Mathematics competitions have always been regarded as an important part of higher mathematics education, which can not only discover and cultivate mathematical talents, but also promote the improvement of mathematics teaching quality.
What does this portend in recent years when the number of participants in the industry-leading Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition has been rising and the level has been decreasing? A revolution in mathematics competitions is brewing.
According to the data, 40 of the 802 contestants in the finals of the 6th Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition are middle school students. Of the 40 students, 16 were junior high school students, accounting for about 2% of the total number of finalists, and high school students accounted for about 3%.
What is even more surprising is that a second-year girl in secondary school entered the top 30, and a third-year boy even became the highest-ranked junior high school student. This shows that more and more middle school students are starting to get involved in the field of advanced mathematics, and the scale of participation is expanding.
Would you be surprised if one day, a middle school student would stand at the top of the podium of the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition to receive the gold medal?
It may still seem difficult now, but this day may come much sooner than we think. The Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition is in full swing, and a seemingly crazy idea is becoming possible – high school students have the ability to compete in this top-level competition, which is dominated by graduate students, and is even expected to beat their opponents to win gold medals.
This may be the strongest message of the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition: to stimulate the mathematical potential of middle school students and make more young people fall in love with mathematics. Statistics show that among the 802 contestants in the finals of the 6th Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, 40 are from middle schools, of which 16 are junior high school students, accounting for 2% of the total number of finalists, and high school students account for 3%.
A second-year girl in secondary school reached the top 30, and a boy in the third year of junior high school even ranked among the highest junior high school students. It can be said that more and more middle school students are opening the door to advanced mathematics through this competition platform.
Not only are there a large number of students, but the strength of these middle school students is also increasing rapidly. Since the third edition, each year there have been awards from middle school students in the finals. In the fifth year, a high school student even achieved two awards.
In 2022, 17-year-old Qu Xiaoyu of Chongqing Bashu Middle School won the championship with a perfect score, becoming the youngest gold medal winner in the history of this event. It can be said that many middle school students have lost their mathematical strength to graduate students, and they have the strength to compete with masters.
The rise of middle school students is the trend of the times. The Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition is also constantly improving its format and opening its doors to middle school students. The online examination format lowers the threshold for participation, and the open-book system of the preliminary round also gives secondary school students full time to play.
Under this trend, the gold medal, the highest prize in Alibaba's global mathematics competition, will be awarded to middle school students. At that time, it will become an important symbol of the development of mathematics education in China, and will further encourage more middle school students to devote themselves to the cause of mathematics.
What is the reason for the continuous emergence of middle school students in mathematics competitions? This is mainly based on the following points: the concept of family education has changed, and more and more emphasis is placed on early mathematical enlightenment;
A large number of outstanding master's and doctoral teachers are stationed in primary and secondary schools, and the guidance level is more professional; The online format of the exam is more fair and equitable. It can be said that the development of the times has provided unprecedented impetus for middle school students to compete in mathematics.
Of course, the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition is also helping the growth of middle school students in its own way. Generous bonus incentives are enough to change the fate of a family, and internal recommendations and learning resource support also further open up the development space of middle school students.
In 2022 alone, the Gold Award will be awarded 1 million yuan, and the silver and bronze awards will also be 500,000 and 200,000 respectively. It can be said that this is not only an affirmation of the efforts of middle school students, but also will promote more families to pay attention to mathematics education.
In the future, it is worth looking forward to the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition, which is expected to gradually cover every middle school student with mathematical dreams in China and even in the world. The full support of industry-leading enterprises will surely promote the basic mathematics education to enter a new stage. When secondary school students stand on the podium, we will also witness a historic leap forward in mathematics education in China.
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