The Paly Math Department will offer three new classes for the 08-09 school year, including Statistics Applications, Advanced Problem Solving, and Algebra 1A/Geometry A, according to Mathematics Instructional Supervisor Radu Toma.

The Math Department attempted to offer these classes at the beginning of this school year, but lack of interest and sign-ups prevented the department from doing so, according to Toma. However, the department has received a substantial amount of interest from Paly students who are eager to take the new electives, according to Toma.

Advanced Problem Solving is a semester elective targeted for students who are interested in improving their math skills with regards to problems typically found in math contests including the American Mathematics Competition and the Mathematics Olympiad. The course will be separated into two classes, one for freshman and sophomore students and the other for juniors and seniors.

“We felt that we needed [the problem-solving course], and the kids were enthusiastic,” Toma said. “We focus on contest problems, and the class is for those that are passionate about math and are good at it. It’s pretty much an institutionalized Math Club.”

By asking students interested in the problem-solving class to take a survey, which was given to interested students two weeks ago, the math department determined which days the class could be offered. Students were asked to choose between having the class as a normal class period or as an after-school eighth period.

According to the survey, most students would prefer that the class be during a normal school period rather than as an afternoon class. However, the class is currently scheduled to run in the late afternoons to combine the class with students from Gunn, due to the low number of sign-ups so far, according to Toma.

“We will probably have the class joined with Gunn students in the late afternoons unless we can get enough sign-ups at Paly,” Toma said. “If that happens, the class will be offered as a class period in the morning at Paly. We would prefer to have it as a class period because a lot of the kids are involved in sports after school, so they may have some difficulties.”

Statistics Applications is a second semester elective course offered to sophomores, juniors, and seniors that introduces students to applied statistics. Students taking this course focus on several topics, including descriptive stats, probability and simulation, linear regression, and survey design.

The Alg 1A/Geom A class is designed for incoming ninth graders who are at a math level between Algebra 1A and Geom/Alg 2A, according to Toma.

“The class is meant for those who took Algebra 1A in 8th grade, got a B, and don’t want to waste a full year re-taking Algebra 1A,” Toma said. The course starts with one full quarter of Algebra, followed by 3 quarters covering the Geometry A curriculum.