Math Hour Olympiads is a non-standard method of training middle- and high-school students interested in mathematics where students spend several hours thinking about a few difficult and unusual problems. When a student solves a problem, the solution is presented orally to a pair of friendly judges. Discussing the solutions with the judges creates a personal and engaging mathematical experience for the students and introduces them to the true nature of mathematical proof and problem solving.
This book recounts the authors' experiences from the first ten years of running a Math Hour Olympiad at the University of Washington in Seattle. The major part of the book is devoted to problem sets and detailed solutions, complemented by a practical guide for anyone who would like to organize an oral olympiad for students in their community.
In the interest of fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and everyday life, MSRI and the AMS are publishing books in the Mathematical Circles Library series as a service to young people, their parents and teachers, and the mathematics profession.
