From equations to excursions: Leiden students excel at International Maths Competition
Five mathematics students from Leiden University and their coach stood out this summer in Bulgaria at the IMC: the International Mathematics Competition for university students. Lance, Ryan, Casper, Mads and Lars tackled tough maths problems and also made the most of the Bulgarian sunshine.
Master’s student Lars Pos shares his enthusiasm about the international competition, which he attended for the second time. ‘There are two competition days. Each time, you get five hours to solve five problems. The questions are quite complex, and often feel like puzzles. You earn points for each solution, and that’s how the rankings are determined.’
Marking errors
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Marking goes on late into the night, and mistakes sometimes slip in. That’s why each team’s coach is allowed to check for marking errors. ‘Our coach, Peter Ypma, managed to get us an extra seventeen points in total,’ says Lars.
What is IMC?
The International Mathematics Competition (IMC) promotes an inclusive and safe environment for mathematics students – a place where they can take on challenging problems, make international friends, and explore future career paths. The problems in the competition cover areas such as algebra, analysis, geometry and combinatorics.
By the end of the competition, the Leiden team placed thirteenth overall. Several students also received individual prizes: Casper Madlener won gold, while Lars, Lance Bakker and Mads Kok took silver, and Ryan Staal earned bronze. ‘A great result after all those practice sessions,’ Lars says with a smile. And that’s his advice for anyone interested in joining next time: practice, practice, practice.
Did they keep practising in Bulgaria between competition days? ‘No, we did other things too like swimming, playing cards, sightseeing. It wasn’t all about maths.’
Competition in Leiden
In October, the Leiden students will organise the Simon Marais Mathematics Competition locally. ‘It’s a maths contest with two sets of four problems, and you get three hours for each set. You can take part individually or in pairs, and there are some great cash prizes,’ Lars explains. He hopes to get more students involved. ‘It’s genuinely fun, it’s a social event, and it gets you thinking about maths in a different way. Last year, we came third – and of course, we’re hoping to do even better this time.’