Cape High math team places fifth in regional competition

A trio of Cape High seniors took fifth place in a regional math competition in which teammate Jia Qi Xie earned second place in the individual contest.

At the Eastern Shore High School Mathematics contest held at Salisbury University Nov. 16, Jia and teammates Ali Ahmed and Madison Drake competed against 27 teams from Delaware, Maryland and Virginia high schools.

Jia said students had to solve a number of math problems in trigonometry, precalculus, probability and other specializations. Questions were multiple-choice in the individual contest and open-ended for the team category.

The team contest was held first, when students were given 45 minutes to complete as many problems as possible. Highest scores determined placing.

The Cape High team, coached by 2023 Cape Henlopen School District Teacher of the Year Rony Flechier, practiced for the event by working on problems from a previous contest.

Flechier said the trio is looking to compete in a similar contest at Cornell University in May after students take their Advanced Placement exams.

All three students have been interested in mathematics since the elementary level. Ali said his elementary teachers in Chester, Pa., taught math like a game, which interested him because he always enjoyed puzzles.

Madison said she particularly enjoys the problem-solving aspect of mathematics and the challenge of figuring out the answer.

“The subject has always held my attention,” she said.

Jia, who takes Academic Challenge math classes at Delaware Technical Community College, said he has always been able to compute problems quickly and has been involved in math clubs since middle school.

“There wasn’t a push then, but it’s nice to have competition as a source of motivation to practice math as a goal,” he said.

The top 10 finishers are eligible for scholarships at Salisbury University if they choose to attend the school, Flechier said. Teachers whose students participated in the contest also had to complete the problems, he said.

Ali said he is looking forward to competing at Cornell.

“The competition will encourage me to sharpen my blade before college,” he said. “It’s opened my eyes to subjects I need to touch up on.”

Competitions allow students to see what next-level math looks like, Flechier said.

“The goal is to expose students to Ivy League schools and have them able to keep up,” Flechier said. “That speaks volumes about what we’re doing academically here.”

Jia said he recommends other students get involved in competitions. Anyone taking Academic Challenge or Advanced Placement classes would be a good fit, he said.

“Give it a shot,” he said. “The concepts are wide and variable, but multiple-choice [format] gives you a fighting chance.”

Flechier, who also holds a math fair every spring that allows students to apply math in real-life situations, said one of his priorities as a teacher is to help erase students’ fears about math. 

“Some concepts require deep thinking, but there is no need to shy away,” he said. “We’re here to sharpen the blade and assist with critical thinking of math so it becomes a habit and they’re prepared for the next step.”