Students Compete in Harvard-MIT Math Tournament

Under cover of darkness, fueled by bagels, doughnuts and coffee from the brand-new Simsbury Dunkin’ Donuts, six Westminster Mathletes departed campus at 6 a.m. Nov. 10 to make the trek to Cambridge, Mass., for the 22nd annual Harvard-MIT Math Tournament.

 

Founded in 1998, the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT) is one of the largest and most prestigious high school competitions in the world. Each tournament draws close to 1,000 students from around the globe, including top scorers at national and international Olympiads. HMMT is entirely student-organized, by students at Harvard, MIT and nearby schools, many of whom are HMMT alumni themselves.

 

This year, competing against more than 800 of the brightest, most mathematically gifted students in the world, from Shanghai to Boston, Westminster students Eve Cathcart ’20, James Chun ’19, Vlad Ivanchuk ’19, Yuna Lee ’19 (a four-year participant), Matthew Park ’21 and Dinh Truong ’19 tackled problems written and compiled by Harvard and MIT undergraduates.

 

“These problems were not for the faint of heart,” said math teacher Dan Aber, who accompanied the students. “They were tough problems. Einstein would have had trouble with some of them. No calculators were allowed to solve these conundrums. No electronic devices, no computers, no phones, no slide rulers and no abacuses. Only pencil and paper. Old school. Undaunted, the Westminster team dove right in with characteristic grit and grace.”

 

Some 10 hours later, the mighty six returned to campus, a little tired, but satisfied.