Home Page of Eduardo Dueñez

• 1: Home
• 2: Teaching
  • 2.1: MAT4953 Problems Seminar
  • 2.2: The Putnam Exam
  • 2.3: Curso de Matrices Aleatorias
• 3: Research
  • 3.1: Bibliography
• 4: UNO
  • 4.1: UNOte Winners
  • 4.2: UNitO Winners
• 6: Contact

UNO Competition

UNO: The UTSA Number Olympics 2007

(Note: There are currently no plans to hold an UNO competition in 2008. The information below is kept online for historical purposes only.)

The UTSA Number Olympics (UNO) are organized by the UTSA Mathematics Department and are partly funded by a Tensor-SUMMA grant awarded by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).

This just in!
UNOte winners announcement.
UNitO winners announcement.
Awards ceremony on Saturday 6 October at 11 AM in the UTSA 1604 campus, Biotechnology, Science and Engineering (BSE) building, room 2.102.

Download the UNO Fact Book:

• As an MS Word file.
• As a PDF file.

UNO is an individual problem-solving competition with two categories:

• UNitO (UTSA Numerito—"little number") for high-school students. Exam problems.
• UNOte (UTSA Numerote—"big number") for UTSA undergraduate students. Exam problems.

UNitO is similar to the MAA's American Mathematics Competition AMC-12 contest. UNitO only requires knowledge of high-school mathematics (mostly arithmetic, algebra and geometry; occasionally trigonometry and precalculus). However, UNitO problems are not routine textbook problems, nor do they test "speed math" skills. Instead, UNitO problems require ingenuity and promote the discipline of thought that is key to successful careers in math, science, engineering and just about any other area. UNitO will last 3 hours and consist of 30 multiple-choice questions each worth 6 points. Blank answers count 1.5 points, and wrong answers 0 points.

UNOte is UNitO's big brother. UNOte is similar in spirit to the W .L. Putnam Mathematical Competition (also organized by the MAA). Students will have three hours to tackle six problems. The answers are given in essay style: this is a major difference between UNitO and UNOte. Also, some of the harder UNOte problems may require knowledge of calculus—however, UNOte problems do not emphasize extensive knowledge of advanced math and mostly rely only on elementary concepts. It's all about depth (not breadth) of knowledge.

In short, both UNO siblings are about applying problem-solving skills to tackle math problems in creative ways! In addition, UNOte requires the ability to properly convey ideas in writing.

UNitO is open to high-school students in the greater San Antonio area. UNOte is open only to UTSA undergraduates.

• This one-page flier contains some basic information about UNO (PDF version here). Please feel free to redistribute it.
• Student registration form (and PDF version thereof).
• School registration form (and PDF version thereof).
• UNitO sample problems.
• UNOte sample problems.

When and Where?

• When? UNO will take place Saturday 29 September from 9 AM to noon. Please arrive at least 20 minutes early—late arrivals will not be accommodated.
• Where? UNO participants will meet at room HSS 2.01.10 in the Humanities and Social Sciences building of the UTSA 1604 campus.
• Parking? Park at the North Campus garage off of Margaret Tobin Ave (only at unmarked spaces on the roof).
  Parking on the day of the competition has been paid for from the grant supporting UNO. However, the only authorized place to park is at the *unmarked* spots at the top floor of the garage.
  Click here for UTSA's parking map
  Click here for a map showing the location of the garage and the HSS building.
  Step-by-step directions.
  From the North 1604 loop take the UTSA exit and start heading south on John Peace Blvd. Make an immediate right onto Margaret Tobin Ave. After about 200ft, take the *second* left to enter the garage (if you make it to Walter Brenan Ave you've gone too far). The garage will be on your left after about 200ft; proceed to the rooftop and park at any *unmarked* spot.
  Proceed south by foot (on the same road) for about 200ft; you will reach the HSS (Humanities and Social Sciences) building (on the left). Follow the signs to room 2.01.10.
  

Prizes

• The highest-scoring student in each category will receive a Número UNO prize including a book bundle, plus a 1-year MAA membership.
• The SUMMA UNO Prize will be awarded to a minority participant of meritorious performance. It also will include a book bundle and a 1-year MAA membership.
• The UTSA Number Achievement School award "UNA Escuela" will be given to the highest-scoring high school which sponsors the participation of at least three of its students. It will consist of a certificate of recognition, a book bundle for the teacher sponsor, and a book bundle to be awarded (in the school's spring awards ceremony) to a minority student of the school's choosing.
• Teachers who serve as liaison for their school will also receive a UNO Teacher "Maestro" certificates of appreciation.