Math Camp 7-8: Algebra 1 Exploration

Summer Mathematics

The Math Camp 7-8 summer program is designed for students who have just completed a Prealgebra or equivalent math class, including our Prealgebra academic year course. (Students are not required to take AoPS Academy academic year courses prior to enrolling in AoPS Academy summer programs.) We expect most students in Math Camp 7-8 to be entering 7th or 8th grade, along with some mathematically advanced younger students.

Each day of Math Camp 7-8 consists of a Problem Solving component and a Mathematical Exploration component. Problem Solving keeps students sharp on particular topics while preparing them for the upcoming school year. We start each class with a quick review of a key topic that students should have encountered in the previous school year. This review is followed by a series of intriguing problems that push student understanding of the topic well beyond the standard classroom level. We finish each Problem Solving discussion with a challenging activity in which students collaborate in teams.

Our Mathematical Explorations are designed to introduce topics that most students don't encounter until much later in their schooling, and to equip students with general mathematical strategies that will be useful throughout their education. Students explore cryptography, starting with Caesar Ciphers, Keyword Ciphers, and other techniques before learning about the foundations of modern cryptography — the building blocks of number theory. Students will end the course with an appreciation for the cryptographic concepts behind internet security.

SYLLABUS

This two-week course meets Monday through Friday for three hours each day.

Space is very limited for our summer programs. Please do not wait until the last minute to enroll. If there are more than two weeks before the course starts, a $200 deposit will be due when enrolling, with the balance due two weeks before the course begins.