Philippines Wins 59 Math Awards

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines won 5 gold, 9 silver, 28 bronze medals, and 17 merit awards in the 2012 Asia International Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO) held recently in Hong Kong.

Included among the Filipino winners is gold medalist Lu Christian Ong of Grace Christian College, who was proclaimed champion and “Star of Asia” in the Grade 9 Division for earning the highest score among participants from nine countries.

Dr. Archieval Rodriguez, director of the Mathematics Development Academy of the Philippines (MDAP), said that aside from Ong, the country's gold medalists are Sterling Alvin Tiu of St. Stephen's High School, Natalia Varela of St. Paul College-Pasig, Thamania Keith Gumilao of Pasig Catholic College, and Anchelle Grace Ho of Silliman University SBE High School.

The silver medalists are Deanne Rochelle Abdao, Philippine Science High School; Anton Raphael Lim, St. John's Institute; Norman Earl Morado, Philippines Science High School-SMC; Floriza Andaya, First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities; Michelle Marie Ochoa, St. Paul College-Pasig, Akkiara Simon May Sawali, St. Augustine's School; Justin Bryan Chong, Grace Christian College; Ed Joshua Mañalac, Baguio City National High School; and Philip Lizarda, San Beda College Alabang.

Winning bronze medals are Karli Ang, Ian John Antonio, Richard Manuel De Castro, Mark John Dy, Marc Louie Magallanes, Emmanuel Joseph Magnaye, Himig Marcos, Rachel Rojo, Karla Dominique Tiu, Marianne Cruz, Joshua Cuballes, Francis Rumen Parungao, Viq Ashley Alentajan, Justine Myles Alquiza, James Christian Atilano, Ralph Gerarld Black, Al Matthew Canafe, Razell Jigs Caraig, Sabrina Rae Chan, Jan Ver Dominic Edra, Marie Pauline Ferrer, Ralph Joseph Lacuna, Chesca Angelica Lazara, Katrina Maniulit, Engelica Perez, Roy Matthew Ramos, Mary Joyce Tan and Jade Kathleen Yu.

The merit awardees are Gian Carlo Alix, Jone Zelita Orlina, Jerome Vincent Tagaro, Rodwick Matthew Go, Patricia Marie Yap, Camille Therese Estampador, Elijah Copla, Ma. Cathyrynne Janelle Cua, Earl Edson Dumago, Carlos Benedict Echevarria, Karljan Kotah, Jeremy John Magpantay, Dabin Park, Giorgio Romero, Sam Gamaliel Sy, Ian Denzel Sy Reyes, and John Lester Tan.

The AIMO drew participants from China, Hong, Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.

source: mb.com.ph

Professor Suggests Dumping Algebra From Curriculum Entirely

A number of high school students and even college students have trouble with math. Specifically, these students have trouble with algebra and its offspring. This level of math can lead to significant roadblocks in the development of students’ education. According to Andrew Hacker, one in four ninth graders fail to finish high school and algebra is often to blame. So, logically, we should get rid of algebra.

Removing algebra from the list of required courses would allow more students to finish high school with the tools they need. Hacker argues that the kind of math being taught by algebra isn’t necessary in the daily lives of millions of people and therefore we should not hold ourselves to its standards. Math, itself, is important but should be more focused on things like arithmetic and balancing checkbooks. The focus should be on the kinds of things everyone is required to do at some point.

Hacker continues by stating that 57 percent of the City University of New York students didn’t pass its mandated algebra course. Another figure used to support his conclusion is that only 9 percent of men and 4 percent of women received a 700 or better on the math section of their SAT in 2009. Even with all of this evidence, one can’t help but wonder if the emphasis is being placed in the wrong place.

All of these numbers and percentages only proves that the United States is failing at mathematics — and specifically algebra and its offshoots. The struggle here shouldn’t be whether we need to drop algebra but how we can improve our ability. In a lot of ways, logic and math go hand in hand. What is algebra if not logic?

To say that we are failing and need to do something about it is absolutely correct. To say we need to remove it from our path as a hindrance rather than overcoming it with improved teaching methods, enhanced mathematics programs, and funding in general is a mistake.

source: geekosystem.com

'Too much math' - Scientists find proof

WASHINGTON - Artistic types are not the only ones whose eyes glaze over when confronted with too many numbers, according to research out Monday that suggests scientists, too, find lots of equations hard to read.

The study by researchers at the University of Bristol analyzed nearly 650 studies on ecology and evolution published in three leading journals in 1998.

They found that papers with more equations in the text were less likely to be cited in future papers, signaling that scientists may not be paying attention to research that is jammed with mathematical details.

Studies with the most math in them were referenced 50 percent less often than those with little or no math, said the study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a US peer-reviewed journal.

"This is an important issue," said Tim Fawcett, lead author of the study titled: "Heavy use of equations impedes communication among biologists."

"Nearly all areas of science rely on close links between mathematical theory and experimental work," he said.

"If new theories are presented in a way that is off-putting to other scientists, then no one will perform the crucial experiments needed to test those theories. This presents a barrier to scientific progress."

Co-author Andrew Higginson suggested that adding a bit of verbal flourish might help experts get their point across.

"Scientists need to think more carefully about how they present the mathematical details of their work," he said.

"The ideal solution is not to hide the maths away, but to add more explanatory text to take the reader carefully through the assumptions and implications of the theory."

source: interaksyon.com