NOW in its 10th year, the Math Challenge held its national finals recently, capping a three-month long competition, participated in by more than half a million students.
The competition is jointly undertaken by Metrobank Foundation Inc. (MBFI), Math Teachers Association of the Philippines (MTAP) and the Department of Education (DepEd).
In the sixth grade and fourth year high school levels, 58 students from 37 public and private schools across the country topped the regional elimination to advance to the national finals. Of the 37 schools, 15 were in the nationals for the first time, perhaps a sign that mathematics teaching and learning in the Philippines were improving.
MBFI president Aniceto Sobrepeña said, “We have implemented this competition nationwide as we want to challenge the students’ math skills and develop their self-confidence and, at the same time, reward them for their accomplishments. A little competition can inspire students to greater achievement.”
Winners
In the national finals, the sixth-grade and fourth-year students competed in individual and team categories. The individual competition consisted of written and oral rounds. The team competition was solely oral, with two students per school trying to do calculations and solve problems quickly and accurately.
In the oral round, participants were asked to answer questions either within 15 seconds (mental calculations, without pen and paper), 30, or 60 seconds (both with pen and paper).
In the Grade 6 individual category, Adrian Reginald Sy of St. Jude Catholic School (SJCS), Ramon Galvan III of Iloilo Central Commercial High School and Virgilio Dulay Jr. of Lecheria Elementary School in Calamba City were first, second and third, respectively. Aside from medals and trophies, Sy received P25,000, Galvan, P20,000, and Dulay, P15,000.
In the Grade 6 team competition, Bernice Joy Cu and Exekiel Christian Ong of Uno High School won the gold. Vince Benedict Say and Adrian Reginald Sy of SJCS bagged the silver. Anna Sofia Serrano and Harry King Jr. of Ateneo de Davao University Grade School received the bronze. The top team received P50,000, the second placer, P40,000, and the third placer, P30,000.
In the fourth year individual category, Carmela Antoinette Lao of SJCS, Marlon Chris Malicsi of Gregorio Perfecto High School in Tondo, Manila, and Christsever Caceres of Notre Dame Village National High School in Cotabato City were first, second and third, respectively. Lao received P50,000, Malicsi, P40,000, and Caceres, P30,000.
In the fourth year team competition, Dale Wilson Garcia II and Amiel Sy of Philippine Science High School in Quezon City won the gold, Mary Lai Salvaña and Jayhan Regner of Xavier University High School in Cagayan de Oro City, the silver, and April Paul Arboleda and Rovin Jhon Cincollagas of Lakan Dula High School in Tondo, Manila, the bronze. The first-place team got P100,000, the second placer, P80,000, and the third placer, P60,000.
Fourth-year questions
I was privileged to serve as head judge in the fourth year high school individual and team oral competitions. My fellow judges, Ateneo professors Jose Marasigan and Flordeliza Francisco, and I were impressed by the math acuity of the participants.
Here are samples of the questions they faced, with the given time limits:
(15 seconds) A parabola and a circle are drawn on a paper. At most how many regions do they divide the paper? Answer: Six
(15 seconds) Two bullet trains are each traveling toward each other at 180 kilometers per hour. A passenger in one train notices that it takes five seconds for the other train to pass him. How long is the other train? Answer: 0.5 kilometer
(15 seconds) What is the measure of the smaller angle between the hour and the minute hands of a clock at 2:30? Answer: 105 degrees
(30 seconds) The proportions of milk and water in three samples are 2:1, 3:2 and 2:3. A mixture composed of equal quantities of all three samples is made. What is the proportion of milk and water in this mixture? Answer: 5:4
(30 seconds) What number should be subtracted from x3 + 4×2 – 7x + 12 if it is to be divisible by x + 3? Answer: 42
(30 seconds) A group of workers can do a piece of work in 24 days. However, as seven of them never showed up, it took 30 days to complete the work. How many people actually worked on the job to complete it? Answer: 28
(60 seconds) In triangle ABC, let M be the midpoint of AB, and let N be an interior point such that segment CN bisects angle ACB and segment AN is perpendicular to segment CN. It is given that segment AC measures 10 centimeters and segment MN measures 2 centimeters. What is the length of segment BC? Answer: 14 centimeters
(60 seconds) If the quadratic equation x2 + (4 – k)x – (k + 1) = 0 has two roots that differ by 5, what are the possible values of k? Answer: 5 and -1
(60 seconds) The sequence {sn} is defined by the formula sn = an2 + bn, where a and b are real constants. If s1 = 5 and s5 = 65, what is s6? Answer: 90
Ian June L. Garces and Soledad A. Ulep were judges in the individual written competition for both Grade 6 and fourth year. Judges in the Grade 6 oral competitions were Milagros Ibe, Josefina Fonacier and Catherine Vistro-Yu.
Prizes were handed out by Sobrepeña and Philippine Normal University president Ester Ogena, who was also guest speaker, DepEd Assistant Secretary Antonio Lagunda, MTAP president Sr. Iluminada Coronel, FMM, and MBFI executive vice president Elvira Ong-Chan.
(E-mail the author at blessbook@yahoo.com.)