About Key Move Math

Most contest problems look hard because the obvious way is slow or wrong. Underneath, a small set of moves shows up again and again: glue two things together, count the pickiest spot first, keep the gap, find the cycle. We give each move a short name and teach it on its own.

What one lesson looks like

• A real contest-style problem in the first five seconds
• Why it looks hard, and what most kids try first
• The tool, named on every slide, with the clue words that point to it
• Problems from easy to hardest, slower on the tough ones
• A last problem to pause and try alone

Who it is for

Students getting ready for Math Kangaroo, the Noetic Math Contest, MATHCOUNTS, AMC 8, 10 and 12, and math olympiads. The Grade 5 tools are out now. Other grades follow.

How we make every test

• Every problem is our own. None is copied from a past contest.
• Every answer is checked by computer before a test is built.
• We worked through full past Grade 5 contest tests, question by question, to match their difficulty curve (easy first, hardest last) and how often each tool comes up.
• Every answer key shows the working and names the tool, and every problem has a QR code to its lesson.

See for yourself: get the free test

Key Move Math is an independent practice channel. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Math Kangaroo, Noetic Learning, MATHCOUNTS, the MAA (AMC) or any math olympiad.

Subscribe on YouTube