The 2019 Clemson Calculus Challenge
The sixteenth annual Clemson Calculus Challenge (CCC ) was held on Monday, April 8, 2019. The Department of Mathematical Sciences hosted 288 students from 41 regional schools representing Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The students competed in individual, team, and school categories. Following the competition portion of the CCC , the high school students and their teachers attended an informal lecture on the statistics of climate change.
The CCC has grown steadily over the past few years. The 2019 event set records for the number of students, the number of teams, and the number of schools competing.
Funding for the 2019 CCC was provided by the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. Additionally, Mu Alpha Theta (the national high school and two-year college mathematics honor society) contributed $150 in prize money and three one-year licenses to the computer algebra system Mathematica for distribution to top performers on the morning exam.
The forty-one high schools were split into three divisions based on school enrollment. The division numbers increased with school enrollment; thus Division 1 schools had the smallest enrollments, while Division 3 contained the schools with the largest student populations. The high schools that competed in the 2019 CCC are listed in the following table.
Participating Schools for 2019
| High School |
City |
State |
Division |
Participants |
| A. C. Flora High School |
Columbia |
SC |
2 |
4 |
| Academic Magnet High School |
Charleston |
SC |
1 |
6 |
| Anderson High School |
Anderson |
IN |
3 |
8 |
| Ben Lippen School |
Columbia |
SC |
1 |
6 |
| Bishop England High School |
Charleston |
SC |
1 |
6 |
| Cardinal Newman School |
Columbia |
SC |
1 |
8 |
| Chapel Hill High School |
Douglasville |
GA |
2 |
6 |
| Charlotte Latin High School |
Charlotte |
NC |
1 |
8 |
| Chestatee High School |
Gainesville |
GA |
2 |
8 |
| D. W. Daniel High School |
Central |
SC |
2 |
6 |
| East Jackson Comprehensive High School |
Commerce |
GA |
2 |
8 |
| Eastside High School |
Taylors |
SC |
3 |
3 |
| Emerald High School |
Greenwood |
SC |
2 |
8 |
| First Presbyterian Day School |
Macon |
GA |
1 |
7 |
| Fulton Science Academy |
Alpharetta |
GA |
1 |
7 |
| Hammond School |
Columbia |
SC |
1 |
6 |
| Lakeview Academy |
Gainesville |
GA |
1 |
8 |
| Lexington High School |
Lexington |
SC |
1 |
4 |
| Marist School |
Atlanta |
GA |
2 |
7 |
| Mauldin High School |
Mauldin |
SC |
3 |
8 |
| Merancas Middle College High School |
Huntersville |
NC |
1 |
7 |
| Mountain View High School |
Lawrenceville |
GA |
3 |
8 |
| Myers Park High School |
Charlotte |
NC |
3 |
8 |
| North Oconee High School |
Bogart |
GA |
2 |
8 |
| Oconee County High School |
Watkinsville |
GA |
2 |
7 |
| Parkview High School |
Lilburn |
GA |
3 |
7 |
| Riverside High School |
Greer |
SC |
3 |
8 |
| Riverwood International Charter School |
Sandy Springs |
GA |
3 |
7 |
| S.C. Governors School |
Hartsville |
SC |
1 |
8 |
| Seneca High School |
Seneca |
SC |
2 |
6 |
| Sevier County High School |
Sevierville |
TN |
2 |
8 |
| South Aiken High School |
Aiken |
SC |
2 |
8 |
| South Gwinnett High School |
Snellville |
GA |
3 |
8 |
| Southside Christian School |
Simpsonville |
SC |
1 |
8 |
| Southside High School |
Greenville |
SC |
2 |
6 |
| Spartanburg Day School |
Spartanburg |
SC |
1 |
8 |
| Spring Valley High School |
Columbia |
SC |
3 |
8 |
| St. Joseph's Catholic School |
Greenville |
SC |
1 |
8 |
| Tattnall Square Academny |
Macon |
GA |
1 |
8 |
| Vestavia Hills High School |
Vestavia Hills |
AL |
3 |
8 |
| Wilson High School |
Florence |
SC |
2 |
4 |
A presentation was delivered by Dr. Robert Lund, a statistics Professor in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at Clemson University. His presentation, entitled “Least Squares, Calculus Minimization, and Global Warming,” explained how a line of best fit through a set of data points can be determined using a technique called least squares and how it applies to a global temperature record dating back to 1895.
Awards
Trophies were awarded in each division for first, second, and third place finishes in three categories: individual test, team competition, and overall school performance. The first and second place scorer on the morning exam in each division were each given $500 scholarships to Clemson University. Additionally, Mu Alpha Theta, the national honor society for high school and two-year mathematics, donated $150 and three one-year licenses for the computer algebra system Mathematica to be given as awards for the 2018 CCC . The overall top scorer in the individual exam (Tobi Ogunfowora) was awarded a $100 cash prize, while the second place finisher in the individual exam (Walter Zhang) received a $50 cash prize. The top scorers for the individual exam in each division were each presented with the one-year license for Mathematica. Lastly, an award for the most creative team name was given in each division. The following awards were made.
Individual Awards
Division I
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
Tobi Ogunfowora |
Hammond School |
| Second |
Holden Watson |
Fulton Science Academy |
| Third |
Ben Qian |
Spartanburg Day School |
Division II
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
Jason Yao |
Southside High School |
| Second |
Frankie Reid |
South Aiken High School |
| Third |
Ryan Yang |
North Oconee High School |
Division III
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
Walter Zhang |
Vestavia Hills High School |
| Second |
Jack Lin |
Vestavia Hills High School |
| Third |
Colin Bamford |
Vestavia Hills High School |
Team Awards
Division I
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
(u²/2)′ mad bro? |
Lakeview Academy |
| Second |
Savage Derivatives |
Fulton Science Academy |
| Third |
Calculus |
Fulton Science Academy |
Division II
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
Let epsilon < 0 |
Southside High School |
| Second |
Weird Flux But OK |
North Oconee High School |
| Third |
DeeDees Diamonds |
South Aiken High School |
Division III
| Place |
Winner |
School |
| First |
SUMmertime Add n's |
Spring Valley High School |
| Second |
Laplace Transformers |
Mountain View High School |
| Third |
L'Hopi-pals |
Spring Valley High School |
School Awards
Division I
| Place |
School |
| First |
Fulton Science Academy |
| Second |
Lakeview Academy |
| Third |
S.C. Governors School |
Division II
| Place |
School |
| First |
North Oconee High School |
| Second |
Southside High School |
| Third |
South Aiken High School |
Division III
| Place |
School |
| First |
Spring Valley High School |
| Second |
Vestavia Hills High School |
| Third |
Riverside High School |
Most Creative Team Names
Winners of Most Create Team Name Award
| Division |
Team Name |
School |
| I |
Get Triggy With It |
Cardinal Newman School |
| II |
Leibniz Newton John |
Marist School |
| III |
Grapeʃ of Math |
Riverside High School |
We are grateful to our sponsors:
School of
Mathematical and Statistical Sciences | Mu Alpha Theta
