In July, Hsinchu County students traveled to South Korea for the 2023 World Mathematics Invitational (WMI) Finals. The students achieved remarkable results, bringing home one Diamond medal, three Gold medals, seven Silver medals, and three Bronze medals. Today (October 24), Hsinchu County Magistrate Yang Wen-ke commended a total of 14 award-winning students from Dong Xing Junior High School, Guangming Elementary School, Dong Xing Elementary School, Hsing Lung Primary School, Sheng-Li Junior High School, and Korrnell Academy, recognizing their outstanding performance.
Magistrate Yang stated that mathematics is a language and a discipline rooted in humanities. The demand for mathematical talents in various fields is increasing. Hsinchu County’s schools have successfully promoted mathematical literacy, helping students develop the ability to apply abstract mathematical concepts to problem-solving and experience the joy of learning.
The World Mathematics Invitational is an international mathematics competition that has been held since 2013. The final round of the competition is hosted by a different country each year. In 2023, in-person competition resumed, and the final round took place from July 14–18 at Yonsei University in South Korea. Over 2,000 mathematical talents from 25 countries and regions gathered to compete for medals in various age groups. The competition was fierce, and the Hsinchu County delegation performed remarkably well, earning one Diamond medal, three Gold medals, seven Silver medals, and three Bronze medals. Their outstanding performance deserves recognition.
The WMI competition consists of both preliminary and final rounds, with exams organized by grade level. Students from kindergarten through high school can participate. The final round is divided into two stages: The first stage lasts for 40 minutes and consists of multiple-choice questions; the second stage also lasts for 40 minutes and includes fill-in-the-blank questions, which are quite challenging.
Lu Chi-hua, a student from Dong Xing Junior High School who received the Diamond medal, shared that this was his first time participating in an overseas international math competition. Over the course of the competition, he befriended students from different countries and learned about their cultures. He expressed his gratitude to his parents and teachers for giving him the opportunity to broaden his horizons. In the future, he hopes to continue to excel, bringing honor to his school and his country.
Chen Pin-he, a student from Guangming Elementary School who received the Gold medal, mentioned that this was his second time participating in the WMI. He found the math questions to be very challenging, and said that through this competition, he made friends with fellow mathematicians and gained greater motivation to study math. Likewise, Li Hsien-yan from Korrnell Academy, who also received the Gold medal, shared that during the WMI finals, he overcame nervousness and remained calm and confident, ultimately winning the Gold medal. He firmly believes that all difficulties can be overcome through continuous learning, and he hopes to achieve the “Star of the World” title in future WMI competitions.
Hsu Chen-kai, who received the Silver medal, participated in the overseas competition with two of his classmates from the Guangming Elementary School gifted program. He expressed his excitement at being able to compete, and said that interacting with participants from around the world was a very special experience. He also realized that there are many talented individuals out there. He is determined to further enhance his math skills and hopes to strive for the Gold medal next year.