During introduction, we got to know each other, and talked about the difference between exercise and problem. We looked at some fascinating problems that challenge us to be creative and think out of the box. We then talked about the format of AMC 10, looked at some sample questions from AMC 10B 2025, and discussed how to approach them. We discussed the road forward and talked about the schedule.

Meeting Recording: Link

We are thrilled to be joined by more students from more high schools in the Newark District! We explore the basics of math, starting from communicative and distributive property and their clever use in harder problems to make our job easier.  We had such a great time discussing and working on problems, we didn't even get to finish our slides!

Meeting Recording: Link

Emma took over from Wesley and led discussions on comparing fractions, arithmetic properties, and exponent rules. She demonstrated various mathematical concepts including the distributive property, factorial calculations, and the "Russian Dolls Trick" for simplifying expressions. The session covered multiple problem-solving scenarios involving fractions, exponents, and stride comparisons, with Emma providing guidance on proper calculation methods and emphasizing the importance of careful attention to detail. 

Meeting Recording: Link for Sep. 15th, Link for Sep. 18th

SPEAKER OF THE WEEK: Kevin Chen is a senior lecturer at Logistem. A sophomore at Ridge High School in NJ, Kevin is a math enthusiast and self-driven learner. He qualified for USAJMO in 2024. Outside of math, Kevin enjoys composing music, performing piano, playing tennis, and serving his community.

Kevin delivered a comprehensive lesson on arithmetic sequences and series. The session covered pattern recognition, sequence definitions, and visualization techniques, with Kevin demonstrating various methods for identifying arithmetic sequences and calculating their sums. The lesson concluded with discussions on practical applications and problem-solving strategies, including Gauss's method for sum calculations, and an introduction to upcoming geometric sequences and series topics.

Meeting Recording: Link

Today, Kevin presented on both arithmetic and geometric sequences, covering key concepts like terms, differences, ratios, and series formulas. The session concluded with detailed examples and problem-solving demonstrations, emphasizing the distinctions between arithmetic and geometric sequences and their respective properties, including infinite series and sum calculations.

Meeting Recording: Link

SPEAKER OF THE WEEK: Ethan Wang is a Sophomore at West-Windsor Plainsboro High School North, and has qualified for AIME since 7th grade, as well as qualifying for the USAJMO in his freshman year. Outside of math, he enjoys playing classical piano and basketball, and hopes to share his passion for math with others through the Multiply Minds Program. 

Ethan introduced covered basic combinatorics concepts including the multiplication principle and permutations, demonstrating various examples and practice problems involving counting and probability. The session concluded with an introduction to the Principle of Inclusion-Exclusion and Venn diagrams, though some advanced topics were postponed for the next session.

Meeting Recording: Link

Ethan conducted the eighth meeting of the Multiply Minds Project, focusing on combinatorics and probability concepts. He explained basic probability principles through various examples, including dice rolls and card drawings, while emphasizing the importance of using fractions instead of percentages for calculations. The session covered topics such as the multiplication principle, independent events, and complementary counting, with Ethan providing practice problems and explanations throughout the lesson.

Meeting Recording: Link

SPEAKER OF THE WEEK: Andrew Chai, a junior at Ridge High School in NJ, is passionate about mathematics and has been competing in contests from a young age. His achievements include qualifying for the National Mathcounts in 2023 and winning the Gauss Math Tournament (7-8th grade) in the same year. In 2024, he qualified for both the USAJMO and USAPhO, won a USAMTS bronze medal, and placed 2nd in the SMT general round. Recently, Andrew earned a gold medal individually and helped Team USA win the grand championship in the InIMC Key Stage 3 competition. He actively participates in team competitions such as ARML, HMMT, MMATHS, PuMAC, CMIMC, SMT, and Purple Comet. Outside of academics, Andrew enjoys playing the piano and oboe. He is also a dedicated swimmer on his school's team.

Andrew takes over from Ethan this week, continuing combinatorics and focusing on more advanced topics to solve complex problems. He explained how casework works by breaking down complex problems into simpler ones.  Andrew also introduced recursion, an advanced technique that could come in handy for seemingly difficult problems such as parking space allocation. He explained combinations, focusing on the number of ways to choose objects without considering order.

Meeting Recording: Link

Today's meeting covered the stars and bars method for distributing objects into groups, including examples and practice problems involving candies and balls in boxes. The session concluded with an introduction to two-variable recursion, using a frog hopping problem to demonstrate how to break down complex problems into simpler components.

Meeting Recording: Link

SPEAKER OF THE WEEK: Kelly Nie is a 10th grader at Chatham High School with a strong passion for Math and STEM. She is AIME qualified and was invited to the MPFG competition, demonstrating her exceptional problem-solving skills. Kelly also enjoys coding and serves as the Vice President of the school’s Computer League Club. She actively participates in various CS programs, including CS Base Camp and Girls Who Code, to further expand her experience and contribute to the community. Outside academics, Kelly is a varsity tennis player, helping her team win the county championship and earning the individual county title. As a talented violinist, Kelly has been selected for both Regional and All-State Orchestras for multiple years.   

Kelly explained concepts like similar triangles, the ratio of perimeters and areas of similar triangles, and the application of the Pythagorean theorem to find side lengths in right triangles. She guided students through examples, explaining how to use ratios, cross-multiplication, and simplification to find side lengths and areas.

Meeting Recording: Link

The second meeting focused on reviewing and teaching geometric concepts, including similar triangles, the Pythagorean theorem, and circle properties. We worked through various problems involving triangles, quadrilaterals, and circles, learning how to find areas, use variables, and apply geometric principles.  

Meeting Recording: Link

SPEAKER OF THE WEEK: Ethan Imanuel is a freshman at Chatham High School. He has been passionate about Math from a young age. He started coding at 4th grade and later mainly concentrated on math in middle school. He participated in math competitions and slowly fell in love with math. He is a USAJMO qualifier with Honorable Mention Award, and New Jersey MathCount Champion. He has been with the Lehigh Valley team since 6th grade and benefited from teamwork/collaboration in pursuing his math interest. He enjoys math-socializing with peers of all ages, sharing knowledge and learning from others. In addition, he achieved USACO silver. He also plays Trombone and qualified for regionals. He actively engaged in sports and Fencing is his primary athletic pursuit. In his leisure time, he plays chess and computer games.  

Ethan conducted a lesson focused on number theory basics, covering concepts like prime numbers, factorization, and a formula for determining the number of factors of a positive integer. He demonstrated these concepts through examples and proofs, encouraging participants to practice and ask questions. The lesson concluded with a review of additional number theory topics including GCD, LCM, and a factoring trick. 

Meeting Recording: Link

We worked on modular arithmetic concepts and properties, including definitions, basic rules, and applications for solving mathematical problems. Ethan guided students through various examples and practice problems, explaining how to use modular arithmetic to simplify calculations and find remainders. The session concluded with discussions about factorials, divisibility rules, and the importance of understanding modular arithmetic properties for solving complex mathematical expressions.

Meeting Recording: Link