May 2001

George Mason Hosts International Math Olympics This Summer By Carrie Secondo For the second time in history, the United States will host the International Mathematical Olympiad, and George Mason will be the site for the three-day event that begins July 4. The competition, which will take place on the Fairfax Campus, features 500 of the most talented high school-age mathematicians from more than 80 countries. Opening ceremonies will be followed by two days of individual problem solving as the students work on six challenging math problems. Students will then present their solutions as essay-style proofs, similar to those produced by research mathematicians. Grading the papers will take several days, during which time the students will tour museums and historical sites in the Washington, D.C., area. The International Mathematical Olympiad began in Romania in 1959 with seven eastern European countries and was last held in the United States in 1981. The United States has scored among the top five teams for 21 of the 24 years it has participation.