.

--Mr. Bujak

February 13 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 13, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Tishell Wessells. This geometry/algebra problem involved approximating the length of a line segment which was part of a figure involving squares and right triangles. Answer is A.

• The problem.
• The problem and a few solutions.
• Tishell Wessells' solution.
• Tishell Wessells won a free dress-down day.

--Mr. Bujak

February 12 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 12, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Nadine Redic. This algebra problem involved finding the coordinates of the vertex of a parabola given a quadratic equation. Answer is B. A resource on this topic is Paul's Online Math Notes. A nice short video is here on TeacherTube.

• The problem.
• The problem and a few solutions.
• Nadine Redic's solution.
• Nadine Redic won 10 points on a math test.

--Mr. Bujak

February 11 PSSA Math Boot Camp Winner

Our February 11, 2009 PSSA math challenge problem winner is Dominique Williams. This probability problem involved counting and independent events. Answer is D.

• The problem.
• The problem and solution.
• Dominique Williams' solution.
• Dominique Williams won a free dress-down day.

--Mr. Bujak