American River College is hosting their fifth annual Integration Bee on April 22 at 2:30 p.m. in Raef Hall.
The integration bee is a calculus competition in which students must solve difficult math problems involving integrals.
The math department is soliciting calculus students to participate in the event, but strongly encouraged all students to be involved.
Mathematics professor Glenn Pico is facilitating the event with involvement from the math club and mathematics professors.
“Everybody’s excited about the bee, it’s something the math department and students look forward to each year,” Pico said.
This year’s Integration Bee will be televised, giving ARC the opportunity to promote their mathematics program and its students.
Public Information Officer Scott Crow is working with the Sacramento Educational Cable Consortium (SECC) to record parts of the bee.
“I’m not sure yet of the date and time the bee will be televised, but the SECC will be recording the bee,” Crow said.
There will be two phases to the bee. At the start there will be a qualifying exam on integration, and the top 16 scores will qualify for the bee.
Those contestants will then compete four at a time solving integration problems.
“I will be co-master of ceremony, explaining rules to the contestants and audience members, and possibly controlling the projection of integrals on the overhead screen,” mathematics professor Christopher Heeren said.
He will serve as co-emcee alongside mathematics professor Rocio Owens.
There will be a cash prize for the top five finishers and t-shirts for the second round participants.
The cash prizes are as follows: first place $300, Second place $200, third place $125, fourth place $100 and fifth place $75.
The prizes are coming from donations from math faculty.
“Folks are encouraged to attend the bee itself. Whether or not people love math, it is fun to watch a competitive event where top students are showing their stuff,” Crow said.
“I’ve gone the last two years and have been blown away by the brain power,” he said.
Refreshments will be provided throughout the event.
For questions contact Pico in Howard Hall 118 or call (916) 484-8963.
