2022-2023 Mirzakhani Math Challenge

Maryam Mirzakhani, (May 3, 1977, Tehrān, Iran—July 14, 2017, Palo Alto, U.S.), Iranian mathematician
who was the first woman and the first Iranian to be awarded a Fields Medal.

Rational and Guiding Principles

The Mirzakhani Mathematics Challenge is intended to increase accessibility and engagement for all
students to explore mathematics in creative, playful and collaborative ways. It will focus more on
numeracy and will allow students to show their depth and breadth of understanding in multiple ways.
Inclusive math practices build confidence and encourage students to take risks and persevere through
complex problems. The Challenge emphasizes the value of numeracy and communicating mathematical
processes reflected in the Ministry Numeracy Assessment.

Guidelines and Instructions

• The Challenge will consist of 6 open response questions.

• This yearly challenge will be open to all grade 4-7 students.
• The Challenge can be completed individually, collaboratively in pairs or small groups, or a
combination of both (individually on Day 1, collaboratively on Day 2)
• The Challenge opens on May 15th. Teachers will have 3 weeks to administer the challenge,
collect and assess the student responses and submit photos of unique or diverse solutions, but
you do not need to submit scores. Photos will be due on June 5th. To honour student learning,
solution photos will be showcased on the Burnaby Schools Numeracy Sharepoint and sent out to
teachers.
• Students are invited to:
o investigate and explore all or some of the questions.
o show their understanding in as many ways as they choose. This may include, but is not
limited to pictures, graphs, diagrams, equations, sentences.
o use calculators or manipulatives
o Use different coloured pens/pencils and rulers
• Teachers are invited to:
o use the exemplar with their students before the challenge to initiate discussions around
solving problems
o incorporate The Challenge as part of their mathematics instruction in the classroom
o split The Challenge into smaller pieces – do two questions on Day 1, and two questions
on Day 2
o revisit The Challenge when student solutions are released as an opportunity to share
ideas, communicate thinking and build understanding collaboratively
Solutions
Question #1
Question #2
Question #3
Question #4

Students can use rulers to measure the lengths of lines and protractors to measure the angles, they can
use the Pythagorean Theorem (not in the 4-7 curriculum) or they could cut out triangles or to compare
pieces. They could also use coordinate geometry.
Question #5
Question #6
References

Burdess, A. Problem Solving in A Thinking Classroom. (2015). https://www.aliciaburdess.com/teacher-

resources

Klerkx, C. [@ChrisKlerkx]. (2019, April, 22). If two circles can intersect (or not) in five "ways," how many
possibilities are there for three circles? [Tweet]. Twitter.com.
https://twitter.com/ChrisKlerkx/status/1120490164332187648

University of Cambridge, Faculty of Mathematics. (2023). Being Resilient – Upper Primary.

https://nrich.maths.org/12754