600 students x 1 math day = 30 schools/2 states X 4 hours at Academic Hall

More than 600 students from 30 area schools will compete in the 41st annual Math Field Day today at Southeast Missouri State University.

Math Field Day committee chair Cheryl McAllister, associate professor in the department of mathematics at Southeast, said the event traditionally sees every member of the department contribute.

"We start planning for next year's Math Field Day the day right after the current event by setting the date and reserving the rooms and facilities we will need the following spring," McAllister said.

Then in late January or early February, each faculty member and graduate teaching assistants create a new test and grading key for all 28 of the events offered, she said.

The day of, faculty and graduate students act as greeters, proctors and graders.

"My favorite part is the awards ceremony," McAllister said. "I love seeing the winners' faces as they collect their medals."

She added, "We've been doing this event for over 40 years now, and I hope it continues for many years to come."

The event begins at 9 a.m. and will conclude with an awards ceremony at 1 p.m., according to a university news release.

Team events are held first, then individual testing, the release stated, before the noon event in the University Center Ballroom, Mathletics, a team problem-solving event with a game-show-style format.

Events will be held in Academic Hall auditorium and the University Center.

Areas of competition include algebra, geometry, trigonometry, sets and logic, exponential and log functions, matrices and determinants, number theory, hand calculators and calculus, to name a few.

Competitors will come from public and private schools in Missouri and Illinois, according to the release.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

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1 University Plaza, Cape Girardeau, Mo.