Though athletic teams often corner the market in intense tournaments, the math department will make their competitive mark through Math Field Day, to be held April 17 at California State University, Fresno.

The event is made up of three competitions: The Game, Leap Frog and Mad Hatter. Math teacher Michael Fenton takes requires honor students to attend; students in regular classes receive extra credit for coming. The events will begin at 8:30 a.m.

In the past, campus teams have performed well, with the 2009 high school team winning second place in the small school division. The 2009 junior high group took first place overall.

“I think it’s an awesome opportunity for students
to have an outside-the-classroom math experience,” Fenton said. “The ones who do the Mad Hatter and Leap Frog get exposed to more math and it’s enjoyable for those students to have a challenge.”

Several junior high students will also be involved in Math Field Day this year such as algebra honors student Jonathan Ago, ’14.

“I’m participating in the Mad Hatter game because I don’t understand the other two [games],” Ago said. “I hope I win because I am pretty good at it. I’m kind of apprehensive about the game because it’s not like I’m really excited about it.”

Algebra I honors student Tynin Fries, ’14, will also attend the event as mandated, playing Leap Frog with a partner.

“I’ve never gone before, but I’m going to be playing Leap Frog with my friend Rayna Endicott,” Fries said. “I’m not good at The Game or Mad Hatter and me and Rayna are a good team together.”

Another Leap Frog participant, geometry honors student Daniel Moore, ’14, says he enjoys the challenge of Math Field Day.

“I’m doing the Leap Frog game this year with Tyler Laird,” Moore said. “I do this game because the fact everyone wants to play The Game and the Mad Hatter is annoying. Some of it is difficult, and they usually try to make it really hard, but it just tests what we can figure out ourselves.”

An experienced participant in Math Field Day, AP Calculus student Ricky Lopez, ’11, says he likes to just have fun playing the math games.

“I play Mad Hatter because I did it last year and because everyone does The Game, and since we already won that [last year] I might as well try to win at something else,” Lopez said. “I probably won’t win because of the seniors, but I don’t care because I’m going to have fun. I like math and because I’m in the next age bracket, I expect it to be more challenging.”

The competition: The Game, relies on a concept called game theory. Fenton says the classes he took on the subject were some of his favorites.

“This teaches how math and patterns can develop into strategy. Also it teaches them game theory,” Fenton said. “The Game tournament brings back game theory and everyone who saw the movie, It’s a Beautiful Mind will see what John Nash made great contributions to.”

In addition to the festivities of Math Field Day, another community event, Vintage Days, will take place nearby on the same day.

For more information, read the April 23, 2009 article, Campus triumphs at Math Field Day
or e-mail Fenton.

For more stories about the math department, read the Feb. 26 article, Fenton leads math trail-blazing.