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Overview

This course aims to develop students' mathematical problem-solving ability. Participants will be introduced to mathematical problem-solving techniques and can practice these techniques in major topic areas during the course. This course is particularly useful for students considering studying one of the following disciplines at university: mathematics, computer science, engineering, or the physical sciences. 

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Course details

We invite high school students from across the world who have completed at least a Grade 11 university stream mathematics class to register for this course. This course is particularly useful for students considering studying one of the following disciplines at university: mathematics, computer science, engineering, or the physical sciences.  

The course will be held entirely online and will feature a series of self-guided videos, online discussion boards and weekly assessments to be completed. Weekly due dates for submitting quizzes and assignments will be provided in the course outline. Online discussion boards will give participants the opportunity to communicate with classmates and seek guidance from course instructors. 

Course start date: Monday, June 30, 2025

Course end date: Friday, August 15, 2025

Course timing: This course consists of self-guided videos that students can watch at their convenience. A strong math student should be able to watch the videos and complete the assessments through an average of about 2 to 3 hours of work each day. 

The content of this course introduces students to problem-solving techniques, such as attempting simpler problems, considering cases, finding patterns, and working backward. A wide range of challenging problems will provide the opportunity to apply these important principles and strategies. The content in this course is a subset of what is found at Courseware under Tools and Resources in the Problem Solving and Mathematical Discovery courseware. 

Students apply individually to participate in this course by filling out the registration form.  

Registration dates:

Registration will open: Thursday, May 1, 2025

Registration will close: Friday, June 6, 2025

Instructions on how to set up an account to access the course materials will be sent by email after registration closes. Please make sure to check the email you used to register every couple of days, being sure to check your spam/junk folder.

If you have any other questions, please email us at cemc@uwaterloo.ca 

The registration fee of $250 is due at the time of registering for the course. Please note that this fee is non-refundable. 

Each week, participants will submit one quiz and one assignment, for a total of 6 of each. These will be graded, and constructive feedback will be provided.  

Participants earning a final grade of 70% or higher will receive a Certificate of Achievement. Participants earning a final grade of at least 50%, but less than 70%, will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Please note that no university credit or high school credit is awarded for the successful completion of this course.  

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