Nintendo and MATHCOUNTS Give Math a Makeover

Nintendo is trying to give mathematics a makeover by partnering with MATHCOUNTS, a nonprofit organization that promotes math education. Between now and March 25, MATHCOUNTS is challenging its middle school math clubs across the country to boost their membership in a quest to win Nintendo DS systems and copies of the new Personal Trainer: Math software.

MATHCOUNTS is a national enrichment, coaching and competition program that promotes mathematics at more than 48,000 middle schools in every U.S. state and territory. Personal Trainer: Math plays on the portable Nintendo DS system and includes more than 40 fun, fast-paced math exercises, from basic addition and subtraction to more extensive multiplication tables and calculation ladders. Up to 16 players with Nintendo DS systems can wirelessly race to finish their problems, even if only one player has a game card.

Nintendo will provide Nintendo DS systems and an equal number of Personal Trainer™: Math software to MATHCOUNTS. How many? (2 x 4 x 5 x 2)! You figure it out. As an incentive to get clubs to participate and increase membership, MATHCOUNTS will randomly select four schools with at least 12 participating students in their MATHCOUNTS Club Programs to each receive 20 Nintendo DS systems and 20 copies of Personal Trainer: Math.

"Anything that gets kids more interested in math helps prepare them for whatever careers they eventually choose," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "Personal Trainer: Math is great in a competitive club environment."

"Math teaches kids how to solve problems creatively and develop critical-thinking skills that will help them in the future," said Lou DiGioia, executive director of the MATHCOUNTS Foundation. "Personal Trainer: Math will be another helpful tool that students in our programs can use to make learning mathematics fun, exciting and challenging."

For details about the program and more information about MATHCOUNTS , visit www.mathcounts.org. For more information about Personal Trainer: Math, visit www.PersonalTrainerMath.com.