M.S. Math - how to improve?

[swingline520]

How does a team improve on Math questions in Middle School Quizbowl? Our oldest players are in Algebra 1 or Geometry, but we get smoked whenever the reader states, "Pens and paper ready" or pretty much anything math related. I have tried searching the QBdb.org for a common theme of math questions, couldn't find much. I've looked at the You Gotta Know - Computation Problems - and to a non-math person, that is overwhelming.

So how do you teach students about math questions in QB?

User was reminded to enable a signature. --Mgmt.

[the return of AHAN]

Can I ask what the format is? I know that my students excel in questions about mathematical knowledge, but our extended curriculum doesn't do a lot of drill-and-kill. So we routinely get beaten on math computation questions unless I happen to have a speed merchant on the team. Our conference uses IESA format (non-quizbowl, and comp math can be as much as 5/4), and one of the teams that can challenge us is a school where there is no acceleration, so smart kids just learn to do the same things faster and faster. Luckily for us, that team does zero quizbowl, so we can win the match even when taking zero points on the comp math, since their knowledge of every other subject lags.
I guess my point is, aside from teaching a few tricks to do certain computations quickly (e.g. perfect squares ending in 5, difference of squares method for multiplying things like 93 x 87 mentally), I don't perseverate on the topic.