PCC Students Excel in National Math Competition

May 29, 2012

Tucson, AZ – Pima Community College is the top Arizona community college in a national ranking of student math competitions.

PCC ranked fourth out of 17 schools in Southwest Region for the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges competition. Pima’s score was the best of the six Arizona community colleges competing.

The competition consists of two exams administered at each competing community college during fall and spring semesters, rounds 1 and 2, respectively. Each one-hour test is at the pre-calculus mathematics level, with questions from a standard syllabus in College Algebra and Trigonometry.

Team scores were a sum of each college’s top five student scores in each round. Pima’s team scores from rounds 1 and 2 totaled 161.5, the fourth best in the Southwest Region. Austin (Texas) Community College had the top total score at 207.

Sean Tiffin was the College’s top overall scorer, with 33 points to rank ninth in the region. His first-round score of 20 was the top PCC student score in either round.

The College had six students place in the top 20 overall: Tiffin (33); David Simmons (25.5); David Maestas (24); Raul Mishiyev (23); Ashley Rix (23); and Tarek Eid (22.5).

In Round 2, as a team, Pima ranked third with 83.5 points. Pima’s top student Round 2 scores and rankings were: William Minch (18; sixth); Mark Bedoya and Cameron Campbell (17.5; tied for seventh with three others); David Simmons (15.5; tied for 16th with two others); and Fengqi Chen (15; tied for 20th with six others). They were among 18 PCC students completing both rounds of the competition.

Student Math League has more than 165 colleges in more than 35 states and Bermuda, involving more than 8,000 community college math students.

To learn more about the competition, visit www.amatyc.org/SML.

CONTACT:
C.J. Karamargin
Vice Chancellor for Public Information and Government Relations
(520) 206-4850
ckaramargin@pima.edu