Mu Alpha Theta, the math honor society at Lake Highland, has had an incredible year so far, filled with successes and learning opportunities. The society will continue to hold various math-related events and competitions throughout the second semester, promising an exciting schedule all through the end of the school year. One example of a competition they hold is the Florida Math League, which happens monthly. The competition consists of six math problems that increase in difficulty and cover topics ranging from basic Algebra to advanced probability questions.
Mrs. Jennifer Neldner, the sponsor of Mu Alpha Theta and a teacher of Algebra Two Honors, reports that Lake Highland has, “Had an excellent showing,” so far this year. One highlight from the four contests that have occurred so far in the year involves Mohid Hassan, grade 11, achieving a perfect score on the third contest. Currently, Lake Highland is the leading school in the Orange County Region in terms of scores from the first three contests.
In addition to performing excellently on the contests, Mu Alpha Theta members enjoy the contests as well. Krishna Moorjani, grade 12, says that the monthly contests are his favorite part of Mu Alpha Theta, and that they are, “Like a quick break from… the day,” where he gets to just work through some problems. He also enjoys meeting with other students after the competition to see how, “They approached it in their own unique way,” which can provide alternate perspectives on a problem.
The other major math competition that Mu Alpha Theta participates in is the AMC 10/12, which, in contrast to the Florida Math League, takes place all over the United States of America once per year. The most exciting thing about this math competition is that there is a chance one can qualify for the International Mathematical Olympiad and represent America internationally through this very competition. By doing well on the AMC 10 or AMC 12, to which participants are designated by grade level, one can qualify for the AIME, a difficult stage that some Highlanders have reached before. Doing well on both of these competitions can ultimately lead students to qualify for the United States American Mathematical Olympiad (USAMO), the highest level of math competition high school students can take in the United States. Finally, with a few more tests, the student can qualify for the international version of the Mathematical Olympiad.
One should note, however, that the level of difficulty for each of these competitions is unlike anything that Lake Highland math courses teach. This separate branch of mathematics, often called “competition math,” involves incredibly complex problems with simple, often hard-to-find, solutions. By doing these competitions and practicing for them, students are able to work on their problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Unfortunately, no Highlander has ever qualified for the USAMO or higher due to the sheer difficulty of the problems. However, when asked about future plans of the honor society, Mrs. Neldner said that Mu Alpha Theta will, “Have a higher focus on the practice of math competitions” next year, so maybe the first Highlander USAMO qualification is in the near future.
Mu Alpha Theta also has ways for students to express their passion for math aside from competitive math. For example, members of the honor society take part in the peer tutoring they are required to complete each semester. Kashvi Gupta, grade 9, says that the tutoring, “Helped [her] slow down and…take in…every step,” of the problem in addition to reducing her own mistakes. Math students who want help can visit room 305 or 318 in the Porter Center for Innovation and Academics building for Math Lab tutoring during Morning P.R.I.M.E. Time before the start of the school day.
Another activity Mu Alpha Theta members are involved in on-campus is Pi Day, which Mrs. Neldner confirmed will have, “A variety of math games [and] activities” this year. Pi Day is traditionally celebrated on March 14. This is because of the famous irrational number pi and how it begins with a 3, is followed by a decimal point, and is followed by 14. March 14’s date has those exact numbers, leading us to celebrate likely the most famous irrational number on the 14 of March. However, since March 14 falls on a Saturday this year, Mu Alpha Theta will host Pi Day on Monday, March 16 at Lake Highland.
The math honor society has been very successful this year and has been enjoyed by many members. Krishna Moorjani, who has a passion for STEM topics such as math, said that if, “Math is your passion,” then Mu Alpha Theta is the, “Best way to… explore that [passion] at Lake Highland.” Kashvi Gupta agrees, saying she, “Love[s] being in Mu Alpha Theta,” and the added bonus of free cookies for participating in the monthly math leagues does not hurt either.
