Math Olympiad News

We have begun our practice sessions, and the enthusiasm is building!  The following 2 questions are some of the many challenges that were offered to students this week. 

The Grade 5 and Grade 6 Mathletes were asked:

A bowl contains 100 pieces of colored candy:  48 green, 30 red, 12 yellow, and 10 blue.  They are wrapped in foil, so you do not know the color of any piece of candy.  What is the least number of pieces you must take to be certain that you have at least 15 pieces of the same color?

Imagine the worst case scenario, where you pull all possible before pulling 15 of one color:  you would pull 10 blue, 12 yellow, 14 green and 14 red.  Your very next pull would be either the 15th red or the 15th green.  That would make 51 pieces pulled.

Grade 4 students were asked:

Marty has 6 more pogs than Jen has.  After he gives 10 pogs to Jen, how many more pogs will Jen have than Marty?

If Marty has 6 more pogs and gives these 6 plus 4 more (totaling 10); then Jen would have the 10 additional from Marty plus 4 more (she started with 6 less).  Jen would end with a total of 14 more pogs than Marty.