Product Description

Each summer six math whizzes selected from nearly a half-million American teens compete against the world's best problem solvers at the International Mathematical Olympiad. Steve Olson followed the six 2001 contestants from the intense tryouts to the Olympiad's nail-biting final rounds to discover not only what drives these extraordinary kids but what makes them both unique and typical. In the process he provides fascinating insights into the science of intelligence and learning and, finally, the nature of genius.
Brilliant, but defying all the math-nerd stereotypes, these teens want to excel in whatever piques their curiosity, and they are curious about almost everything — music, games, politics, sports, literature. One team member is ardent about both water polo and creative writing. Another plays four musical instruments. For fun and entertainment during breaks, the Olympians invent games of mind-boggling difficulty. Though driven by the glory of winning this ultimate math contest, they are in many ways not so different from other teenagers, finding pure joy in indulging their personal passions.
Beyond the the Olympiad, Olson sheds light on many questions, from why Americans feel so queasy about math, to why so few girls compete in the subject, to whether or not talent is innate. Inside the cavernous gym where the competition takes place, Count Down uncovers a fascinating subculture and its engaging, driven inhabitants.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #717630 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Geometric figures and equations are relatively few and far between, the nonmathematically inclined may be relieved to know, in this elegant, balanced survey of competitive high school math by science writer Olson (Mapping Human History), who chronicles the progress of the six-member American team that participated in the 2001 Olympiad held in Washington, D.C. In between character sketches, the author examines such issues as whether "genius" is something you're born with (drawing parallels with musicians, he argues that it's those who practice the most who tend to do the best), why certain ethnic groups or nationalities do better than others (traditional rote problem-solving has handicapped U.S. students) and why girls are underrepresented in the fieldâ€"though the book opens with an account of the impressive career of Melanie Wood, the only girl so far to make the U.S. team (twice, in 1998 and 1999). Six problems taken from the Olympiad will challenge math buffs, who will also appreciate a joke about the waitress with a surprising knowledge of calculus. Contrary to the nerd stereotype, Olson portrays the young math whizzes as normal, well-adjusted kids who enjoy other activities like playing the piano and Ultimate Frisbee. Aimed at the general reader, this uplifting book should also draw fans of more technical recent math titles such as John Derbyshire's Prime Obsession or David Foster Wallace's Everything and More.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Olson has taken on an always-difficult task: discussing math in a manner interesting and understandable to a society full of math-o-phobics. He succeeds admirably by relegating most of the hard-core problems and solutions to an appendix, and by writing about much more than math. Structured around a chronicle of the United States team's participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad of 2001, the book focuses on such topics as the ambiguities of inspiration, insight, talent, and creativity; the cultural perception of mathematics; and various approaches to math education. The author introduces the key players: the six American teen contestants and their coaches. These portraits are spread out over the course of the volume, as are the problems offered at that year's Olympiad. This arrangement supports an engaging and mildly suspenseful read. Olson's user-friendly presentation of the problems serves to reinforce his argument that the United States is culturally averse to math compared with much of the rest of the world, and that American educators are definitely on the wrong path. The author does an excellent job of showcasing the better side of his subject. Unfortunately, many teens who would enjoy reading Count Down won't get past three words in the subtitle: "toughest math competition." Those who do will be rewarded.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From The New Yorker
At the Forty-second International Mathematical Olympiad, held in Virginia in 2001, nearly five hundred kids from eighty-three countries sat down to solve six math questions in the course of two days. This engaging study follows six American Olympians and investigates the nature of child genius, the role of gender differences in spatial perception, and Einstein's claim that he thought wordlessly. Along the way, Olson reveals cultural differences in teaching math: American classrooms emphasize racking up correct answers quickly; in Japan, students are encouraged to struggle through problems. The Olympians make for likable characters, playing Ultimate Frisbee and trying to psych out other countries' teams in the cafeteria. It turns out that speedy calculation will get you only so far—victory requires "sidelong attacks, inspired guesses, flights of mathematical fancy."
Copyright © 2005 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

presentation of mathematics as a creative and exciting endeavor
Countdown presents the competitive world of the Mathematical Olympiad in a manner that shows well the incredible mathematical aptitude of the contestants. At the same time, the author takes pains to present the budding mathematicians as well rounded individuals who are not at all like the stereotypical geek. The author argues that mathematics at the level of the Mathematical Olympiad is more of a creative endeavor than a rigid formula based effort. Although mostly about the contestants themselves, the author also presents biographies of some of the coaches, considering, especially, their approach to teaching, which seems to involve short presentations of theory followed by long problem solving sessions. This is a really good book to give to someone who is interested in mathematics.

Competitive math
A few years ago, the movie Spellbound gave viewers insight into the world of spelling bees, culminating in the National championship. Since then, I've noticed other competitions getting similar treatments, such as bowling (in The League of Ordinary Gentlemen) and crossword puzzles (Word Play). Although it is a book and not a movie, Steve Olson's Count Down fits right into this genre of the competition documentary.

Count Down deals with the International Mathematical Olympiad, in which high school level students from around the world gather together to solve difficult math problems. How difficult? The first problem they are given reads: "In acute triangle ABC with circumcenter O and altitude AP, angle C is greater than or equal to angle B plus 30 degrees. Prove that angle A plus angle COP is less than 90 degrees." This is the easiest of the six questions the Math Olympians must solve.

Perhaps coincidentally, there also six members in the U.S. team, so Olson dedicates one chapter to each member and his approach to a problem (it is an all male team). It is like going from Los Angeles to New York by car: there are a number of different routes, each with its pluses and minuses. Similarly, these math problems can be solved a number of different ways.

Olson goes beyond the Olympiad itself, however, using it as a launching pad for discussions on topics regarding math education. One key theme that runs through Count Down is how Americans look down on math, often treating those who are good at it with scorns and letting people think that being bad at math is okay. This is contrasted with other countries where math is considered much more valuable. The problem is not merely with the education system but the culture itself.

Other topics include the nature of genius and the effects of environment versus genetics. Are boys naturally better than girls at math (which is to say, more genetically inclined), or is it cultural issues that creates a disparity between the genders? (As Olson notes, in the decades of American participation in the Olympiad, boys have outnumbered girls 118 to 1.) Is it even possible to truly separate the two? Can the abilities that these teenagers have be taught to others?

Olson keeps the math rather simple so even the mathematical layperson should be able to understand all that's going on. If you enjoy math, this is a recommended read. If you don't enjoy math, this is a must read: it will help show why mathematical skill is not merely nice but is essential.

Mathematically Talentless Author
a shambles ,with a mathematically talentless author totally out of his league. Exemplified by the following two poetically-challenged sentences ,appearing on page 153 ,describing Monta Vista High School in Cupertino California USA: " The school, which occupies a ramshackle collection of low-rise wood-frame buildings, nestles up against the soft burr of the coastal range. It faces east, toward the rising sun and the milky haze that often overlies San Francisco Bay." So we learn that the sun rises in the east... For an example of the mathematical ineptitude scattered throughout this wreck of a book, the author neglects to state that in Jensen's Inequality, the coefficents "r" ,"s" and "t" must add to 1. Suitable for the fireplace.