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His name: Mark Manning. His grade: senior. His interests: art, backpacking, kayaking, biking, telemarking and … trigonometry?
The combination may be strange, but the calculus student melds these components into a seamless profile. Manning, who also won a Montana State University art contest, on May 14 won a math contest sponsored by the National Society of Professional Surveyors.
“It was an extra-credit opportunity — I was just there to take a test after school and get my points,” said Manning. “I wasn’t going in to win.”
The problem presented to a roomful of 35 would-be mathematicians involved finding the distance across a river. The winner of the timed test was whoever solved the problem correctly and most quickly.
“It was a surveying-type problem,” said Fred Longhart, Manning’s math teacher. “(It was) basically Math 3 — but the senior prevailed.”
Manning solved the problem in more than 11 minutes, then presented his answer to the contest’s official.
“I wasn’t real confident in my answer,” said Manning. “It seemed like an easy solution.”
Manning then explained his solution to the rest of the contests participants. Manning said his reaction to winning the contest was fairly subdued.
“I didn’t jump up and down or hoot and holler,” said Manning.
For winning the contest at FHS, Manning receives $25. His time will be compared with other winners from high schools in the county for a prize of a $200 HP calculator. If he is a county winner, Manning could take another statewide test for a $500 grand prize. Despite money-making opportunities in mathematics, Manning says he doesn’t plan on making a career in math.
“Math is a fairly structured process,” said Manning. “I’m more into other activities where I can create my own structure.”
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