Minnesota "mathletes" have been counting on this state tournament for 40 years
SPRING LAKE PARK, Minn. — It's state tournament time in Minnesota, but that goes beyond the ice and the basketball court.
The Minnesota State High School Mathematics League is celebrating its 40th state tournament.
"To qualify for the state tournament, you have to win your section. Just like in sports, you win a section," said Tom Young, the league's executive director.
At the state tournament, there are no scoreboards, but there are plenty of numbers. And instead of basketballs and hockey pucks, mathletes use pencils, paper and a lot of brain power.
"It's very intense for the kids but it's meant to be fun for them, too," said Young.
More than 160 teams were represented at Spring Lake Park High School. Of those, only a handful of students qualified for the Math Bowl.
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Seventy-five students earned the right to take a test on Monday morning. The top 10 finishers from that test are the ones who end up on the big stage.
Once there, mathletes are asked eight questions centered around algebra, trigonometry and geometry. Judges tell them if they're right or wrong. The last student standing is the champion. But if there's a tie, they have their own version of overtime.
"One year we had to get to 15 questions before we got a winner," said Young.
Last year, Sneha Kundu became the first girl ever to win state.
"I didn't even think I'd even make it on the stage, so making it on the stage was a big accomplishment for me," said Kundu. "Winning that was something I would have never expected, and it was one of the best experiences of my life."
This year, Minnetonka freshman Michael Luo made it to the big stage and then took home a state title.
For Luo, math is just part of the fun.
"I feel like there's a really big social aspect. I think joining the Math Team was like the best decision I ever made because I got to know so many more people who also enjoy math," said Luo.
For winning, Luo got a plaque and also some artwork centered around mathematics.
The Math League season runs from November until March.
