Dordt Hosts High School Math Challenge

More than 200 high school students from 14 areahigh schools competed in the Dordt University MathChallenge on Thursday, October 21.Students tested their mathematical creativity withnovel problems on two exams. They also engaged inbreakout sessions that were led by Dordtmathematics and statistics professors with assistancefrom secondary mathematics education majors.“Part of Dordt’s mission is to equip the broadercommunity, so we are called to bring the joy ofGod’s gift of mathematics to area high schoolstudents,” says Dr. Tom Clark, who teachesmathematics at Dordt. “We can help them realizehow creative mathematical problem solving can beand experience the breadth of mathematics. The event also gives our math-education majors a chance to interactwith students and develop as teachers in training.”During the breakout sessions, students used math to decipher clues related to a murder mystery; explored puzzlesrelated to infinity; and learned about the math behind games involving dice. Students played a reenacting gameinvolving the use of mathematics and physics that govern the atmosphere that predicted weather patterns decadesbefore the first computers were developed. A session led by a K-12 outreach member of the National SecurityAgency taught students basic cryptology terminology and techniques. The students also recreated Galileo’sexperiments using bowling balls in Dordt’s engineering high bay. Students also received a tour of Dordt University’scampus with an Admissions Office tour guide.“All in all, it’s our hope that these students come away thinking that Dordt is a place where they will find ameaningful challenge and be supported for success,” says Clark.Participating SchoolsBrandon Valley High School: Brandon, South DakotaLawton-Bronson High School: Lawton, IowaMOC-FV High School: Orange City, IowaParker High School: Parker, South DakotaRiver Valley High School: Correctionville, IowaSioux Center High School: Sioux Center, IowaSioux City West High School: Sioux City, IowaSioux Falls Christian High School: Sioux Falls, South DakotaSioux Falls Lutheran High School: Sioux Falls, South DakotaSouthwest Minnesota Christian High School: Edgerton, MinnesotaUnity Christian High School: Orange City, IowaWest Monona High School: Onawa, IowaWestern Christian High School: Hull, IowaIndividual resultsNinth grade:1. Parker High School2. Western Christian High School3. Brandon Valley High SchoolTenth grade:1. Unity Christian High School (Tie)Western Christian High School (Tie)2. Sioux Center High SchoolEleventh grade:1. Brandon Valley High School2. Western Christian High School3. Brandon Valley High SchoolTwelfth grade:1. Unity Christian High School2. Unity Christian High School (Tie)Brandon Valley High School (Tie)Team results1. Unity Christian High School2. Brandon Valley High School3. Lawton-Bronson High SchoolAs an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University seeks toequip students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspectsof contemporary life. Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa, is a comprehensive college named to the best collegelists by TheWall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and PrincetonReview. To learn more about Dordt University, visit dordt.edu.