Math Contest

The article I wrote about “Gunma Mathematics Contest” was published today on Weekly Asahi Gunma paper (Japanese only). I’ve been checking this event from June, so it’s a relief that it’s actually came out..

The contest has been annually held in summer for 15 years, and is open for high school students in Gunma (hidden gem of Japan, and where I live). In this contest, attendees try to solve 4 problems in 3 hours with their own approach.

Problems from 2012 contest.... 

Problems look like puzzles rather than school test and they can use calculator or scissors or anything you can think of, because ‘how they approach’ to the solution is the key in this event. This year, there were almost 400 attendees, and 43 students won prize.

After the contest, there’s Math Camp held in the middle of forest. There’s beautiful institute of Tokyo University Mathematical Sciences in Tambara plateau, Gunma. And their graduates invite Gunma’s high school students to give an introduction of ‘real mathematics world’ in the camp.

I’ve heard that this institute was modeled on MFO in Germany. According to what I’ve researched, mathematicians need nice and quiet (or isolated) place with a little walkway.. oh why, Gunma is more than perfect! (Photo: Tokyo university MS faculty)

Whole purpose of these events is to give students opportunities to experience the “real math”.. which is different from what students learn at school. I found this fantastic, and hoping more and more kids joining this contest to discover something new. They may hate ‘school math’ but the glimpse of ‘real math’ may change their mind.

The “Real Math”… I didn’t even know the existence of it up until quite lately, and… I guess I will write more about this next time..