What is the Reel Math Challenge?

About the Reel Math Challenge

Sponsored in part by the Department of Defense, the Reel Math Challenge is an innovative program involving students using cutting-edge technology to create videos about math problems and their associated concepts.

Using one of the problems included in the 2012-2013 MATHCOUNTS School Handbook, teams of students will create a video teaching the problem using a real-world application of the math concept on which the selected problem is based.

The videos will be posted to the contest website where the public will vote on the best videos. The 20 videos with the highest vote totals will advance to the semifinals of the competition. At this point, a panel of MATHCOUNTS judges will review the top 20 videos and select four finalists.

Each member of the four finalist teams will win an all-expense paid trip to the 2013 MATHCOUNTS National Competition. At the National Competition each team will present its video to the 224 students who are competing in the MATHCOUNTS National Competition. These 224 students will then vote for one of the four videos to be the winner of the MATHCOUNTS Video Contest. Once the winner has been decided and the contest has concluded, the website containing the archive of videos will remain available for public use at no charge.

Since these videos will be cross-referenced with specific MATHCOUNTS problems, and each MATHCOUNTS problem is indexed to specific math concepts and standard, this library of videos will be a powerful teaching tool for teachers and students to utilize for years.

About the Math Video Competition

What are the benefits of participation to the students?

The Reel Math Challenge allows students to hone creativity and communication skills in a math setting. These skills are not typically the focus of most traditional math classroom activities, yet they are essential for success in future STEM careers.

Students also are exposed to the technology involved in creating and submitting videos. Technological proficiency is a critical skill in the 21st century, yet is not part of the current middle school curriculum.

The Reel Math Challenge also provides students who may be hesitant to participate in traditional extracurricular activities involving mathematics with an alternative means to work on a math project with peers.

What are the benefits for educators?

Thanks to the 30-year history of MATHCOUNTS and its well-earned reputation for educational excellence, teachers can feel confident and secure in recommending that students participate in the organization's latest program.

Teachers get full use of the video archive to help students make the connection between the mathematics being taught and the real-world application of the problem. It is the perfect way for teachers to respond to the question most frequently heard in math classes, "When am I going to use this math in real life?"

By combining math education with a fun activity for middle school students (video making) and exciting prizes (a free trip to the National Competition), teachers have a very enticing method to reach students who typically do not have an interest in math activities.

What is MATHCOUNTS?

MATHCOUNTS provides fun and challenging math programs for US middle school students to increase their academic and professional opportunities.

With the generous support of all MATHCOUNTS sponsors and volunteers, and leadership of the National Society of Professional Engineers at the local and state levels, MATHCOUNTS is providing today’s students with the foundation for success in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.