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Who Wants to Be a Mathematician

“Who Wants to Be a Mathematician” was a national high school competition held annually in America, involving more than 5,000 students.

Good Thinking worked with Mike Breen and the American Mathematical Society to run a UK version of the competition in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, including sending our UK winners to attend the international finals in California and Baltimore.

However, due to budgetary considerations stemming from COVID-19, the AMS will no longer be running the competition.

It has been great to be able to work with Mike Breen and his team at the AMS, and to give over two thousand UK students the chance to take part in this international mathematics competition.

The AMS have sent out the following statement to all teachers who have taken part over the years:

In connection with COVID-19, Annette Emerson and Mike Breen have (independently) opted to retire. So, this is the perfect time to say thanks for your participation in the past and that of your students. It’s been a pleasure meeting, if only by email, the many teachers who have participated and your students. 

Even though there won’t be a math game going forward, visit the game page to find summaries and videos of past games, news about past contestants, sample qualifying tests, and sample game questions that you can use or adapt for your own classroom or math club activities. 

The AMS does offer many other resources for students and teachers, plus a collection of free posters available on request,  and a new page to be launched this fall called Latest & Greatest for Students which will be at http://www.ams.org/latest-greatest. You and your students may also like our Top Ways to Use Free AMS Math Content page.

Best wishes,
The AMS Public Awareness Office

Past Who Wants to Be a Mathematician news

Our 2018/19 winner Olivia Guo, along with fellow finalists Paul Scarr, Zaka Ahmed, and Jordan Baillie, pictured with Matt Parker and Simon Singh.

Our 2018/19 winner Olivia Guo, along with fellow finalists Paul Scarr, Zaka Ahmed, and Jordan Baillie, pictured with Matt Parker and Simon Singh.