Doing math in their heads netted trophies for four Richmond tutoring students in an international mental math competition last month.
They were among 2,500 students from 31 countries who the UCMAS International Competition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where they were tested on their speed and accuracy in mental math.
Each student competed in math categories that matched their individual difficulty levels.
Richmond's Young Liu, a student of St. Paul's School, claimed the champion title and was also the only Canadian winner in his category.
Adam Wong also secured a champion award in his category, and both Ethan Hsiah and Alicia Wong received second-place awards in their categories.
Nine-year-old Liu also won third place in a flash competition where he competed among 750 competitors. In this category, students are eliminated the moment they give one incorrect answer.
Liu was able to perform 10, four-digit addition and subtraction problems without the use of any tools.
Gloria Chien, Liu's mom, told the Richmond News said she found out the results before her son was told what his standing was in the competition.
"That morning when I was checking the results I started tearing (up) and I wanted to keep it a secret until Young found out the results for himself," said Chien.
Her son appeared very calm during the competition, but that was far from the case.
"He said he was actually very nervous but he didn't want to show it because he knew I would be more nervous for him," said Chien, adding it was heartwarming to hear her son think of her despite him working under pressure.
Students were tested on 200 math questions that they had to answer within eight minutes in their respective competition categories.
"The competition serves as a testament to the exceptional talents and achievements of young individuals in the field of mental math," said Krishna Kumar, director of UCMAS in Richmond.
UCMAS, the Abacus Mental Math Program, is a global after-school program with a branch in Richmond. They train children aged four to 13 to perform mental calculations quickly and accurately.
In the process, students can “expand their mental capacity and develop skills such as multitasking, time management, memory, concentration and problem-solving skills that are crucial to success in all areas of study and in daily life,” according to UCMAS Richmond.
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