Saturdays are for the Mathematicians
The University Student Union at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is typically empty on the weekends, but last Saturday it was packed with high school math students who were about the compete in the 20th annual Math Day at The Beach - a competition event devised by CSULB's math department with the help of some local sponsors and volunteers.
Math Day at the Beach is a problem-solving festival for Southern California high school students who want to have fun with mathematics and enjoy a day of camaraderie with university mathematics students and professors.
The event is free thanks to participation from local sponsors (principally The Jerry Cassaday Family this year), and staffed by the CSULB math department, math students, and other volunteers.
How It Works
High school students show up in teams of 6 to take part in 3 individual exams as well as a team round. Then they listen to a guest speaker and enjoy a catered lunch. After that, it's right back to it with a relay competition and finally, the Ken Lindgren Face-Off Round to break any ties.
Once the scores have been tallied by diligent volunteers headquartered next door to the exam room, the winners are announced and trophies are handed out.
It is non-stop math from start to finish. Even during trips to the restroom students could be heard discussing whatever equation or process was fresh in their minds.
Remembering Dr. Merryfield
The event stands out as a day designed to celebrate the vibrant community of young mathematicians and their abilities. But this year's competition was missing a key architect and mentor - the late professor Kent Merryfield. The math department took a moment before the competition began to recognize him and his contributions. In an especially poignant moment, all of the students who had received help or teaching from Merryfield in some way were asked to stand. When nearly two thirds of the packed room got to their feet, Merryfield's love of teaching and his huge impact on the community was clear to see.
After the acknowledgements, the competition got underway for the 38 high school teams. Once the first rounds of exams were completed, the students were treated to lunch and watched a presentation from Curtis Bennett, the Richard D. Green Dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. A mathematician and professor himself, Bennett's talk titled "From Curious Decimals to Generating Functions" was interactive for the students, with him frequently asking questions and encouraging participation on the problems he was presenting.
Competition Results
After a full day of competition, the scores were tallied and six teams from two divisions came out on top:
Division A:
- University High School in Irvine
- Beckman High School
- Arcadia High School
Division B:
- Sierra Canyon High School
- Palos Verdes Peninsula High School
- South High School in Torrance
Math Day at the Beach winners will have their names put on the Dr. Kent Merryfield Perpetual Trophy.
The most resonant feeling of Math Day at the Beach is passion. A resolute passion for mathematics, an eagerness to learn, and a prevailing sense of fun were clear from all of those involved. All feelings that were echoed every day by the late Professor Merryfield.
If you want to get involved with Math Day at the Beach, reach out to the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at CSULB or the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
Banner photo credit: Xuhui Li.
