Newtown Student Moves Onto Elite Math Competition

NEWTOWN, CT — Only five percent of students across the country are invited to take the American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME), and one is from Sandy Hook.

Juniors Yipeng (Simon) Zhao of Sandy Hook and Junyi (Luka) Lu of Danbury, both students at Immaculate High School in Danbury, qualified for the AIME by scoring high on the national AMC 12 exam recently. Zhao’s score was high enough to earn him a Certificate of Distinction.

The two will take the fifteen question, three-hour AIME on Feb. 7. The AIME is intended to provide challenge and recognition to the high school students in North America who have exceptional mathematical ability. Finalists in the AIME can go on to the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad. All exams are administered by the Mathematical Association of America, the world’s largest community of mathematicians, students and enthusiasts.

To qualify for the AIME, students must take the AMC 12 or AMC 10 exams. Both tests are 25-question, 75-minute multiple choice tests. The AMC 12 covers the entire high school curriculum including trigonometry, advanced algebra and advanced geometry but excludes calculus. It can be taken by students in grade 12 or below and under 19.5 years old. The AMC 10 covers the high school curriculum up to 10th grade and can be taken by students in grade 10 or below and under 17.5 years old.

"We strive to offer our students a rigorous mathematics program here at Immaculate and could not be prouder of all our Mustangs who took part in this exam competition,” said mathematics teacher David Quesnell. “We will be cheering on Simon and Luka in the next round!