2007 Essay Contest
The essay will involve the third letter of the book:
Letters to a Young Mathematician
by Ian Stewart.
In the third letter "The Breadth of Mathematics," Ian Stewart writes Meg
"It's all reasonably interesting now, but as you say, "Is this all there is?"
You're reading Shakespeare, Dickens, and T.S. Elliot in your English class, and you
can reasonably assume that while this is of course only a tiny sample of the world's great
writing, there is not some higher level of English literature whose existence has not been
disclosed to you. So you naturally wonder, by analogy, whether the math that you are learning
in high school is what mathematics is . Does anything happen at higher levels
besides bigger numbers and harder calculations?"
Use this essay and any other source to discuss the breadth of
mathematics and why someone would want to become a mathematician.
How to Enter
- There is no entry fee.
- Attendance at YSU MathFest is not mandatory to submit an entry.
- Multiple entries may be mailed together.
- Be sure your essay is postmarked (or hand delivered) by November 9, 2007.
and addressed as follows:
YSU MathFest Essay Contest
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
Youngstown State University
One University Plaza
Youngstown, OH 44555
Rules
- Submit only one paper.
- Type or print your paper,
double-spaced on unlined white paper, or hand-write your
paper in ink on only one side of lined 8.5 x 11" white paper.
- Leave 1" margins on all sides, and number the pages.
- Limit your paper to 700-900 words.
Papers that are significantly shorter or longer are
disqualified.
- Use a title page with the following information:
- the title of your paper
- your name (no nicknames or shortened names)
- your full address
- your age and grade
- your teacher's first and last name
- the name of your school (no abbreviations)
Evaluation
Your essay will be evaluated using the following criteria:
- your establishment of a clear purpose for writing the essay
- evidence that you understand the book and story
- the effectiveness of your organization
- the clarity, conciseness, and freshness of your language
Prizes
PRIZES! will be awarded to the first, second, and third place entries at
at MathFest!
Permissions
Entries cannot be returned.
All entries become property of YSU.
The University reserves
the right to publish any of the entries submitted,
with credit given to the authors.
