New York State Mathematics Association Of Two Year Colleges

MATH LEAGUE

NYSMATYC Math League

History   |   Previous Exams   |  Previous Winners   |   Journals for Winners

About the NYSMATYC Math League

Each year, NYSMATYC holds two math league competitions in the fall and spring at two-year college campuses across New York State. Each college encourages students to take a timed exam consisting of approximately twenty questions, of which the top five scores are combined to form that school’s team score. In the spring, the fall and spring scores are added, and one college is crowned champion for that academic year. Awards are distributed at the NYSMATYC Annual Conference each spring.

Top individual competitors are honored at the Annual Conference as well. Typically, prizes include mathematical software generously donated by math league sponsors, as well as subscriptions to mathematical and scientific journals.

2023 – 2024 Winners

Congratulations to Borough of Manhattan CC for winning the 2023 – 2024 Mathematics Competition, and to Haichuan Gu of Tompkins Cortland CC, for being the year’s top finishing individual! Prizes for the top competitors will be distributed at the NYSMATYC Annual Conference.

How to Participate

The math league coordinator for NYSMATYC is Abe Mantell from Nassau Community College. Abe generously donates his time and energy to writing each exam and coordinating each event with campus representatives from across the state. If you are a student interested in competing, or a faculty member interested in getting a team together for your college, Abe will gladly give you guidance. Please contact him at Abraham.Mantell@ncc.edu

Full Results and Other Information

You can find full results to our most recent competitions for both teams and individuals, as well as past winners and sample exams, by clicking the links below:

TOP OF PAGE ^

History of the NYSMATYC Math League

After a panel discussion on mathematics competition at the 1970 Annual NYSMATYC Conference, eight New York State community colleges agreed to hold a math contest in the spring of 1970. A total of fifty students participated in the contest. The winning team was from Jamestown Community College. This event represented the beginning of the Two-Year College Mathematics League.

The 1970-71 academic year was the first full year of competition. Four contests were to be administered each year. Carmine DeSanto (Nassau Community College) was coordinator of the League, a position he would maintain until 1977. Expenses incurred by the League (mailing, prizes, printing, etc.) were paid by NYSMATYC and the MATYC Journal.

Unfortunately, only four New York State community colleges participated in the 1970-71 competition. It was agreed that in order to arouse greater interest and competition, membership in the League be extended to all two-year colleges in the nation. The name was changed to the National Student Two- Year College Mathematics League.

Over the next several years, membership in the Math League increased slowly but steadily. By 1977, twenty one two-year colleges were participating in the Math League including seven New York State colleges. In 1978, the sponsorship of the National Math League was assumed by AMATYC.

In 1980, the NYSMATYC Executive Board decided to form a Mathematics League for New York State two-year colleges. Such a league would provide a challenge and inspire interest in mathematics as well as provide friendly competition among the two-year colleges in the state. Colleges could elect to participate in the national competition, as well. Don Cohen (SUNY Cobleskill) agreed to coordinate the state competition.

The 1980-81 academic year was the first year of activity. Two contests were administered– the first in the fall and the second in the spring. The combined scores of the top five scorers from each college comprised the total team score. This format has continued to the present. Seven two-year colleges participated, with Corning Community College emerging as the winner. The winning team received a plaque and members of the winning team received t-shirt awards. The top five scorers received a pen set.

Under the leadership of Don Cohen from 1980-1982 and subsequent direction given by Tom Enderli (Alfred, 1982-1983), Richard Rupprecht (Jamestown Community College, 1983-1986), Paul O’Heron (Broome Community College, 1986-1990), Joan Shack (Hudson Valley Community College, 1990-1992), Don Willner (Mohawk Valley Community College, 1992-2009), and Abe Mantell (Nassau Community College, 2009-present), the Math League has grown to over five-hundred students (and sometimes over seven-hundred!) from twenty-seven two-year colleges participating in the competition. One of the highlights of the Annual Spring Conference is the announcement of the winning team along with the individual winners.

A traveling team plaque resides at the campus of the winning team each year. Prizes for the ten top- scoring individual contestants (combined fall/spring contest scores) have included mathematics software (such as Maple, MathCAD, Derive, Scientific Notebook, and Minitab), calculators (Texas Instruments) and selections from mathematics, science, and computer books.

TOP OF PAGE ^

Journal Choices for Winners

The top winners of the NYSMATYC mathematics competition are awarded subscriptions of their choice to journals having a mathematics, scientific, computer, or related flavor. Some recent choices are listed below, but other choices may be honored.

Chance – Specializes in articles about statistics and computing and is intended for someone interested in data analysis. It is a cultural record of an evolving field and not just for professionals. (Quarterly.)

Math Horizons – Magazine for students interested in mathematics that aims to expand their intellectual and career horizons. (Quarterly.)

Popular Science – The “What’s New” magazine of science and technology. Covering the latest developments in cars, electronics, communications, tools, energy, aviation, science, space exploration and much more. (Monthly.)

Discover – Each issue covers a large range of science including ancient life, medicine, space, the environment, physics and developments in technology. As well, it profiles the men and women behind today s technical advancements. (Monthly.)

Scientific American – A leading science magazine that contains articles on recent observations, investigations and developments in science-related fields. (Monthly.)

Games – An interactive magazine devoted to entertaining & involving its readers with puzzles and games. (10 issues/year)

Sky & Telescope – An amateur astronomy magazine with feature articles on new developments in the science, plus departments on books, observing, equipment, computer software and sky predictions. (Monthly.)

PC World – An excellent source of information on how to select, buy, and use computer products and services for home and business. It’s packed with award-winning articles, monthly Top 100 PC and product rankings, evaluations and ratings from the PC World Test Center, tips, how-tos, consumer advice, step-by-step guides, and more.

Wired – This magazine is edited for leaders in the field of digital information including top tier managers, creators and professionals in the computer, business, design, entertainment, media and education industries. The editorial focus is on how technology affects life.

TOP OF PAGE ^

Previous Individual and Team Results by Semester

 

Previous Combined Fall and Spring Winners for Individuals and Teams

Winning Teams of Mathematics Contests

YEAR WINNING TEAM
2018-2019 LaGuardia CC
2017-2018 LaGuardia CC
2016-2017 Queensborough CC
2015-2016 Queensborough CC
2014-2015 Queensborough CC
2013-2014 Queensborough CC
2012-2013 Queensborough CC
2011-2012 Queensborough CC
2010-2011 Hudson Valley CC
2009-2010 Queensborough CC
2008-2009 Genesee CC
2007-2008 Monroe CC
2006-2007 Nassau CC
2005-2006 Nassau CC
2004-2005 Westchester CC
2003-2004 Monroe CC
2002-2003 Onondaga CC
2001-2002 Broome CC
2000-2001 Hudson Valley CC
1999 – 2000 Onondaga CC
1998 – 1999 Cayuga CC
1997 – 1998 Borough of Manhattan CC
1996 – 1997 Cayuga CC
1995 – 1996 Mohawk Valley CC
1994 – 1995 Hudson Valley CC
1993 – 1994 Queensborough CC
1992 – 1993 Onondaga CC
1991 – 1992 Onondaga CC
1990 – 1991 Broome CC
1989 – 1990 Corning CC
1988 – 1989 Hudson Valley CC
1987 – 1988 Hudson Valley CC
1986 – 1987 Broome CC
1985 – 1986 Ulster CC
1984 – 1985 Monroe CC
1983 – 1984 Monroe CC
1982 – 1983 Monroe CC
1981 – 1982 Monroe CC
1980 – 1981 Corning CC

TOP OF PAGE ^