A new year for Math Club means new possibilities, and new opportunities to come back stronger than ever. As they prepare for their competitions at the AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) they strive to work together to configure problems together.
The club similarly to SHNS and Key Club, has been around for a while. Now with the former president having graduated, the club is having elections. Due to elections and COVID-19, the club has been set behind, but they plan on coming back strong. As former president Susila Wong mentioned “previously we have been able to reach the top 20 high schools in the district; however, due to the pandemic and COVID, the club has not been able to do as well.” This year the club plans to attend a new competition, the AMC, as previously they have attend the MML(Massachusetts Mathematics league).
The process leading up to the MML consists of members practicing problems as they help each other prepare for their round of competition. The club starts by practicing problems sent by the MML. Once the time comes to compete, each member choses the round they are most comfortable with. “Ten members will pick three rounds they are more comfortable with, in which they will compete in that round” Wong stated. This is followed by five members being given ten minutes to solve three problems. The upperclassmen take on the more difficult problems while the underclassmen take the simpler ones while they still learn to get more comfortable with the problems.
Senior, Ivan Wu, a member of the club, first joined his junior year. His first competition with the MML(Massachetts Mathmatic league), was hosted online due to the pandemic. He stated that the tournament was much more exiting once they went to the physical schools. “being able to see the other schools competing makes it more enjoyable” Wu stated. “Its nerve wracking, especially with the ten minute timer for some questions you would never have thought to answer in a million years,” Wu stated.
Wong mentioned her many aspirations for the club such as “thriving in monthly competitions and possibly making our way to state championships.” She noted the club is a “safe and fun environment” and how although some problems can be tricky to push through, the members of the club make the environment a relaxing space to push through the problem together.
As Wong says “Students should not be afraid or be held back from joining the Math Club just because they think they are not good at math. The purpose of the club is to learn and mainly have fun.”
