Mathletes’ Greatest Secrets Finally Revealed Episode 1: Eight Myths About Mathletes

Mathletes’ Greatest Secrets Finally Revealed

Episode 1: Myth Slaying, or Eight Myths About Mathletes

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Henry

(Image credit: Cornelis Cort. Public domain.)

Don't let new myths pop up where old ones die. Vanquish some myths today!

Before we tackle some actual contests, I’d like to dispel some common myths about competing in mathematics.

Myth #1

In a word: no. Hard work and true determination can more than take the place of talent.

Myth #2

We really can’t tell. Many questions in competitive mathematics go beyond standard exercises and speed drills. I’d say it’s safer to subscribe to a competitive math program, or get some books on the topic. At any rate, your obscenely fast arithmetic will be an advantage anywhere.

Myth #3

Again, it’s not a sure thing. Please don’t underestimate ‘lower’ math subjects (see NOTE 1) .There’s a misconception that a heavy knowledge in calculus or higher math will trounce the competition. It does in some cases (for example, practical knowledge of Jensen’s inequality and convexity is an extreme advantage), but sometimes a high school problem can only be solved with crafty high school methods. Besides, some high school problems are designed to have an elegant elementary solution; if you take a high-level sledgehammer to it, you may not gain a full appreciation of the problem design. And it can get quite messy. (see NOTE 2)

NOTE 1
Competitive math often affords us a deeper look into some seemingly elementary math topics; algebra, geometry, and (definitely!) number theory have much more to offer than what is usually taught in the classroom, and it’s a pity to skim through all this. For additional reading check out The Calculus Trap.

NOTE 2
From what I hear, markers will give full marks to a calculus or higher math solution that's completely correct. But they tend to be less generous in partial marks if you use these methods and make a mistake.

Myth #4

Don’t worry; you should flourish in sit-down tests and higher-level stuff. But consider working on speed and arithmetic accuracy while you train.

Myth #5 

The hours involved might suggest this, but it’s a matter of perspective. If you make friends with your co-trainees, and you really love math, then training should augment your social life, be a vacation in itself, and build an unforgettable childhood.

Myth #6

I think that's a very narrow vision. There are hundreds of things students can engage in as extra-curricular activities -- music, creative writing, arts, sports, coding -- and competitive maths is just one of them. What's cool for one is boring for another, and whether or not an activity is worthwhile for you largely depends on how much you’re willing to invest, how much you enjoy it, and how much it works into your career vision. Your individual inclinations don't make your preferred activity intrinsically better than the rest -- that's why they're called inclinations.

Having said that, I think mathletes (i.e. people who enjoy math and excel in it) have lots to gain from training and competing. They acquire the mental stamina to maintain long periods of concentration, and develop the emotional maturity to remain professional despite the pressure of constant (sometimes unfair) comparison with their peers. Essentially, if done right, it can train them for real life!

Myth #7

Whoa now, that's a cartoonish exaggeration. Sure, the moment somebody beats you to the answer by milliseconds you'd probably want to pull your hair out. But it's pretty much limited to that. Just like in any kind of competition -- sports, writing, arts -- losing a math contest sucks. It really does. But it's a necessary baptism of fire. Everybody I know who has engaged sufficiently in competition knows that even the best can falter, and when they do, they just try to take things in stride. And more often than not, win or lose, mathletes make many friends along the way.

Having said that, the onus is really on oneself to maintain a solid emotional and social foundation. This pretty much means knowing when to take it easy when things become unhealthy. Just so you know, everybody else feels the same way. Everybody's together in feeling that competitive aloneness; there's an ironic solidarity from common isolation that we can build upon.

Myth #8

The myth about connections evokes an antiquated apprentice-master set-up. While there’s nothing wrong in getting private tuition and training, I think it’s perfectly fine (sometimes even better) to resort to self-study.

Personally, I never seemed to work well under private tuition -- over eleven years in competitive math, I've totaled less than seven days under private tutoring. Don't get me wrong -- the bulk of my skillset was fleshed out in no small part by some extremely talented mentors, but that was always under a formal/official (i.e. school, training pool) basis. 

As for resources, it may be have been hard to find material in the dark ages before the Internet. Nowadays, as long as you have a way to access the Internet, it’s very easy to source your own material (this is a sign that the field is becoming saturated, which means you have to really shine to get noticed!). Essentially you can accumulate so much that it’s humanly impossible to finish them all.

Despite this, I know it can be hard to shake the feeling that one’s peers are somehow using some secret sauce. Part of why I’m writing this series is to show that, aside from hard work and determination, there really is no secret sauce!


Disagree with the list? Have a burning mathlete myth/stereotype you'd love to see busted? Let me know on the comments below!