Grade 8 Math Stars PDF

Vol. 8 No.
1. Simplify:
5 5 5
+ +
3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3
+ + + +
5 5 5 5 5
2. In the pyramid some blocks contain numbers. To fill in the empty blocks multiply the
numbers in adjacent blocks to fill in the block above it.
2
4
-5
3. Quincy has three pairs of shorts and
five coordinating shirts. How many days can
Quincy wear a different combination of shirts and
shorts?__________
4. Find the next three numbers in this
sequence by following the directions:
To find the term after n, divide (n-1) by n.
12, ____, ____, ____
What number came before 12? _______
5. Otto asked Bob, " How many

three-digit numbers are palindromes?" How should
Bob answer the question?
________
1
8
Strategy of the Month

Someone said, "A picture is worth a thousand
words." Turning the words of a problem into a
picture or a diagram can help you "see" the
problem. By using the part of your brain that
visualizes a situation or object, you may see
relationships or information that helps you
solve the problem. When someone tells you a
story, try turning the words into a motion
picture or a cartoon. When reading a description, try "seeing it in your mind's eye." If you
can do these things, this strategy may be for
you! Try using a picture or make a diagram to
solve this problem:
Ten people met at a party. They all
exchanged handshakes. How many
handshakes were exchanged?
MathStars Home Hints

Every year you grow and change in many
different ways. Get someone to help you
measure and record these data about yourself. Be sure to save the information because
we will measure again in two months!
7. In the figure below each small square

has an area of one square centimeter. The shape
can wrap, with no overlap, a rectangular solid.
How tall are you? _____________________

How much do you weigh? ______________
What is the circumference of your head?
_______________________
6. The numbers on the "clock" below

make up a clock number system. This is called the
modulo-8 or mod 8 system. If you start at 8 and
move clockwise, then 10 is really 2 in the mod 8
system. 15 = 7 (mod 8)
b) Find the surface area of the solid

that can be wrapped. __________
a) Find the volume of the rectangular solid

that can be wrapped. __________
a) Find the mod 8 equivalent of the following numbers:

27 = _____ (mod 8)
144 = _____ (mod 8)
-18 = _____ (mod 8)
Setting Personal Goals

b) Two numbers that have the same modulo
equivalence are called congruent. Explain why 14
is congruent to 30 (mod 8).
c) Draw a clock for a modulo-12 system and solve
the following:
56 = _____ (mod 12)
16 = _____ (mod 12)
-34 = _____ (mod 12)
Problem solving is what you do when you don't

know what to do. Being a good problem solver will
help you be ready to live and work in our changing
world. Computers can do computations but people
must tell the computers what to do. Good problem
solvers know how to make plans and use many
different strategies in carrying out their plans. They
use all of their past experiences to help them in new
situations. We learn to swim by getting in the water;
we learn to be good problem solvers by solving
problems!
Vol. 8 No. 1
About these newsletters...

The purpose of the MathStars Newsletters is to challenge students beyond the classroom
setting. Good problems can inspire curiosity about number relationships and geometric
properties. It is hoped that in accepting the challenge of mathematical problem solving,
students, their parents, and their teachers will be led to explore new mathematical horizons.
As with all good problems, the solutions and strategies suggested are merely a sample of
what you and your students may discover. Enjoy!!
Discussion of the problems...
1. (5/3)
15
3
15
5
2.
-20
-10
-20
0.5
32
3. (15 outfits) The n x m rule applies here, i.e. 3 x 5 = 15.
4. (11/12, -11, 12/11; -1/11) The number before 12 can be described by (x-1)/x =12.
5. (90) A three-digit palandrome can be a number like 444 or 434. The first and third digits can be any
number one through nine. The middle digit can be any of ten digits zero through nine. Using the n x m
rule there are 9 x 10 or 90 possibilities.
Vol. 8 No. 1
6. ( a) 3; 8; 2 b) both are conguent or equivalent to 6 (mod 8) c) 6; 4; 2) Students may note that if

a = b (mod c) then b is the remainder when a is divided by c.
7. (a) 16 cubic centimeters; b) 40 square centimeters) The shape can cover a solid with six faces:
four 2 x 4's and two 2 x 2's. The solid is therefore a 2 x 4 x 2 parallelepiped. Students can cut, fold and
wrap to model the solid.
Vol. 8 No. 2
1. Find all the positive integers less than 1000

that are divisible by 2, 3, 5, and 7.
2. An eight inch diameter pizza costs $3.85.

Kate asserts that a 16 inch diameter pizza (same
toppings, same crust) should cost $7.70. Explain
her reasoning, and determine if this is the fair price.
What cost would you propose as fair? Why?
5. There are 44 boys in the eighth grade

class of Gordon Middle School. There are 14
boys who do not play football and six of the
football players do not play basketball. How
many eighth grade boys play both football and
basketball?
6. Johna and her three friends order the

same thing for lunch except Johna has an extra
slice of pizza for $1.25. If the total bill is $10.45,
what is Johna's share?
3. The figure below has four rows; the

first row contains a one.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Your brain is an organizer. It organizes information as it stores that information. When a

problem involves many pieces of information,
b) What is the sum of the numbers in the 72nd row? your brain will have an easier time sorting
through it if you make an organized list. A list
helps you be sure you have thought of all of the
possibilities without repeating any of them. Like
4. Arrange the digits 1, 3, 4, 6, 9 in the spaces drawing a picture or making a diagram, making
below to give the largest possible
an organized list helps your brain "see" the
product.
problem clearly and find a solution. Try making
_____ _____ _____
an organized list to solve this problem:
a) What are the numbers in the 12th row?
X
_____ _____
________________________________
You receive a penny on January 1st, two cents

the next day, four cents the next and so on,
doubling every day. How long will it take to be
a millionaire? Suppose you started with a nickel
and doubled, how long before you are worth a
million dollars?

Sometimes the hardest part of solving a
problem is just getting started. Having some
steps to follow may help you.
1. Understand the information in the problem
and what you are trying to find out.
2. Try a strategy you think might help you
solve the problem.
3. Find the solution using that strategy or try
another way until you solve the problem.
4. Check back to make certain your answer
makes sense.
7. A box in a dark closet contains seven green
balls, five red balls, and four black balls. How
many balls must you take to be sure you have at
least two balls of every color?
9. Some new operations are defined as

follows:
a#b=axb+2
i.e. 3 # 5 = 3 x 5 + 2 = 17, and
a&b=a+bx2
i.e. 3 & 5 = 3 + 5 x 2 = 13.
Find the value of:
a) 12 # 3
b) 16 & 7
c) (3 & 10) # 12
Is either operation commutative? How do you
know?
8. Scientists are studying the temperature

changes at an experimental weather station. The
first reading is 22 F. If the temperature rose 10 at
the second reading, dropped 25 at the third reading,
dropped 15 at the fourth, and rose 21 at the fifth.
When was the lowest reading recorded?

Being able to ask good questions will help you
in many ways. Use these to solve problems:
What information do I know?
What else do I need to find out?
What question am I trying to answer?
Have I missed anything?
Does my answer make sense?
Set the goal of asking good questions!
Vol. 8 No. 2

1. (210, 420, 630) The numbers must be multiples of 2 x 3 x 5 x 7 or 210.
2. (She thinks that double the diameter gives twice as much pizza, and therefore the price should
be double. Actually the area is four times greater so the price should be close to $15.40)
Comparing areas yields the following ratio: eight inch pizza : 16 inch pizza or 1 : 4 i. e. Area = r2 or
3.14 x 16 50 square inches while 3.14 x 64 201 square inches.
3. (a) 67,68,69, . . . 77, 78; b) 186,660) Students can explore number patterns to determine the first and
last numbers in the nth row. The 72nd row begins with 2557 and ends with 2628. Its sum can be found
by brute force addition, or by exploring number patterns for arithmetic series.
4. (641 x 93 = 59,613) Students will use trial and error to solve this problem. Further exploration of
similar problems will reveal a strategy using place value logic to determine the greatest product given n
digits.
5. (24 boys) Thirty boys play football, and six do not play basketball.
6. ($3.55) Computing: ($10.45 - $1.25) 4 + $1.25 = $2.30 + $1.25 = $3.55.
equal share
+ extra pizza = Johna's share.
7. (14) The first seven balls could all be green, and the next five could all be red. Therefore you must
draw two more to be sure you have two of every color.
8. (-8 F) Readings: 1st

22
2nd
22 + 10 = 32
3rd
32 - 25 = 7
4th
7 - 15 = -8
5th
-8 + 21 = 13
Vol. 8 No. 2
9. (a) 38; b) 30; c) 278; The operation, #, is commutative i.e. a # b = b # a or a x b + 2 = b x a + 2

since multiplication is commutative in the real number system. The operation, &, is not
commutative since a & b b & a or a + b x 2 b + a x 2. a & b = b & a, if and only if a = b.)
Students will need to carefully apply the order of operations and examine several cases in determining
the solution to this problem.
Vol. 8 No. 3
1. The measure of the two acute angles in a

right triangle are in the ratio 2:3. What is the
measure of the smallest angle of the triangle?
2. Which two positive integers whose sum is
24, have the smallest product?
3. If the radius of the circle below is four,
what is the area of the unshaded region? (Use =
3.14)
6. A game is played with two spinners like

the one pictured here:
2 3
1
1
3
The sections are equal and the spinners are fair.

If each spinner is spun once, what is the probability that the sum of the numbers on the spinners is
6?
4. If the letters A, B, C, and D represent

four different digits, what does A represent?
7BC
+B B 3
ADAD
5. Here is a famous sequence of numbers: 7, 10, 16, ___, 52, . . .

a) Find the missing number.
b) Write a rule for this sequence. [Hint: the rule
invloves the numbers 1.5 and 4.]
c) This is called Bode's Pattern. Look it up in a
science book and explain what it describes.

Being a problem solver is something like being a
detective! A detective has to solve crimes by
guessing what happened and checking the guess
to see if it fits the situation. For some problems,
your best strategy may be to make a guess and
then check to see if your answer fits the problem.
If not, decide if your guess was too high or too
low and then make a second "guesstimate." A
good detective keeps records (usually some kind
of chart) to help see any patterns and to narrow
down the possibilities. You should do this too.
The results of incorrect guesses can give you
valuable clues to the correct solution. Guess and
then check the solution to :
Jo, Ro & Bo have less than 20 tokens. Ro has
more than Mo and Mo has more than Bo. Ro
gives Bo three tokens and Mo gives Bo two.
Now they each have the same number. What
did they start with?

Memorizing number facts will save you time.
Flash cards are one way to learn new facts, but
you also might try these ideas:
play dice or card games in which you need to
add, subtract, multiply, or divide.
learn new facts using ones you already know
(7+7 =14 so 7+8=15).
learn facts that are related to each other
(7x6=42, 6x7=42, 426=7, 427=6).
make a list of the facts you need to memorize
and learn 5 new facts each week.
Spend 5-10 minutes every day practicing facts.
8. Find the next three elements of this sequence:

1, 1, 1, 3, 5, 9, 17, 31, ___, ___, ___, . . .
7. a) Fill in the squares with four different

digits, 0 - 9, to make the largest possible sum.
b) Find four different digits to produce the smallest

difference.

Communicating mathematically means that
you are able to share your ideas and understandings with others orally and in writing.
Because there is a strong link between language and the way we understand ideas, you
should take part in discussions, ask questions
when you do not understand, and think about
how you would explain to someone else the
steps you use in solving problems.
Vol. 8 No. 3

1. (36) The angles are complimentary, therefore their sum is 90. A proportion ( 2
linear equation (2x + 3x = 90) will yield the desired results.
5
2. (1 and 23) Students may wish to explore solution if the conditions are changed.
integers . . . or which two numbers. . ..
x ) or
90
i.e. Which two
3. (13.76 square units) The area of the square is 64 square units. The area of the circle is 50.24
square units.
4. (1) The largest possible sum for 7 + B has a one in the ten's place.
5. (a) 28; b) 1.5 x 2n + 4, where n is the number of the term; c) Bode's Pattern describes the
relative distances of the planets from the Sun in our solar system.) This is a most challenging
problem. The actual numbers in Bode's Pattern approximate the relative distances.
6. (P(6) = 12/64) There are 64 possible sums, many of which are repeats. The sum six occurs 12
times, therefore, P(6) = 12/64.
7. ( a) 183; 9 and 8 in the ten's place 7 and 6 in the one's place, actual numbers can vary; b) -88;
10 - 98) This problem can be explored with varying conditions i.e. one or more repeats allowed, only
positive integer differences, one decimal point allowed, etc.
8. ( 57, 105, 193) Related to the Fibonacci sequence, this problem affords students some similar
explorations.
Vol. 8 No. 4
1. The numbers 3, 4, 5 are a fundamental

Pythagorean triple because
32 + 42 = 52. The numbers 6, 8, 10 form a
Pythagorean triple but not a fundamental one
because they are multiples of 3, 4, 5.
5. Complete the pattern:

1 , 3 , 5 , ___ , ___, ___ , 13 . . .
2 2 2
2
a) List all the fundamental Pythagorean triples

with the largest number less than 20.
6. In the figure below, what is the perimeter

of the shaded figure?
b) Find a fundamental Pythagorean triple such that

the difference between any two numbers is greater
than one.
(Use = 3.14)
2. One-fourth is the same part of one-third as

one-half is of what number?
3. Which positive integer less than 100 has
the most proper factors?
4. A triangle is a convex polygon that
has no diagonals; a convex quadrilateral has two
diagonals.
a) List the names of all convex polygons with
three to ten sides. How many diagonals does each
polgon have?
b) Predict the number of diagonals that can de
drawn in a convex polygon with 22 sides.
c) Write a rule that gives the number of diagonals
for any convex poygon.
12345

Noticing patterns helps people solve problems at
home, at work, and especially in math class! Math
has been called "the study of patterns," so it makes
sense to look for a pattern when you are trying to
solve a problem. Recognizing patterns helps you to
see how things are organized and to make predictions. If you think you see a pattern, try several
examples to see if using the pattern will fit the
problem situation. Looking for patterns is helpful to
use along with other strategies such as make a list
or guess and check. How can finding a pattern
help you solve this problem?
If 3 2=9 , 33 =27 , 34 = 81, the products have 9,7,1
respectively in the one's place. If you compute 3 15 ,
what number will be in one's place? Is there a
similar pattern for 4 2,4 3, 4 4 ...?

Set aside a special time each day to study. This
should be a time to do homework, to review, or
to do extra reading. Be organized and have a
special place in which to work.This place needs
to have a good light and to be a place where
you can concentrate. Some people like to study
with quiet music; others like to sit at the kitchen
table. You need to find what works for you!
8. Jim and Janie are solving problems in

math class using the strategies they have been
studying. The current problem they are working
on is finding the sum of the first 100 positive even
numbers. While Jim is looking for his calculator,
Janie notices that there are 50 pairs of sums and
uses mental math to find the solution. What did
Janie multiply by 50 to find the sum?
Remember that when you are reviewing or

working on solving problems it may help to
study in a group.
7. Michael made five baskets and scored

12 points in a recent game. If baskets are worth
one, two, or three points, how many different
ways could Michael score 12 points?
9. How many ways can the boxes below be

filled with digits, 1 - 9, to make true statements?
6
=
4

If your goal is to become a more responsible
student, it means that you
actively participate in class.
complete your assignments.
have everything you need in class.
ask for help when you do not understand.
be willing to investigate new ideas.
Vol. 8 No. 4

students, their parents, and their teachers will be led to explore new mathematical
horizons.
1. (a) (3, 4, 5), (5, 12, 13), (8, 15, 17); b) (8, 15, 17), (12, 35, 37), (48, 55, 73) and many more. . .]
2. (2/3) Since one-half is twice one-fourth, double one-third to arrive at two-thirds, or solve the proportion: 1/4 : 1/3 or 1/2 : x.
3. (These each have 11 factors: 96, 90, 72, 60) After examining lists of factors, deficient, abundant,
perfect and amicable numbers could be explored.
4. ( a) triangle, 0; quadrilateral, 2; pentagon, 5; hexagon, 9; heptagon, 14; octagon, 20; nanogon,

27; decagon, 35 b) 209 c) If n is the number of sides then there will be n(n - 3) diagonals.)
2
5.( 7/2, 9/2, 11/2) The numerators are the odd numbers while the denominators are all two.
6. (14.28 units) The perimeter of the arc is one-fourth the circumference of a circle with radius four; to
that length you must add two radii for a total 6.28 + 8 = 14.28.
7. (There are two ways he could have scored: three 3-pointers, one 2-pointer and one 1-pointer
or, two 3-pointers, and three 2-pointers.)
Vol. 8 No. 4
8. (202) She noticed the series 2, 4, 6, 8, . . . 194, 196, 198, 200 and paired the numbers like this:
2, 4, 6, 8, . . . 194, 196, 198, 200
202 and there are 50 pairs.

9. ( Four ways: 6/3 and 8/4, 6/8 and 3/4, 6/6 and 4/4, 6/4 and 4/6)
Vol. 8 No. 5
1. The radius of a tennis ball is x

centimeters. If a container holds three
balls, express its height in terms of x.
2. A box is to be built to hold 72 cubic

feet of tools. If the rectangular container
must be 36" wide and 48" long, what must
the height be to accommodate the tools?
3. It is possible to write an expression for every number from 1 to 100 using

exactly 4 fours and any operations:
, !]. For example:
[+, -, x, , (),
1 = 4 4 x 4 4; 2 = 4 4 + 4 4.
Write an expression for eight using
exactly 4 eights and any operations:
, !].
[+, -, x, , (),
5. In the figure below, finish numbering

the unshaded squares in the pattern as
started:
2
1
3
4
6. A class has 37 students. If I draw

names one at a time, how many names must
I draw to be certain that
a) at least two of the names drawn have
the same birthday month?
b) at least three of the names drawn have
the same birthday month?
4. Fill in the blanks with digits

from {0,1,2,3,4,5} to make a true expression.
x3
2
= 5
Sometimes mathematical ideas are hard to think

about without something to look at or to move
around. Drawing a picture or using objects or
models helps your brain "see" the details,
organize the information, and carry out the
action in the problem. Beans, pennies, toothpicks, pebbles, or cubes are good manipulatives
to help you model a problem. You can use
objects as you guess and check or look for
patterns. Try using objects to help you solve this
problem: Place the first six counting numbers
in the circles so that
the sum on each side
of the triangle is nine.
Is it possible to use
the numbers four
to nine to make the
sum of each side
the same?
9. The area of the shaded portion is what

percent of the area of the entire square?
Remember when you had "Show and Tell" in

kindergarten? Now you have a great deal to
share in mathematics. Talk to the folks at
home about what you are learning. Show them
your papers and tell them about what is
happening in your math class. Let them see
that you are doing problems in class similar to
these. Each week choose an assignment that
you are proud of and display it somewhere in
your house.
30 cm
20 cm
40 cm
10 cm
7. The figure below is a 3 by 3 square.

10. In South Carolina, auto license
plates consist of three letters followed by
three digits. In North Carolina, a license
plate has three letters followed by four
digits. Any letters or digits can be repeated.
How many more plates are possible in North
Carolina than South Carolina?
a) How many squares are in the figure?
b) How many squares are in an
8 by 8 square?
8. The perimeter of a rectangle is 60
centimeters. To the nearest tenth of a cm,
what is the length of the shortest possible
diagonal the rectangle could have?

Mathematics is all around us. We use it every
day in personal living and in all of our school
work. When we read graphs in social studies,
gather and use data in science investigations,
or count in music or physical education, we are
using mathematics. We make connections in
our math classes also; for example, measurement skills help us in solving many geometry
problems and classification skills help us in
organizing data. We use computation in many
different situations. You will become a stonger
mathematics student by making connections.
Vol. 8 No. 5

1. [6x] Since the can will hold three balls and the diameter of a ball is 2x, the height of the can must be
at least 6x.
2. [6 feet or 72 inches] Volume = length x width x height or 72 = 3 x 4 x height. Height = 72 12 = 6.
3. Answers will vary. Here are some : (8 - 8) x 8 + 8 = 8;
(8 - 8)8 + 8 = 8.
8 x 8(8 - 8) = 8;
8 x( 88)8 = 8;
4. [4, 1] (4 x 3) - 1 = 5
2
5.
2
1
4
5
9
10
6. [13, 25] This is an example of the Pigeonhole Principle. It can easily be modeled with a calendar
and a set of student names. a) Once 12 names have been drawn, if each has a unique birthday month,
the next name guarantees a match. b) Again, if 24 names have been drawn and they are all paired, then
the 25th name will produce a triple.
Vol. 8 No. 5
7. [a) 14; b) 204] Students should begin their search with a system or plan. They can start by counting
the 1x1's, 2x2's, etc., and look for a pattern. The count will proceed to find one square in a 1x1, five in
a 2x2, fourteen in a 3x3, etc., or 1, 1+ 4, 1+ 4 + 9, 1+ 4 + 9 + 16, 1+ 4 + 9 + 16 + 25 + . . ..
8. [152 or 21.2 cm] The square will give the shortest diagonal. With perimeter 60 cm, the side will
have length 15 cm; the Pythagorean Theorem provides the diagonal length as 152 + 152 .
9. [60%] The area of one unshaded triangle is .5 x 50 x 30 or 750 square centimeters, while the other
triangle has area .5 x 50 x 10 or 250 square centimeters. The square has total area 50 x 50 or 2500
square centimeters. Computing: total area - unshaded area = shaded area or 2500 - 1000 = 1500 or the
shaded area is 1500 square centimeters. The percent shaded is therefore 1500 2500 or 60%.
10. [158,184,000 plates] South Carolina Plates = 26 x 26 x 26 x 10 x 10 x 10 or 263 x 103 = 17,576,000;
while North Carolina Plates = 26 x 26 x 26 x 10 x 10x 10 x 10 or 263 x 104 = 175,760,000. The
difference is 158,184,000.
Vol. 8 No. 6
1. A cubic foot is what fraction of a

cubic yard?
2. You have an unlimited supply of
5-cent and 11-cent stamps. Using only
these stamps you can pay 16 cents in
postage but not 17 cents. What is the
largest amount of postage that cannot be
paid with any combination of these
stamps?
3. The figures below are two faces
of a rectangular solid. Each small square
has an area of one square centimeter.
Find the:
a) volume of the rectangular solid.
b) surface area of the rectangular solid.
6. A game uses the spinner below

and a single die to determine its moves.
The number of spaces a player moves is the
sum of the number on the die and the
number on the spinner.
1
2
How many ways can a player move five

spaces?
4. Two dice are rolled. The sum is

not three. What is the probability that one
of the dice is a three?
5. What number could you add to 7/12

to get the sum 11/16?
When a problem involves data with more than

one characteristic, making a table, chart, or
graph is a very good way to organize the
information. It helps your brain to identify
patterns and to discover any missing data.
Tables help you record data without repeating
yourself. Making a table or chart is especially
useful for certain problems about probability
and for some logic problems. Sometimes tables
and charts are included in your information
and you need to read through them carefully to
understand the data you need to solve your
problem. Creating a graph is also a good way
to organize and visualize information. Make a
table to solve this problem: A certain factory
makes bikes and trikes. Seats come in boxes
of six. The foreman hates to have any leftovers
at the end of a shift. If 59 wheels are sent by
the home office, how many boxes of seats
should be ordered?

Everyone learns from sharing, and you can
continue to learn by teaching others about the
new mathematics ideas you are learning.
Become a teacher and help a younger student.
Explain what you have learned and what else
you want to know. Good teachers set goals and
evaluate the progress made toward reaching
these goals. You will continue to be a learner
whenever you become a teacher.
ANSWERS
1.
__________________
2.
__________________
3.
a)__________________
b)_________________
7. The Blue Ridge Mountain Outdoor

Club is going rafting. They can rent
5-person, 7-person, and 8-person rafts. All
the rafts must be full in order to have the
correct balance. The daily rental rates are:
5-person raft
$24.00
7-person raft
$28.00
8-person raft
$34.00
If there are 89 members going on the trip,
what combination of rentals will be the least
expensive for the club? What will the total
cost be for a one-day trip?
8. What figure is formed by

connecting the following points in order:
A (5,1), B (9,1), C (10,3), D (6,3) ?
Square? Trapezoid? Parallelogram?
Rhombus? How do you know?
4.
__________________
5.
__________________
6.
__________________
7.
__________________
__________________
8.
__________________

Perseverance means that you do not give up
easily. Good problem solvers try different
strategies when they are stumped and are not
discouraged when they cannot find an answer
quickly. They stick to the task, using all of their
previous experiences to make connections with
what they know and the problem they are
trying to solve. If something does not work,
they discard the unsuccessful idea and try
again using a different strategy.
Vol. 8 No. 6

1. [1/27] A cubic yard is 3' by 3' by 3' or 27 cubic feet.
2. [39 cents]
3.[a) 30 cm3; b) 62 cm2] The figure measures 2 by 3 by 5 centimeters.
4. [11/36] This answer assumes we are considering at least one die is three. If the question considers
exactly one die is three the probability is 10/36.
5. [5/48] Solving the equation 7/12 + n = 11/16, the value for n = 11/16 - 7/12 = (33 - 28)/48 or 5/48.
6. [3]
Spinner
1
2
3
Die
4
3
2
7. [Twelve 7-person rafts and one 5-person raft is the cheapest combination at $360.00 per day]
Making a chart of configurations and cost is a good strategy for students to organize their work.
8. [parallelogram] Reasons will vary.
Vol. 8 No. 7
1. The coach is arranging square

tables for the Math Club banquet. Tables
pushed together seat one person on a side.
Complete the chart to show the number of
seats needed.
Tables
Seats
1
4
2
__
3
8
4
__
5
__
20
__
50
__
100
__
Is this reasonable? Why?
2. A dropped super ball rebounds

one-third the distance of its preceeding
height on each bounce. If such a ball is
dropped from a window 36 feet off the
ground, how high will it rebound after three
bounces? after 10 bounces? after 100
bounces?
3. Nathan, Dwayne, John and Allen

each have a favorite sport: volleyball,
track, swimming and football. Nathan and
Allen both use balls in their sport, John is
afraid of deep water, and Nathan hates to
wear a helmet. What is each boy's favorite
sport?
4. A softball team has five pitchers and

three catchers. If pitchers never catch and
catchers never pitch, how many different
pitcher - catcher pairs are possible?

Some problems are difficult to "see" even if you
draw a picture. For these problems, it can be
helpful to actually act out the problem. When
you role play with friends or people at home,
you may discover the solution as you act out the
problem. Or you may recognize another strategy that will help you find the answer. Sometimes "acting out" a problem can be done with
manipulative materials. To find the solution to
the problem below, become the director and
choose your cast to act this out: Joey's little
sister, Ella, must take four steps for every three
steps Joey takes. Suppose one of Joey's steps
covers 32 centimeters. How far will Ella travel
when she has taken 12 steps?

Calculators are important tools. They do not
replace mathematical thinking; you must tell
the calculator what numbers and operations to
use. Calculators allow students to focus their
energies on solving problems and to easily try
alternative solutions. They also allow students
to solve problems that were too difficult for
pencil and paper. Number sense and good
estimation skills are important when students
use technology to carry out computations.
Explore some "what if" situations with the
calculator. "What if the cost of gas goes up
4... What if we build the patio 2 feet wider..."
5. In the figure below, each small

square tile has an area of one square unit.
a) Rearrange the small squares, keeping a

rectangular shape, but make the perimeter
as large as possible.
7. There are 120 students in the

tenth grade class at Mt. Carmel High
School. Three science courses are offered;
and forty students take Biology, forty-four
take Chemistry and thirty-two take
Physical Science. Twenty-three students
take Biology and Chemistry, twelve take
Biology and Physical Science while
eighteen students take Chemistry and
Physical Science. Three students are
taking all three courses.
a) How many students take:
only Biology?
only Chemistry?
only Physical Science?
b) How many students are not taking a
science course?
b) Rearrange the small squares, keeping a

rectangular shape, but make the perimeter
as small as possible.
6. If you start at 8 a.m. on Wednesday

morning, January 1st and count by ones,
one number per second, when (day and
time) will you reach one million?

Accuracy is very important to everyone.
Pharmacists must always measure accurately
when preparing prescriptions and carpenters
must cut supporting boards precisely to fit.
Careless mistakes may be avoided in the
classroom by computing carefully, checking
back over work, and writing numbers clearly
and neatly. Remember: If work is worth
doing, it is worth doing well.
Vol. 8 No. 7

1. [ Tables
1
2
3
4
5
20
Seats
4
6
8
10
12
42
seated is correct, the table would be verrry looong!]
50
102
100
202 Not very, while the numbers
2. [1' 4" or 1 1/3 ft.; ten bounces - 36(1/3)10 ft. .0006 ft.; 100 bounces - 36(1/3)100 ft.] This is a good
problem to illustrate the value of exponential notation.
3. [Nathan - volleyball, Dwayne - swimming, John - track, Allen - football] This type of problem
lends itself to establishing a grid or chart and sorting through the possibilities.
4. [15 pairs] Since the players cannot change positions, each pitcher can be paired with 3 different
catchers or 5 x 3 pairs.
5. [a) 146 units - 72 by 1; b) 34 units - 9 by 8] This is a good problem for exploring factors and
organizing data. With a constant area and varying perimeters, students can explore the dimensions and
compare results.
6. [Sunday, January 12th, at 9:46:40 p.m.] One million seconds is 11 days, 13 hours, 46 minutes and
40 seconds.
7. [a) Biology - 8, Chemistry - 6, Physical Science - 5; 54 students] A Venn diagram is the most
efficient way to organize the data:
120 students
Biology
8
9
Chemistry
6
20
3
5
15
Physical Science
54
Vol. 8 No. 8
1. The figure shown on the geoboard

below has an area of one square unit. Draw
a square with area five square units.
2. A unit fraction is a proper fraction with numerator one. Other proper

fractions can be written as the sum of
unique unit fractions. For example:
3 = 1 + 1
4
2
4
Write each of the following, in as many
ways as possible, as the sum of unique unit
fractions:
a) 5
8
b) 7
12
c) 5
17
3. One number is 15 more than another,

while their sum is 37. What are the numbers?
4. One of Kawana's assignments is

to draw a circle graph to represent how she
spends her time from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on a
school night. Here is her graph:
After School Times
homework
phone
other
chores
TV
Approximately how long does she spend on

homework?

What do you do if you have a problem that
seems to be very complicated? It may have a
lot of large numbers, too much information, or
multiple conditions. One approach is to create
a simpler problem like the one you need to
solve. As you solve the easier problem, you
may see the way to solve the more difficult
one. Or you may discover a different process
that will work with the harder problem. The
trick is to be sure that your simpler problem is
enough like the original one that the patterns
or process you use will help you with the
harder situation. Make a simpler problem
first as you solve this: What is the sum of
the first 500 counting numbers? i.e., The sum
of 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + . . . + 496 + 497 + 498 +
499 + 500 ? How about only the odds:
1+ 3 + 5 +7 + . . .+ 493 + 495 + 497 + 499 ?

Math skills develop as you apply concepts
learned in school to real life situations.
Which product is the best buy? How many
tiles will it take to cover the kitchen floor?
What time should we start baking the turkey
so that we can have dinner at 7 p.m.? What
do the statistics tell us about the two
baseball players?
5. A glass cutter is cutting glass for

window panes. He wants to cut the largest
possible squares with the least amount of
wasted glass. The piece he is working on
measures 60 inches by 75 inches. How
many equal square panes can he cut from
this piece of glass? What will be the dimensions?
7. The 151 lies between which two

consecutive integers?
<-------|----------------------------|------->
8. On a standard, analog clock face,

what is the measure of the smaller angle
formed by the minute and hour hands at:
a) 9:15
b) 1:00
c) 1:35
6. Simplify each of the following

continued fractions:
a)
1
1
1+
1+
1
1+
2
b)
1+
2+
3+
1
4+
1
5
Confidence means that you believe in yourself. You can become a more confident problem solver by learning to use a variety of
strategies. If your first idea does not work,
don't give up; just try another way! Working
with a buddy also helps. You need to remember that there is usually more than one way to
solve a problem and that practice always
helps us learn.
Vol. 8 No. 8

1. Each side of the square is the hypotenuse of a 1 by 2 right triangle.
2. [ 5 = 1 + 1 ; 7 = 1 + 1 = 1 + 1 ; 5 = 1 + 1 + 1 ] An interesting follow-up would be

8
8
2 12 12 2
3
4 7
14 7
2
a study of Egyptian fractions and some problems from the Rhind Papyrus.
3. [26, 11] This problem can be solved by the guess and check method, algebraically :
[ x + (x + 15) = 37] or graphically : [x - y = 15 ; x + y = 37].
4. [A little less than two hours] It appears that homework is three-eighths of the graph which translates to .375 x 5 hours = 1.875 or a lttle over 1 hour and 52 minutes.
5. [20 square panes, each 15" by 15"] The greatest common factor, (GCF), of 60 and 75 is 15,
i.e., (60, 15) = 15. The area of the glass is 60 x 75 = 4500 square inches. Twenty panes, each with
area 225 square inches, use the entire piece of glass, so there is no waste.
Vol. 8 No. 8
6. [a) 5/8; b) 157/225] Students may wish to construct their own continued fractions with varying
number patterns, compute the values when the fraction has 4, 5, 6 or more stages, and study the
sequence of values.
7. [between 12 and 13] If students graph the solution, the point should be closer to 12.25 than to 12.5.
8. [a) 174; b) 30; c) 162.5] Students can compute the angle by observing that the 360 circle is
divided by the minute marks into six degree units. They should also observe that the hour hand moves
through one of these marks every 12 minutes.
Vol. 8 No. 9
1. A playground director is planning

to buy a trampoline. She can choose a
rectangular or circular model. The
perimeter of the rectangular trampoline is
50 feet and the circumference of the
circular model is also about 50 feet. She
wants to buy the trampoline with the
greater area so the children will have
plenty of room to jump and turn. Which
model should she buy?
2. A group of 53 scouts is planning

a camping trip. They can rent 2-person,
3-person, or 4-person tents. Rental costs
are equal but they want to take the fewest
number possible. If no one wants to sleep
in a tent alone, how many of each type
should they rent?
3. Complete the table below, then

write a rule that defines the value of y in
terms of x .
x
1 3
5
7
9
10
y
2 10 26 50
4. Doug is digging a ditch from his

house to the road. If he digs from A to B
the first day, from B to C the second day,
and from C to the end on the third day,
about what percent of the task will be completed at the end of the first day?

What if you know the result of a situation, but
you don't know the beginning? For example,
you might know that you end up with thirteen
baseball cards after doing a certain number of
trades and you want to figure out how many
cards you had before the trading started. In that
case you need to work backwards; you have to
think about your actions in reverse order. This
strategy works for any sequence of actions
when you know the end result rather than the
starting place. Try working backwards to find
the starting number on this flow chart:
??
-1
2
Mathematics can make life easier for you when

you become a good estimator. Spatial estimation
helps you plan how you will rearrange your
furniture or how far to jump to cross a puddle of
water. Using estimation helps you know whether
you have enough money for your purchases
before you get to the check-out line. We become
good estimators by practicing. Use your number
sense and spatial sense to think about what the
answers to problems will be before you start to
solve them.
7. Find three trapezoids with whole

number base and height measurements and
with an area of 60 square units.
?
?
?
?
5. Using the digits 1, 2, 3 (without

repeats) and any operations write the:
a) largest possible real number
?
?
b) smallest positive, real number possible.
6. A certain antibiotic has a halflife of two hours. This means that every
two hours, half of the amount of the
medicine is available in the bloodstream.
At 10:00 a.m. a patient receives 500 mg of
the antibiotic.
a) How much of the antibiotic remains at

10:00 a.m. the next day if no more serum is
administered?
b) The antibiotic is effective only when
more than 100 mg is in the bloodstream. If
the first dose is given at 10:00 a.m., when
should the next dose be given?
?
?
8. A game is to be played with the two

spinners pictured here. List all the possible
sums and the probability of each.

When you encounter a new situation, you use
all of your previous experiences to figure out
the current problem. Reasoning mathematically means using your brain power to think
logically and sequentially, to put prior
knowledge with new information. Set the
goal of developing mathematical power and
use your thinking power to achieve the goal!
Vol. 8 No. 9

1. [circular trampoline has greater area, 199 square feet] This problem gives students the
opportunity to explore equal perimeter figures. A good follow-up would be equal area figures and
exploration of varying perimeters.
2. [14 tents: either twelve 4-person, one 3-person and one 2-person tent, or eleven 4-person and
three 3-person tents] A chart or list will help students organize their work for a guess and check
strategy.
3. [82, 101: y = x2 + 1]
4. [ about 33%] Doug dug about one-third of the distance from his house to the road on the first day.
5. [ a) 213 = 9261; b) 21-3 = 1/9261 .0001079] Students may need to be reminded that zero is neither
positive nor negative.
6. [ a) 500 x (1/2)12 .12 mg; b) shortly after 2 p.m.] At 2:00, 125 mg of the antibiotic remains in
the patient's bloodstream.
7. Answers will vary. Some possibilities are:
8.
+
1
2 3
3 4
4 5
5 6
2
4
5
6
7
3 4
5 6
6 7
7 8
8 9
h
b1
10
7
8
8
6
11
b2
P(3) = 1 = P(9)
16
P(4) = 2 = P(8)
16
P(5) = 3 = P(7)
16
P(6) = 4
16
Vol. 8 No. 10
1. A geometric sequence is a sequence 4. The square drawn on this

in which the nth term is found by
geoboard has an area of one square unit.
multiplying the term before it by a constant
ratio.
a) Find the next three terms in this

sequence: 144, 48, 16, . . .
b) Find the 22nd term in this sequence:

2, 5, 12.5, . . .
2. Using cubes, build this model:
Which squares, with integer areas of ten or

less, cannot be drawn on this geoboard?
left side
view
left
back
a) On grid paper, draw the right side view,
the back view, and the front view. The left
side view is shown above.
b) If each small cube has a volume of one
cubic unit, find the surface area of the
model.
3. A set of books can be separated into
six equal piles, and can also be divided into
15 equal piles. What is the smallest
number of books in the set?

You have tried many ways to solve problems
this year. Already you know that when one
strategy does not lead you to a solution, you
back up and try something else. Sometimes you
can find a smaller problem inside the larger
one that must be solved first. Sometimes you
need to think about the information that is
missing rather than what is there. Sometimes
you need to read the problem again and look
for a different point of view. Sometimes you
need to tell your brain to try to think about the
problem in an entirely different way - perhaps
a way you have never used before. Looking for
different ways to solves problems is like brainstorming. Try to solve this problem. You may
need to change your point of view. Bob and
his dad visited the hardware store on Saturday.
They observed the following transactions: Mr.
Harris bought 4 for $.50, Mrs. Clarke bought
21 for $1.00 , Mr. Montaro bought 1134 for
$2.00 and Ms. Park bought 450 for $1.50.
What were they buying?

Identifying the mathematics that is all around
you can be lots of fun. Think about the geometry and spatial visualization you use in playing
video games or when you play golf or basketball. When your parents parallel park, they are
using their spatial skills too. When you track a
hurricane, you use coordinates. When you
check the stock market or read the latest sports
statistics, you are using mathematics. With your
family or friends go on a math scavenger hunt.
Who can identify mathematics in the most
unusual places?
7. Complete the table below,

then write a rule for finding y in terms of x.
x
y
1
2
2
8
3 4
18 32
8. Arrange the digits {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}

in the diagram below so that the sums
along each of the segments are equal.
5. Fill in the blanks using digits from

the set {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}, with no
repeats, to make the smallest possible sum.
5
6. Heather is figuring her income tax
for the year. She earned $5,367. The table
said that for incomes between $5000 and
$6000, the tax is $200 plus 15% of any
amount over $5000. How much tax will
Heather owe?
1
2

Students who recognize the value of mathematics are well on their way to becoming
mathematically powerful citizens. Valuing
mathematics means that we appreciate the
richness, power, and usefulness of mathematics. Without math there would be no
roads or bridges, computers or movies,
banks or fast food restaurants. How can you
become mathematically powerful?
Vol. 8 No. 10

1. [ a) 16/3, 16/9, 16/27 ; b) 2 (2.5)21 454,747,350.9]
2. [ a)
b) 47 square units]
right view
back view
front view
3. [30 books] An example of an application of least common multiple (LCM), i.e., [6, 15] = 30.
4. [squares of area three, six, and seven cannot be drawn]
5. [ .159] The addends will vary; in tenths place the digits 0 and 1, in hundredths place the digits 2 and
3, and in thousandths place 4 and 5.
6. [she owes $255.05] Compute $200 + (.15)($367).
7. [50, 72; y = 2x2]
8. [ answers will vary; 5 in the center circle, with 4 and 1 in one line and 2 and 3 in the other]
The common sum is 10.

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Vol. 8 No.

5. Otto asked Bob, " How many

Strategy of the Month

MathStars Home Hints

7. In the figure below each small square

How tall are you? _____________________

6. The numbers on the "clock" below

b) Find the surface area of the solid

a) Find the volume of the rectangular solid

a) Find the mod 8 equivalent of the following numbers:

Setting Personal Goals

Problem solving is what you do when you don't

About these newsletters...

3. (15 outfits) The n x m rule applies here, i.e. 3 x 5 = 15.

6. ( a) 3; 8; 2 b) both are conguent or equivalent to 6 (mod 8) c) 6; 4; 2) Students may note that if

1. Find all the positive integers less than 1000

2. An eight inch diameter pizza costs $3.85.

5. There are 44 boys in the eighth grade

6. Johna and her three friends order the

3. The figure below has four rows; the

Strategy of the Month

Your brain is an organizer. It organizes information as it stores that information. When a

You receive a penny on January 1st, two cents

MathStars Home Hints

9. Some new operations are defined as

8. Scientists are studying the temperature

Setting Personal Goals

About these newsletters...

+ extra pizza = Johna's share.

8. (-8 F) Readings: 1st

9. (a) 38; b) 30; c) 278; The operation, #, is commutative i.e. a # b = b # a or a x b + 2 = b x a + 2

1. The measure of the two acute angles in a

6. A game is played with two spinners like

The sections are equal and the spinners are fair.

4. If the letters A, B, C, and D represent

5. Here is a famous sequence of numbers: 7, 10, 16, ___, 52, . . .

Strategy of the Month

MathStars Home Hints

8. Find the next three elements of this sequence:

7. a) Fill in the squares with four different

b) Find four different digits to produce the smallest

Setting Personal Goals

About these newsletters...

i.e. Which two

1. The numbers 3, 4, 5 are a fundamental

5. Complete the pattern:

a) List all the fundamental Pythagorean triples

6. In the figure below, what is the perimeter

b) Find a fundamental Pythagorean triple such that

2. One-fourth is the same part of one-third as

Strategy of the Month

MathStars Home Hints

8. Jim and Janie are solving problems in

Remember that when you are reviewing or

7. Michael made five baskets and scored

9. How many ways can the boxes below be

Setting Personal Goals

About these newsletters...

4. ( a) triangle, 0; quadrilateral, 2; pentagon, 5; hexagon, 9; heptagon, 14; octagon, 20; nanogon,