CSU-Pueblo Announces 2014 Math Day Competition Results

PUEBLOThe Department of Mathematics and Physics at Colorado State University-Pueblo has announced the results from the 37th Annual Math Day Swanson and Math Bowl competitions, held on campus Thursday, Nov. 20. Nearly 100 students from 12 high schools and one middle school participated in Math Day activities, including Antonito, Crowley County, Coronado, Fountain-Ft. Carson, Harrison, Kim, Pine Creek, Pueblo Academy of Arts, Pueblo Central, Rocky Ford, Rye, Swallows Charter Academy, and Swink.

In addition to participating in the competitions, students were able to visit engineering, physics, and telescope laboratories and demonstrations. 

The Math Bowl Competition requires two three-person teams to go head-to-head in a 15-minute race for points.  Each team alternately is given a mathematical question and has 25 seconds to respond.Winning teams proceed through the bracket to the final round.>

The 2014 Math Bowl winner is Pine Creek High School, featuring team members Justin Dieter, Isabel Song, and Amy Wang.Rye High School placed second with team members Sam Wolyn, Paul Slade, and Sarah Lesser.Semifinalists were Antonito High School with team members Sara Taketatsu, Tristan Gray, and Mike Mondragon and Coronado High School with team members Sara Del Valle, Barbara Kania, and Ryan Karasopolous.  Consolation went to Pueblo Academy of Arts with team members Emiliano Cabrera, Angelo Diaz, and Colton Ortiz. 

The Swanson Competition was named after Clarence Swanson, a long-time chair of the math department.  The in-depth, problem-solving, written test offers students from Southern Colorado schools the opportunity to vie for trophies and computer-generated fractal pictures created by Dr. Paul Chacon.  Of the 97 students to take the exam, the top six contestants are listed below in rank order with the highest listed first followed by the student’s high school: 

1. Sam Wolyn                                                              Rye High School
2. Justin Dieter                                                            Pine Creek High School
3. Kristian Carroll                                                        Pine Creek High School
4. Amy Wang                                                                Pine Creek High School
5. Sara Del Valle                                                         Coronado High School
6. Isabel Song                                                             Pine Creek High School 

The following Swanson Competition contestants earned honorable mention.  The students are listed by home town, then alphabetically by last name followed by their high schools:

Colorado Springs
Taylor  Carroll                                                            Pine Creek High School
Barbara Kania                                                           Coronado High School
Ryan Karasopoulos                                                 Coronado High School

Ordway
Michael Gump                                                            Crowley County High School

Rye
Paul Slade                                                                   Rye High School

Rocky Ford
Adelaide Efird                                                              Rocky Ford High School
Joey Van Feldt                                                             Rocky Ford High School