Teaching - Mathematics, Students & Alumni - Biography, Secondary Education, Mathematics - Study & Teaching
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Overview
Each summer six math whizzes selected from nearly a half-million American teens compete against the world’s best problem solvers at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Steve Olson followed the six 2001 contestants from the intense tryouts to the Olympiad’s nail-biting final rounds to discover not only what drives these extraordinary kids but what makes them both unique and typical. In the process he provides fascinating insights into the science of intelligence and learning and, finally, the nature of genius.
Brilliant, but defying all the math-nerd stereotypes, these teens want to excel in whatever piques their curiosity, and they are curious about almost everything—music, games, politics, sports, literature. One team member is ardent about both water polo and creative writing. Another plays four musical instruments. For fun and entertainment during breaks, the Olympians invent games of mind-boggling difficulty. Though driven by the glory of winning this ultimate math contest, they are in many ways not so different from other teenagers, finding pure joy in indulging their personal passions. Beyond the the Olympiad, Olson sheds light on many questions, from why Americans feel so queasy about math, to why so few girls compete in the subject, to whether or not talent is innate. Inside the cavernous gym where the competition takes place, Count Down uncovers a fascinating subculture and its engaging, driven inhabitants.
Editorials
The New Yorker
At the Forty-second International Mathematical Olympiad, held in Virginia in 2001, nearly five hundred kids from eighty-three countries sat down to solve six math questions in the course of two days. This engaging study follows six American Olympians and investigates the nature of child genius, the role of gender differences in spatial perception, and Einstein’s claim that he thought wordlessly. Along the way, Olson reveals cultural differences in teaching math: American classrooms emphasize racking up correct answers quickly; in Japan, students are encouraged to struggle through problems. The Olympians make for likable characters, playing Ultimate Frisbee and trying to psych out other countries’ teams in the cafeteria. It turns out that speedy calculation will get you only so far—victory requires “sidelong attacks, inspired guesses, flights of mathematical fancy.”Washington Post Book World
...[A] remarkably engaging little book that demystifies math and probably ought to be read by anyone living in a technological society. Heck, anyone with a brain could get inspiration here....The author's writing style is strikingly calm and assured -- almost a doctor's bedside patter....By the end of this satisfying little book, the reader will likely suspect that he or she has untapped cognitive potential. You'll want to solve a puzzle, play chess, do the crossword -- engage in some form of mental calisthenics. Or maybe just balance the checkbook.—Joel Achenbach
Publishers Weekly
Geometric figures and equations are relatively few and far between, the nonmathematically inclined may be relieved to know, in this elegant, balanced survey of competitive high school math by science writer Olson (Mapping Human History), who chronicles the progress of the six-member American team that participated in the 2001 Olympiad held in Washington, D.C. In between character sketches, the author examines such issues as whether "genius" is something you're born with (drawing parallels with musicians, he argues that it's those who practice the most who tend to do the best), why certain ethnic groups or nationalities do better than others (traditional rote problem-solving has handicapped U.S. students) and why girls are underrepresented in the field though the book opens with an account of the impressive career of Melanie Wood, the only girl so far to make the U.S. team (twice, in 1998 and 1999). Six problems taken from the Olympiad will challenge math buffs, who will also appreciate a joke about the waitress with a surprising knowledge of calculus. Contrary to the nerd stereotype, Olson portrays the young math whizzes as normal, well-adjusted kids who enjoy other activities like playing the piano and Ultimate Frisbee. Aimed at the general reader, this uplifting book should also draw fans of more technical recent math titles such as John Derbyshire's Prime Obsession or David Foster Wallace's Everything and More. (Apr. 2) FYI: Mapping Human History (2002) was a National Book Award finalist. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.VOYA
In 2001, George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, was temporary home to nearly five hundred of the world's best high school mathematicians, representing eighty-three countries. They were competing for gold-the gold medals awarded to the best of the best at the Forty-second International Mathematical Olympiad. Here Olsen introduces the six- member U.S. team. Playful, musical, more or less athletic, and culturally diverse youth, these teens' enormous talent for mathematics was sharpened by practice, study, and previous competitions such as Mathcounts. Readers learn how the six were selected and trained for this Olympiad and of the thorny mathematical problems with which they wrestled during three grueling days of actual competition. Olsen's engaging writing style and gentle mathematical explanations make one root for the team. (Overall, they tied for second.) Olsen ponders other difficult problems: why Americans often fear mathematics, why more women do not excel in mathematics, why Asians do tend to excel in mathematics, and exactly what is the nature of genius anyway? This lively account of one Olympiad might find an audience in schools participating in Mathcounts or could stimulate individual students who love mathematics. Teachers will find ideas on how to encourage and teach. An appendix shows in more detail the elegant ways that each of the six Olympiad problems was solved. VOYA CODES: 5Q 2P S A/YA (Hard to imagine it being any better written; For the YA with a special interest in the subject; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12; Adult-marketed book recommended for Young Adults). 2004, Houghton Mifflin, 224p.; Index. Source Notes. Appendix., Ages 15 to Adult.—Rayna Patton
Library Journal
Six U.S. teenagers and how they fared while competing in the 2001 International Mathematical Olympiad. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.School Library Journal
Adult/High School-Olson has taken on an always-difficult task: discussing math in a manner interesting and understandable to a society full of math-o-phobics. He succeeds admirably by relegating most of the hard-core problems and solutions to an appendix, and by writing about much more than math. Structured around a chronicle of the United States team's participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad of 2001, the book focuses on such topics as the ambiguities of inspiration, insight, talent, and creativity; the cultural perception of mathematics; and various approaches to math education. The author introduces the key players: the six American teen contestants and their coaches. These portraits are spread out over the course of the volume, as are the problems offered at that year's Olympiad. This arrangement supports an engaging and mildly suspenseful read. Olson's user-friendly presentation of the problems serves to reinforce his argument that the United States is culturally averse to math compared with much of the rest of the world, and that American educators are definitely on the wrong path. The author does an excellent job of showcasing the better side of his subject. Unfortunately, many teens who would enjoy reading Count Down won't get past three words in the subtitle: "toughest math competition." Those who do will be rewarded.-Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.Book Details
Published
April 2, 2004
Publisher
Boston : Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.
Pages
256
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780618251414