National Assessment & Testing is a company that markets five different mathematics contests: The Fall Startup Event, the Ciphering Time Trials, the Team Scamble, the Four-by-Four Competition, and the Collaborative Problem Solving Contest. National Assessment & Testing charges a $50 registration fee for each contest, although schools that register for all five of their contests only have to pay $200.
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The Fall Startup Event is a fast-paced competition in which individuals attempt to solve 100 problems in 30 minutes. The problems on the test cover a broad range of topics and difficulties to provide both confidence and challenges to students of all abilities. Each problem is worth one point, for a total score out of 100.
The Team Scramble is a fast-paced collaborative contest in which a large group of students tries to solve 100 problems in 30 minutes. The problems on the test cover a broad range of topics and difficulties as an incentive for teams to recruit as many people as possible to participate.
The Ciphering Time Trials consists of ten rounds in which individual competitors are asked to solve three problems in three minutes. The problems in each round cover a range of topics and difficulties to provide both confidence and challenges to all competitors. For each round, 3 points are awarded if one out of the three problems is answered correctly, 7 points if two out of three are answered correctly, and 10 points if all three problems are answered correctly. Thus each of the ten rounds is worth ten poins, for a total score out of 100.
The Four-by-Four Competition consists of ten rounds in which teams of four are asked to solve four problems in three minutes. The problems in each round cover a range of topics and difficulties to provide both confidence and challenges to all competitors.
The Collaborative Problem-Solving Contest asks schools to solve fifteen complicated multi-part problems over the course of a week. The long time limit, participation of the entire school, and complicated problems encourage and reward real-world problem-solving techniques such as brainstorming, collaboration, research, and application of technology.