Game On!

Shortly after midnight on July 11, 2011, shouts of joy erupted across South Korea. People sang and danced in the streets and set off fireworks. They had just learned that their country would host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Now, after years of preparation, South Korea is ready to shine. This month, it is expected to welcome more than 2,800 of the world’s greatest athletes to Pyeongchang, a county in South Korea. Visitors to the mountain region will have the chance to watch 102 events performed on snow and ice.

On July 11, 2011, shouts of joy erupted across South Korea. It was shortly after midnight. People sang and danced in the streets. They set off fireworks. They had just learned their country would host the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Now South Korea is ready to shine. It has taken years of preparation. This month, the country will welcome more than 2,800 of the world’s greatest athletes. They will head to Pyeongchang, a county in a mountain region of South Korea. They have prepared for years. Visitors will have the chance to watch 102 events performed on snow and ice.

American fans can expect plenty of drama. Will snowboarding champ Jamie Anderson repeat her 2014 gold medal in slopestyle, a ski event that includes tricks over rails and jumps? Will figure skater Nathan Chen again manage to achieve his jaw-dropping feat of landing five quadruple jumps in one routine?

Here are some other U.S. Olympians hoping to make history in Pyeongchang.

American fans can expect plenty of drama. Will snowboarding champ Jamie Anderson repeat her 2014 gold medal in slopestyle? That is a ski event that includes tricks over rails and jumps. Will figure skater Nathan Chen be able to land five quadruple jumps in one routine again?

Here are some other U.S. Olympians hoping to make history. 

Sport: Speed skating
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Heather Bergsma grew up racing on roller skates. But after winning 11 world championship medals on wheels, she switched to ice skates. The speed skater went on to win 71 more medals as a member of the U.S. World Cup Team!

Now she hopes to extend her winning streak in Pyeongchang. As a four-time world champion, her chances look good. But nothing is guaranteed. “My biggest challenge will be staying mentally strong,” she says.

Sport: Speed skating
Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Heather Bergsma grew up racing on roller skates. She won 11 world championship medals on wheels. Then she switched to ice skates. Now she is a speed skater. She has won 71 medals as a member of the U.S. World Cup Team!

Bergsma hoping to extend her winning streak. She wants to do this in Pyeongchang. She is a four-time world champion. So her chances look good. But nothing is guaranteed. “My biggest challenge will be staying mentally strong,” she says.

Sport: Luge
Hometown: Saranac Lake, New York

As a kid, Chris Mazdzer spent countless winter days sliding down snowy hills in his front yard. Eventually, he learned he could transition from his hobby into a sport—luge. As a luger, Mazdzer rides a small one-man sled feet-first down an icy track. Lugers can reach speeds of 85 miles per hour! “It’s like ultimate sledding,” he says.

Mazdzer is a seven-time national champion. He raced for the U.S. in the past two Olympics. He came in 13th both times. If he medals in Pyeongchang, it will be a first for an American man in his sport. “I’d love to break the medal drought,” he says.

Sport: Luge
Hometown: Saranac Lake, New York

As a kid, Chris Mazdzer spent countless winter days sliding down snowy hills in his front yard. Eventually, he learned he could do a sport that’s just like his hobby. It’s called the luge. As a luger, Mazdzer rides a small one-man sled feet-first down an icy track. Lugers can reach speeds of 85 miles per hour! “It’s like ultimate sledding,” Mazdzer says.

Mazdzer is a seven-time national champion. He raced for the U.S. in the past two Olympics. He came in 13th both times. He hopes to medal in Pyeongchang. If he does, it will be a first for an American man in his sport. “I’d love to win a medal,” he says.

Sport: Bobsledding
Hometown: Douglasville, Georgia

When Elana Meyers Taylor was 9 years old, she set her mind on becoming an Olympian. She hoped to represent the U.S. in softball. But in 2005, the sport was cut from the Summer Olympic Games. So Meyers Taylor mastered a new sport: bobsled.

In women’s bobsled, two teammates steer a sled down an icy track as fast as 95 miles per hour! Meyers Taylor took home a bronze medal from the 2010 Olympics and a silver medal from the 2014 Olympics. “My goal this year is to complete the set [by winning gold],” she says.

Sport: Bobsledding
Hometown: Douglasville, Georgia

When Elana Meyers Taylor was 9 years old, she wanted to become an Olympian. She hoped to represent the U.S. in softball. But in 2005, the sport was cut from the Summer Olympic Games. So Meyers Taylor mastered a new sport: bobsled.

In women’s bobsled, two teammates steer a sled down an icy track. They can go as fast as 95 miles per hour! Meyers Taylor took home a bronze medal from the 2010 Olympics. She won a silver medal from the 2014 Olympics. “My goal this year is to complete the set,” she says. This means winning a gold.

Speed skaters compete on an oval track, in which one lap is 400 meters. Heather Bergsma holds the world record for the fastest 9/4 laps. How many meters is that? 

Speed skaters compete on an oval track, in which one lap is 400 meters. Heather Bergsma holds the world record for the fastest 9/4 laps. How many meters is that? 

There were 99 gold medals awarded at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The U.S. won 1/11 of those medals. How many gold medals went to U.S. athletes? 

There were 99 gold medals awarded at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. The U.S. won 1/11 of those medals. How many gold medals went to U.S. athletes? 

To qualify for the U.S. Olympic luge team, Chris Mazdzer had to do 3 pull-ups wearing a weighted belt. The belt was 1/2 his weight. Mazdzer weighs 190 pounds. Which expression best describes how much extra weight he wore?

To qualify for the U.S. Olympic luge team, Chris Mazdzer had to do 3 pull-ups wearing a weighted belt. The belt was 1/2 his weight. Mazdzer weighs 190 pounds. Which expression best describes how much extra weight he wore?

What does the product of the expression represent? 

What does the product of the expression represent? 

To prepare for this year’s Olympics, South Korea built a new high-speed train. It takes visitors from Seoul, the country’s capital, to Pyeongchang. The trip would normally take 150 minutes by car. But it’s 2/5 of that time by train. How many minutes is the trip by train? 

To prepare for this year’s Olympics, South Korea built a new high-speed train. It takes visitors from Seoul, the country’s capital, to Pyeongchang. The trip would normally take 150 minutes by car. But it’s 2/5 of that time by train. How many minutes is the trip by train? 

To be used in the Olympics, a bobsled can’t weigh more than 165 kilograms. One kilogram equals 2 1/5 pounds. Write an expression that represents the maximum weight of an Olympic bobsled in pounds.

To be used in the Olympics, a bobsled can’t weigh more than 165 kilograms. One kilogram equals 2 1/5 pounds. Write an expression that represents the maximum weight of an Olympic bobsled in pounds.

Solve the expression. 

Solve the expression.