Three middle schools will host a Mathletics competition Tuesday, January 8 as middle school students prepare for the district-wide competition on Saturday, January 26.

The competition tests students on a variety of mathematics skills – from computations and statistics to measurements and geometry, from number theory and consumer math to deciphering graphs, charts, and tables.

The three meets Tuesday will be held at Morey Middle School (840 E. 14th Ave.), Place Middle School (7125 Cherry Creek N. Drive), and Grant Ranch School (5400 S. Jay Circle).

The competitions at all three schools include a written round at 9:50 a.m.; an individual round at 10:30 a.m.; and a final team round at 11:00 a.m.

Students compete on teams of four. All competition is in written test format (but not multiple choice). The first two competition rounds involve students working individually and the last round allows team members to work together. Sixth-grade students form teams of four that compete against one another; seventh- and eighth-grade students are combined on teams of four and compete against other seventh- and eighth-graders. Individual and team awards are given.

The Mathletics competition is fashioned after Mathcounts, one of the country's largest and most successful education partnerships involving volunteers, educators, industry sponsors and students. The intent of Mathletics is to help students increase their math knowledge and develop their analytical and reasoning skills.