On March 13, 2022, the first “Pi Day challenge” organized by Qiuzhen College was held in Yau Mathematical Sciences Center on the west floor of Jinchun Palace. Mr. Shing-Tung Yau, Dean of Qiuzhen College, Si Li, Xiaofang Wang, vice dean, and nearly 50 students of Qiuzhen College attended this event.
In the morning, Qiuzhen College sent test papers suitable for students selected by the professors to the participating middle schools, which organized the tests and returned students’ answers to the college within the specified time. At the same time, Mr. Si Li led the students of Qiuzhen College to have marking training, and invited the “proposers” of each question to explain their ideas and solutions. Mr. Shing-Tung Yau was on hand to give professional guidance on the mathematical questions, and to inspire the students to think deeply about mathematical questions behind them. In the afternoon, the answers from participating middle schools were distributed to the Qiuzhen marking group in an orderly manner. The Qiuzhen students, as examiners, meticulously evaluated and graded the answers of secondary students and checked grades again and again to determine who was the final winner.
On the evening of March 14, in the mathematical history class of Qiuzhen College, Mr. Shing-Tung Yau announced the list of Qiuzhen students who won the “Best Proposition Award”, and presented them with certificates and customized Karapicchu crystal gift boxes. Thus, Mr. Shing-Tung Yau announced the list of the “Winner Award” in this challenge. After the award ceremony, Mr. Shing-Tung Yau sent a message to all the students that to solve problems, which is indeed important, but is not the aim of learning. If you want to be a great mathematician like Gauss and Euler, you have to put forward your own questions, walk out of your own way firstly, and the way you walk should deeply affect the development of the mathematics field in a certain period of time.
The first “Pi Day challenge” of Qiuzhen College breaks through the tradition, encourages Qiuzhen students to make propositions, like ask questions, organizes secondary school students to answer questions, like solve problems, effectively connects Qiuzhen students who love mathematics with secondary school students all over the country. This activity promotes the establishment of a community of mathematics learning full of vitality and innovation.
