This page describes the various mathematics competitions available to Hope College students.

The Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition (see description below) will take place in early April, when teams from schools in Lower Michigan will vie for the rights to the coveted Klein bottle trophy.

Michigan Autumn Take Home (MATH) Challenge: This is a regional team competition that takes place in November. Students work in groups of two or three on 10 problems during a three-hour exam. Hope's recent MATH Challenge history:

• November 2005: Hope placed in the top 10.
• November 2004: Hope team finished in the top 10.
• November 2003: Hope team won the first place! Our top team was Daniela Banu, Stefan Coltisor, and Heidi Libner with a score of 85/100, besting runner-up Calvin by 10 points.
• November 2002: Hope fielded 3 teams. Two of these teams tied for 3rd place.
• November 2001: Hope fielded 4 teams. One Hope team finished in 3rd place, and 3 Hope teams finished in the top 10.

Putnam Exam: This is a national competition occuring in early December. Students take two three-hour exams. Each institution chooses three students whose scores on the exam are totalled to produce the team score. There are cash prizes for the top participants.

• 2005: Ryan Weaver scored 10 points.
• Six Hope students took the exam in 2001. Hope's team place 148th out of 336 nationally and one Hope student place 365th out of 2954 nationally (in the top 13 in Michigan).

Mathematical Contest in Modeling: This is an international contest in early February. Students work in teams of three on interdisciplinary, open-ended problems over a 4-day period. The competition requires students to research a problem, produce a mathematical model of the problem, and analyze the model and its results. The contest is an excellent opportunity to experience the intense teamwork and use of applied mathematics as they occur in the world after graduation.

Lower Michigan Mathematics Competition: This is a regional team competition that takes place in April. Students travel to a college in Michigan where they work on an exam in groups of three.

• In 2006, Hope hosted the LMMC, fielded 12 teams, and placed three teams in the top 10.
• In 2004, Hope place second (after a tie-breaker), third, and ninth.
• In 2003, a team from Hope College successfully defended the title, winning 1st place at Saginaw Valley State University.
• In 2002, a team from Hope College won 1st place (out of 31 teams) and brought the Klein bottle trophy back to Hope! Other teams from Hope placed 20th and 22nd.

Students interested in competitions should contact Aaron Cinzori or John Stoughton. Practice and informational sessions for the competitions occur throughout the academic year.

Check this page for more detailed information and competition results.