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posted by takyon on Tuesday July 21 2015, @01:00PM   Printer-friendly
from the we're-number-one dept.

According to the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), the competition involves six problems taken in sets of three during 4.5 hour sessions (held across two days)—no calculators. Each team member attempts the problems, and team totals are based on the number of points each individual scores. The US earned 185 to take the gold while China earned runner-up honors with 181. It's the US' fifth victory overall. China has the most competition wins with 19 all-time, including winning four of the last five competitions heading into the 2015 edition.

Link to article with its image of a sample problem from the competition. It's rare to hear positive news about math education in the United States.


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  • (Score: 2) by vux984 on Wednesday July 22 2015, @12:21AM

    by vux984 (5045) on Wednesday July 22 2015, @12:21AM (#212136)

    It might also be possible to at least partially sort them by taking sets of three arranged [ a ........................................... bc ] and lay the ruler across; if b is taller than c the ruler won't touch c. (If a >> b the ruler would still touch c, but that would be obvious to the naked eye too. And we're assuming a ~= b ~= c.

    One could use a hair or piece of paper to help determine if the ruler is resting on c or not. (Obviously only good for differntiating differences > the the width of a hair or sheet of paper.) But it should be enough to sort pistons that are only different by 100ths of an inch.

    Eventually you'd identify one of the largest pistons, and repeat using that for a to refine it further.

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