Mathematics Competitions Research Articles

The Impact of Online Education on Gifted Mathematics Students from Different Family Backgrounds

Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals emphasizes ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education to achieve sustainability. It is well known that gifted mathematics education is crucial, but teachers for gifted mathematics education are extremely scarce. The promotion of sustainability in gifted mathematics education on a large scale is an important issue to ensure equity and quality in education. Mathematical competitions have always been an important method for gifted education and have received widespread attention from students and parents. Many high school students prepare for these competitions through extracurricular gifted mathematics tutoring. With the advancement of science and technology and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, many tutoring courses have gradually turned to online courses. Online gifted mathematics education has become a model for developing gifted education. In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the learning patterns, grades, and family backgrounds of students participating in mathematics competitions in 10 key high schools in Liaoning Province from 2018 to 2024. The research results are as follows: (1) Before the COVID-19 pandemic, extracurricular gifted mathematics education primarily consisted of offline courses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online learning resources developed rapidly and became prevalent, while offline education decreased. (2) Students from high-income families preferred offline courses when participating in extracurricular gifted education tutoring for mathematics. In contrast, students from middle- and low-income families were more inclined to choose online courses. Household registration and the place of residence had a weak correlation with the time spent participating in online gifted mathematics education. Among the influencing factors, material resources such as computers, smartphones, and broadband internet had a significant mediating effect. (3) With the advent of online education, the correlation between mathematics competition achievements and family income significantly decreased. However, students from rural families face challenges in accessing online education due to a lack of material resources consequent to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in lower mathematics competition achievements. The results show that online gifted education in mathematics breaks through the limitations of time, space, and resources; solves the problem of scarce teaching staff; and helps promote a comprehensive strategy for sustainable development in gifted education. At the same time, issues such as the digital divide, insufficient hardware, and limited internet access still need to be addressed.

Cultural capital, standardised testing and East Asian education: The transposition of disposition of Taiwanese elite students

Cultural capital has been an essential concept for educational stratification research. While several studies suggest that in East Asian educational contexts, cultural capital may exhibit less emphasis on aesthetics, there remains a need for in-depth exploration of such orientation. To fill this gap, this article examines non-aesthetic subspecies of cultural capital by exploring how standardised testing, a predominant educational institution in East Asia, shapes a distinct embodied cultural capital – a pragmatic learning disposition. We examine two cases where Taiwanese academically elite high school students adapt their standardised testing-driven dispositions to distinct contexts: a different activity domain and an alternative educational field. The first explores how elite students transpose the disposition shaped by standardised testing to their participation in rock music activities. Our research reveals that their academic learning experiences fostered a disposition for honing precise exam skills, which influenced the trajectory of their musical taste development, along with the accumulation of technical capital. The second case involves elite students experienced in open-ended mathematics competitions, who later enrol in French preparatory classes for admission to French grandes écoles. These students have difficulty shedding their pragmatic disposition, which is deeply rooted in standardised testing, but hardly suits the French preparatory class. Disposition transposition and its hysteresis effect across contexts can serve as a useful methodological tool for cultural capital studies, enabling an exploration of emerging technical subspecies of cultural capital and the associated pragmatic dispositions, thereby shedding light on the diverse relationships among students’ subspecies of embodied cultural capital.

KEMAMPUAN REPRESENTASI MATEMATIS SISWA DALAM MENYELESAIKAN SOAL OLIMPIADE TINGKAT SMP

Mathematical representation abilities can be in the form of expressions, ideas or mathematical ideas, which originate from students' thoughts that emerge during learning in an effort to find mathematical solutions. There are three indicators of mathematical representation ability, namely verbal, pictorial and symbolic. The process of developing students' potential and thinking can be done by holding mathematics competitions or olympiads. The approach used in this research is qualitative with descriptive methods. Purposive sampling technique was used in this research to select samples with certain considerations. The aim of this research is to describe students' mathematical representation abilities in solving Olympiad questions. This research used a sample of 3 students each representing each high, medium and low representation ability group. Based on the results of research on visual representation abilities, some students already have high abilities, although there are some who are still medium or low. Meanwhile, in symbolic ability, there are many students whose abilities are high and only a few whose abilities are medium or low. For verbal representation, most students already have high abilities and only a few students have medium or low abilities

Investigating Differential Item Functioning of an International Mathematics Competition Items across Gender Groups

Mathematical problem-solving competitions have existed for over a century. Scholars report the gender gap in these competitions. As a result, it is necessary to determine whether any score difference between gender groups is attributable to a genuine difference or is the result of the exam itself. Thus, the current study specifically examined bias in one of the well-known mathematics competitions: the Kangaroo Mathematics competition. Determining the fairness of Kangaroo mathematics competition items across gender groups is crucial for creating accurate comparisons and avoiding unintended construct irrelevant bias. To examine the bias, Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analyses were conducted using Logistic Regression, Mantel-Haenszel, and Item Response Theory Likelihood Ratio Test DIF detection methods. After a series of investigations, out of 336 items, it was concluded that these mathematics items were free of DIF and bias across the gender groups. Further implications were discussed in detail regarding the validity and bias.

Effect of Enrichment Program on the Achievement of Vocational High School Gifted Students in Mathematics Competitions

The group of gifted students is a group of students who need special services in learning. SMK Negeri 1 Turen, is one of the schools in Malang Regency that has a platform for gifted students, in the form of a mathematics olympiad team. Every year there are beginner students who join the mathematics olympiad team. Therefore, matriculation is needed for them to catch up on the material they are missing. This research was conducted to find out how many enrichment program meetings are needed for beginner students to equalize their abilities with experienced students. The participants in this study were 10 students, consisting of 6 beginner students and 4 experienced students. Based on the Mann-Whitney test, the results of this study indicate that a long-term enrichment program (17 meetings) has a significant effect on students' achievement in mathematics competitions.

ПРИМЕР ЗА ГРЕШКИ ОТ УЧИЛИЩНАТА МАТЕМАТИКА, КОИТО ВЛИЯЯТ НА ПРЕДСТАВЯНЕТО НА УЧЕНИЦИТЕ НА МАТЕМАТИЧЕСКИ СЪСТЕЗАНИЯ

The knowledge and skills a student needs in order to perform well on mathematics competitions are usually more and at a higher level compared to school mathematics. But school mathematics, and particularly perfecting the main properties, theorems, lemmas and postulates from the school curriculum, as well as when and how to apply them, can significantly impact the students’ performance on mathematics competitions. This paper discusses a specific example of a problem given on a team selection test for selecting a national team for a regional competition, and the mistakes from the school mathematics which the tested students made, without looking for reasons or explanations of these mistakes.

Impact of the African Institute for Mathematical Science Teacher Training Program on Students’ Interest to Learn Mathematics and Science, Rwanda

<p style="text-align:justify">This study examined the impact of the Rwanda African Institute for Mathematical Science, Teacher Training Program (AIMS-TTP) on 228 secondary school students’ interest to learn Mathematics and science taught by 7058-trained teachers over 5-years across 14 districts. Students were exposed to various AIMS-TTP interventions, including industrial visits, science hours, and international day for women and girls in science, mathematics competition, robotics and mathematics challenge, and the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO). A survey research design was employed to collect data about students’ interest to learn Mathematics and science, and data on students’ choices of combinations were obtained from the National Examination and School Inspection Authority (NESA) for the academic years 2017 to 2022. Data analysis using bivariate correlation and regression analyses revealed a positive and significant relationship (p<.05) between AIMS-TTP interventions and students’ interest to learn Mathematics and science. Besides, linear regression model indicated that hands-on activities, exposure to mathematics and science role models, science hour and smart classroom were the best predictors of students’ interest to learn mathematics and science (β=.197, p< .05; β=.217, p<.05; β=.234, p< .05; and β=.218, p<.05 respectively). They contributed 66.7 % (Adjusted, R2 = .667, p < .05) of the variance in students’ interest in learning mathematics and science. The AIMS-TTP interventions significantly improved students’ interest to learning mathematics and science. Recommendations include comprehensive training programs with direct student engagement, diverse competitions, and ongoing teacher support through professional development. Future research should focus on students’ STEM interest in Technical, Vocational Education, and Training schools.</p>

An Intriguing Graph Theory Problem From RMM 2019

Summary The 2019 Romanian Master of Mathematics Competition included an intriguing problem in graph theory. We present a concise solution that differs from that presented in the official competition documents.

The difficulties in geometry: A quantitative analysis based on results of mathematics competitions in Italy

This paper focuses on the difficulties encountered by Italian students in performing geometry tasks. A quantitative analysis, aimed at understanding the extent of the phenomenon, is carried out using the results of district competitions from the year 2018 to 2020, comparing the scores obtained in geometry questions with those in other areas of Olympic mathematics. In addition, the answers given by the students to a questionnaire administered at the end of the 2020 district competition are analyzed in order to better understand possible motivations behind the phenomenon in question. The results obtained need further confirmation through future research on the topic but represent clear trends worthy of further investigation.

Preparação de professores para a realização dos concursos de Matemática na província do Huambo

This paper presents a teaching experience developed in the Huambo province of the Republic of Angola, related to training seminars for managing math contests, whose objective is to understand the need of training teachers in didactic and methodological issues, in order to serve as a basis to achieve the goals of the national contest “Olimpíadas de Matemáticas”. The results obtained in the seminars and the analysis of the main problems that can interfere in the success of the math contests in Huambo province, enable the authors of this paper to propose challenges and necessary changes to improve the performance of the province in mathematics competitions, which focus mainly on the constant improvement of teachers to satisfactorily conduct the teaching-learning process of Mathematics, in general, and of math contest in particular. The theoretical systematization and the analysis of documents are the fundamental methods used in the investigative process.

The Application of Infinite Series in College Students' Mathematics Competition

The Application of Infinite Series in College Students' Mathematics Competition

The Teaching Design of Triple Integral and Its Application in College Students' Mathematics Competition

The Teaching Design of Triple Integral and Its Application in College Students' Mathematics Competition

Polne razlike na matematičkim takmičenjima u Republici Srbiji

Global research has indicated that there are differences in mathematics achievement among students relative to their gender. The differences have decreased in the last couple of decades, but they have not completely disappeared. Mathematics competitions play an important role in increasing students' motivation, interest, and self-confidence, as well as in identifying and supporting mathematically gifted students. For this reason, the question is whether and to what extent there are differences in achievement at mathematics competitions relative to gender. The aim of this paper is to analyse the continuity of interest and students' achievement, and to investigate the trends at regional mathematics competitions relative to gender in the 2014-2023 period. The research sample consists of 53490 primary school students, from fourth to eighth grade. Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied. The results indicate that there are differences in participation and achievement relative to students' gender. In the observed period, there was a trend of an increased male representation. A slight decrease in the representation of boys was identified during the transition from earlier grades to subject teaching, and this difference becomes greater in the eighth grade. When it comes to achievement, there is a statistically significant difference, usually to the benefit of the boys, in 60% of cases. There are more boys among the 5% of the students with the highest achievement. The findings indicate that more attention should be paid to this issue and that the cause of the gender differences regarding participation and achievement at competitions should be identified and ways should be found for overcoming it.

Application of Proof by Contradiction in Solving Junior High School Mathematics Competition Questions

Application of Proof by Contradiction in Solving Junior High School Mathematics Competition Questions

Some Applications of Graph Theory in Middle School Mathematics Teaching

In middle school mathematics, some teaching contents embody a teaching idea of "combination of numbers and graphs", especially in the geometry part of middle school mathematics. Therefore, in the actual process of teaching, teachers should combine numbers and graphs to guide students to learn and explore some practical mathematical problems with intuitive and vivid graphics. Graph theory is a branch of discrete mathematics, which takes graph as its research object. A graph in graph theory is a graph composed of some vertices and edges connecting two vertices. This graph is usually used to describe a specific relationship between certain things. In a graph, a vertex represents a thing, and edges are used to represent specific relationships between connected two vertices. In the history of graph theory, the emergence of graph theory has solved many mathematical problems, especially some seemingly simple problems that are difficult to solve with traditional mathematical methods. The method of graph theory is widely used in middle school mathematics, especially in middle school mathematics competitions. This paper discusses some applications of graph theory in middle school mathematics. We first introduces graph theory through two specific problems in life, and then explores some applications of Ramsey number problem, bipartite graph and matching problem of graph theory in middle school mathematics teaching.

The Relationship Between Self-Concept and Problem-Solving Skills on Students’ Attitude Towards Solving Algebraic Problems

This study aimed to determine the relationship between self-concept and problem-solving skills in students’ attitudes towards solving algebraic problems. 377 students were utilized in the study. Two instruments were used to gather data: a problem-solving performance test and a questionnaire on self-concept and attitudes towards solving algebraic problems. The instrument was developed through concept analysis and review of literature; validated by subject matter experts. Lawshe’s (1975) content validity ratio was used to ascertain the validity of the instrument. Reliability of the instruments was established through the utilization of the most common and the best index of internal consistency known as Cronbach’s coefficient alpha. The findings showed based on the three hypotheses tested that there is a significant but negative relationship between self-concept and students’ attitude toward solving algebraic problems (ATPS) and also there is a significant positive relationship between problem-solving skills and their ATPS. However, the findings also indicated that there was no significant relationship between students’ problem-solving skills and their self-concept. It was concluded that schools in collaboration with the Ministry of Education should organize inter and intra mathematics competitions on algebraic problem-solving skills.

The perceived impact of mathematics competitions on teachers and their classrooms in Puerto Rico, Switzerland and the UK

The perceived impact of mathematics competitions on teachers and their classrooms in Puerto Rico, Switzerland and the UK

Perspectives on mathematics competitions and their relationship with mathematics education

The nature of the area of mathematical competitions as a design science is considered, historical roots of mathematical problem-solving competitions are traced, the complementary aspects of mathematics as theory building and as problem solving are touched upon in relation to the practice of competitions. Two historical figures, Euler and Erdős, emerge, and the appropriateness of many of Euler’s mathematical ventures are seen as role models for competition mathematics as first put into practice in mathematical competitions towards the end of the nineteenth century. Distinctions and definitions are made, a venture into identifying competition syllabi and the principal types of reasoning employed in solving competition problems is explored, and a description of the many different types of competitions is considered. Interaction between the field of mathematics itself and problem-solving competitions is briefly explored, as are the possibilities that open when competitions and their access to huge amounts of data, both national and international, are taken into account in research belonging to mathematics education. Finally, the range of topics addressed in this special issue of ZDM is covered, along with some possible conclusions relating to the components of the overview.

A curriculum for mathematical competitions

A curriculum for mathematical competitions

Internal Persistence and External Support—What Makes Chinese Teachers of the Mathematically Gifted Stick to Their Post?

Mathematically gifted students are precious human resources, educators of which make a great difference in helping them realize their potential. The retention of qualified teachers of mathematically gifted students is an issue worthy of in-depth exploration. In China, mathematics competitions are an important part of mathematics gifted education, and the teaching of the Mathematical Olympiad is a challenging profession with a high attrition rate. This qualitative study takes four seasoned and outstanding Chinese teachers as cases, collects data through individual semi-structured interviews, and uses the thematic analysis method based on Herzberg’s two-factor theory to analyze why they can persist in the field of Mathematical Olympiad teaching for more than 20 years. The results show that the motivation factors affecting retention are recognition, achievement, possibility of growth, work itself, and responsibility, and the hygiene factors are policy and interpersonal relationships. Motivation factors are the main reason for their long-term persistence, while hygiene factors are conducive to their persistence as a whole. Finally, enlightenment to educational policy and school management and suggestions for retention and development of teachers of the mathematically gifted are provided.