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The hexagon shaped Mathlete Competition logo featuring the Project INSPIRE owl reading a math book.
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Project INSPIRE Mathlete Competition 2026

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Project INSPIRE is excited to announce our third Mathlete Competition for US and Canadian braille readers (AKA mathletes).

Mathletes who use Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts or UEB Math/Science will compete in an online competition to be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026 from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM Eastern / 10:30 AM–12:30 PM Central / 9:30 AM–11:30 AM Mountain, and 8:30 AM–10:30 AM Pacific.

We have two categories of mathletes.

  • Junior Mathletes should be able to read, write, and solve problems in braille that contain fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, degrees, exponents, and grouping symbols. They should also be able to solve problems using what they know about the order of operations.
  • Senior Mathletes should be proficient with all of the Junior Mathlete content. In addition, they should be able to read, write, and solve longer problems in braille that may contain radicals, absolute value, negative numbers, and geometry.

Each Mathlete will take part in the following events:

  • Sprint Round: Read a problem written in words and select the correct way to braille the problem from the 3 answer choices.
  • You Solve It Round: Read and solve a math problem using the order of operations.
  • You Write It Round: Listen to a math problem being read aloud and then braille the problem.
  • Relay Round: Solve a math problem and then plug the answer into the next problem.

Please the Mathlete Competition web page to view the Sample Mathlete Competition Problems and Practice Materials from 2024 and 2025.

To assist all mathletes in preparing for the competition, the Project INSPIRE team will hold two optional, but highly recommended sessions via Zoom.  

  • Strategies Session: Saturday, March 21 from 11:30 AM-1:00 PM Eastern / 10:30 AM–12:00 PM Central / 9:30 AM–11:00 AM Mountain and 8:30 AM–10:00 AM Pacific.
  • Practice Session: Saturday, April 11 from 11:30 AM-1:00 PM Eastern / 10:30 AM–12:00 PM Central / 9:30 AM–11:00 AM Mountain and 8:30 AM–10:00 AM Pacific.

After the Practice Session, we will add the 2026 practice materials to the Mathlete Competition web page. The 2024 and 2025 practice materials are already posted.

The Mathlete Competition will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026, from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM Eastern / 10:30 AM–12:30 PM Central / 9:30 AM–11:30 AM Mountain and 8:30 AM–10:30 AM Pacific.

Following our Mathlete Competition, we will hold an Award Ceremony on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM Eastern / 10:30 AM–11:30 AM Central / 9:30 AM–10:30 AM Mountain and 8:30 AM–9:30 AM Pacific.

If you have a 6th-12th grade braille reader who would enjoy taking part in the Mathlete Competition, we ask that you share the attached flyer with them and their family. A family member will need to register their child for the Mathlete Competition. The registration link is on the flyer.

All mathletes must have a Perkins Brailler. No calculators are allowed. Mathletes may use an abacus.

Registration closes March 25, 2026. Registered mathletes will receive more information prior to the strategies session, practice session, and competition.