Over the weekend, Audimax I at the Hamburg University of Technology became the venue for a real final: 80 students from grades 3 to 10 competed in the renowned Pangea mathematics competition for medals and numerous prizes.
In addition to the Hamburg metropolitan region, students from Bremen, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein were also represented. They had prevailed against around 20,000 participants in two preliminary rounds. Overall, the Northern Germany region secured nine placements among the top 10 in their respective year groups in the final, including a nationwide second place.
Creative solutions also required
The path to the regional final is long and demanding. In the preliminary round in February/March, participants solve between 15 and 20 problems within 45 to 60 minutes. The tasks are designed not only to test mathematical knowledge but also to require diverse problem-solving strategies and creative thinking.
The best 500 students from each grade then qualified for the intermediate round in April. With outstanding performances, 80 participants ultimately secured a place in the regional final at TUHH. Nationwide, 480 participants made it to the final round – from an original pool of 74,000 students who took part. The examination took place simultaneously at multiple locations throughout Germany, including Berlin and Munich.
For the final exam on Saturday morning at TUHH, the 80 students were given 45 to 60 minutes, depending on their grade level. The tasks were immediately evaluated on campus, before the festive award ceremony took place in Audimax I in the afternoon. Here, all finalists were honored for their achievements and received a bronze, silver, or gold medal. Additionally, prizes such as puzzles, logic games, tablets, and drones were raffled among all finalists.
Especially outstanding students who placed among the top 10 nationwide were also awarded cash prizes of up to 150 euros. Among them was Linus Jonte Gronau from Delmenhorst. He achieved second place nationwide in grade 10.
What makes mathematics so special
TUHH host and mathematics professor Marko Lindner emphasized the universality of mathematics in his welcome speech – especially in polarized times: “There are so many topics where one can have this or that opinion, and where the world nowadays consists of several bubbles that hardly understand each other because they rarely talk to each other but only among themselves. With math, it’s different: Everything can be checked and proven. There are no two opinions and no competing bubbles. And what I find very reassuring about math: What has once been proven is still true tomorrow – the math books from your grandmother are still correct.”
The musical accompaniment with guitar and vocals was provided by students Marianna Beifuss from the 11th grade of Gymnasium Süderelbe and Semina Alić from the 11th grade of Lloyd Gymnasium Bremerhaven, together with music teacher Patrick Ernst.
About the competition
The Pangea competition is aimed at students of all grade levels and promotes mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills over several rounds throughout the school year. With its nationwide reach and well-thought-out tasks, the competition is considered an important pillar for promoting young talent in STEM fields. The competition is organized by Pangea Wettbewerbe e.V., among others in cooperation with Alsterbildungsring e.V.
