MathCounts

By: Ezri Watt '32

MathCounts is a club at Lower Macungie Middle School run by Miss Kohutka after school on Tuesdays in Room 615 on the third floor. Eighth grade math teacher Miss Kohutka said, “I chose to do MathCounts because I was a MathCounts member in school and I really like talking about different types of math.” At the beginning of every session, students get a paper of challenging math problems to do and then Miss Kohutka goes over the answers on the board. Members do worksheets, fun games, and learn math. 

This weekly club is fun and educational, but 8th grader Jad Alnader warns “it is harder than you think.” MathCounts is difficult, and meant to be a challenge, a place where you can learn and test yourself. “It's ok if you don't get everything right, it is a club that helps you learn WHY you got it right or wrong,” 6th grader Hannah Hodes explains. 8th grader Noah Jodubar says, “Don't give up on those hard questions” to help really advance your math abilities.

7th grader Tilghman Reichert says that Lobster Pots is the most fun part of MathCounts. Lobster Pots is a probability game where each player has some imaginary pots of lobsters that they’re looking to sell. Miss Kohutka rolls a dice and then players choose how many of their pots of lobsters to place onshore and how many to place offshore. When people finish deciding where to place their pots, Miss Kohutka rolls the dice a second time. If she rolls a number higher than or equal to her first roll, the pots offshore are safe and there is no current. Players earn money for all of their pots. Unfortunately, if the number that she rolls is less than her original roll, there is a current and players lose game money for the pots that they left offshore. More money is earned per pot offshore than inshore, but it is riskier to place pots offshore.

In February, the MathCounts club will stop, and twelve of the members will compete in a regional MathCounts competition on February 21st, 2026. Even though the MathCounts team is selective, anyone can join the club for the practice before the February competition. "You don't have to be good at math, as you can learn, but you will not have fun if you don't like math,” 8th grader Jeremiah Mierta says. 8th grader Joseph Gonzalez advises, “If you like problem solving then it is the club for you.”