David Essner Mathematics Competition

Due to the continuing restrictions around large gatherings at the University of Miami, the Essner Competition is on hold until further notice.

 

The Competition

The David Essner Mathematics Competition was established as a memorial to David Essner and is sponsored by the Essner Family and the University of Miami Department of Mathematics. Since the academic year 1981-1982 it has been an annual competition that seeks to recognize outstanding mathematical talent among the secondary school students of Miami-Dade County in Florida.

Overview

  • The competition is open to all secondary schools, public and private, in Miami-Dade County.
  • The competition begins with a 3 hour event consisting of two talks and a couple of problems whose solutions require creative mathematical thought.
  • The competition concludes the same day with an awards ceremony recognizing the top scoring students. Awards to the Top Three include cash prizes; certificates are provided to the other top scoring students.

In Memoriam

David Essner graduated from South Miami High School in 1975. While in high school he participated in a college level mathematics program, and by means of this and self study he was prepared for graduate study in mathematics when he entered the University of Miami in 1975. David enjoyed mathematics problem solving and mathematics competitions, and as an undergraduate student at Miami he participated in the Putnam Mathematics competition four times; in fact he delayed his graduation so that he could participate the fourth time. One year David was the top scorer on a three person University of Miami team that ranked 28th on the exam; normally about 300 university teams, including one from each of the prestigious universities, compete in the Putnam exam. In 1979 David graduated from Miami with majors in mathematics and physics. He then entered graduate study in mathematics at Miami and was awarded a University Fellowship. By reason of his advanced coursework as an undergraduate he was at the beginning virtually ready for the Ph.D qualifying exam which he passed at the end of his first year of graduate study. During his second year of graduate study, in November 1980, he was fatally injured in a motorbike accident.

The Essner Competition Administrators

Dr. Subramanian Ramakrishnan, Dr. Kenneth Baker, and Dr. Morgan Brown

Contact Information

The David Essner Mathematics Competition 
Department of Mathematics, University of Miami 
1365 Memorial Drive, Ungar 515 
Coral Gables, FL 33146
essner@math.miami.edu

Information and Details

The Day of the Exam

The David Essner Mathematics Competition XXXIX will take place 9am-1pm, Saturday February 8, 2020 at the Field House, part of the Watsco Center, at the University of Miami.

Participants should:

  • report to the competition venue before 8:40 am for sign-in,
  • bring identification (such as School ID or a driver's license), and
  • bring writing tools (sharpened pencils, pens, erasers, pencil sharpener).

It is not mandatory for the supervisors to attend.  

 

The Field House is just to the right of the front of the Watsco Center.

We recommend parking in the lot in front of the Watsco Center.  Payment for parking can be done at a machine or pay-by-phone. 

Please consult here for details about parking on campus as policies continue to change.

Important Dates

Friday January 24, 2020: Deadline for list of Participating Students
Saturday February 8, 2020: Essner Competition

The Competition

The Competition begins with a lecture introducing the topic of the exam. Thereafter, there is a 1 hour exam consisting of a couple of problems whose solutions require creative mathematical thought. Solutions are evaluated on clarity of presentation and logical arguments as well as correctness of the final answer. A correct answer without coherent justification may receive a low evaluation.

The exam does not require calculus and may be solved using ideas that, in addition to what's presented in the preceding lecture, an honors student with experience in high school honors algebra and pre-calculus should have encountered. Refer to the Final Exams in the Past Exams link above for examples of the level of questions. The use of calculators or other such assistance tools is not permitted.

After a short break, there will be a second presentation followed by an awards ceremony.

08:30 Sign-in
09:00 Lecture
10:00 Exam
11:00 Break & Snack
11:30 Presentation
12:30 Awards

As the format and location are new, these times are only approximate.

Participation

The competition is open to all secondary schools, public and private, in Miami-Dade County. Each participating school must select a Supervisor (such as a mathematics teacher) who determines the participating students from their school, and acts as a liason between these participating students and the Competition Administrators.

A student who wishes to participate must obtain approval of their school's supervisor.

Beginning with Competition XXXV, no student may participate in more than 4 competitions.

Instructions for Supervisors

Determine the participating students from their school.

We recommend a limit of 5 participating students per school. In unusual situations the supervisor may be permitted to send up to 5 additional students.

The determination of the participating students is at the Supervisor's discretion. Students who are both interested in the kinds of problems on the previous final exams and able to craft solutions to several of these are perhaps more likely to perform well on the upcoming competition.

Inform the Competition Administrators of the participating students.

By Friday January 24, 2020, email the list of names of your school's participating students to the Competition Administrators. (essner@math.miami.edu)

The Essner Competition Administrators

Dr. Subramanian Ramakrishnan, Dr. Kenneth Baker, and Dr. Morgan Brown

Contact Information

The David Essner Mathematics Competition
Department of Mathematics, University of Miami
1365 Memorial Drive, Ungar 515
Coral Gables, FL 33146
essner@math.miami.edu

Past Exams

Exams are available for non-profit academic and personal use.

The David Essner Mathematics Competition XXXIII in fall 2013 begins our new format with no preliminary exam.

Competition Exam
XXXV 2015
XXXIV 2014
XXXIII 2013

 

Final Exam Prelimary Exam Answers to Prelim Exam
2013 2013 2013
2012 2012 2012
2011 2011 2011
2010 2010 2010
2009 2009 2009
2008 2008 2008
2007 2007 2007
2006 2006 2006
2005 2005 2005
2004 2004 2004
2003 2003 2003
2002 2002 2002
2001 2001 2001
2000 2000 2000
1999 1999 1999
1998 1998 1998
1996 1996 1996
1995 1995 1995
1994 1994 1994
1993 1993 1993
1992 1992 1992
1991 1991 1991
1990 1990 1990
1989 1989 1989
1988 1988 1988
1987 1987 1987
1986 1986 1986
1985 1985 1985
1984 1984 1984
1983 1983 1983
1982 1982 1982

Top 5 Winners

1981 - 1982
Rank Student High School
1 Caroline Richardson Miami Palmetto
2 Ruth Harris Coral Gables
3 Craig Cartwright Miami Norland
3 Seth Field North Miami Beach
3 Gordon Wood Ransom Everglades
3 Stephen Siegel North Miami Beach
3 Robert West Coral Park
1982 - 1983
Rank Student High School
1 Wilson Wong North Miami Beach
2 Stephen Siegel North Miami Beach
3 Gordon Wood Ransom Everglades
4 Marshall Wolf Ransom Everglades
5 Seth Field North Miami Beach
1983 - 1984
Rank Student High School
1 Victor Tavernini North Miami Beach
2 Chamroeun Kchao North Miami Beach
3 Peter Richardson Ransom Everglades
4 Stephen Siegel North Miami Beach
5 Marc Friedman Miami Beach
1984 - 1985
Rank Student High School
1 Eric Lund Miami Palmetto
2 Patrick Sullivan Miami Killian
3 Jeffrey Miller North Miami Beach
4 Marc Friedman Miami Beach
5 Beesham Seecharan Miami Sunset
1985 - 1986
Rank Student High School
1 Marc Friedman Miami Beach
2 Charles Witham North Miami Beach
3 Huasheng Su Miami Sunset
4 Beesham Seecharan Miami Sunset
5 Miguel Tam North Miami Beach
1986 - 1987
Rank Student High School
1 Beesham Seecharan Miami Sunset
2 Marc Friedman Miami Beach
3 Robin Zinger North Miami Beach
4 Paul Rowland Miami Killian
5 Gideon Senderov Miami Sunset
1987 - 1988
Rank Student High School
1 Gregory Galperin Miami Palmetto
2 Ian Pulizzotto North Miami Beach
3 Robin Zinger North Miami Beach
4 Shawn Gross Miami Springs
5 Christopher Cothran Miami Sunset
1988 - 1989
Rank Student High School
1 Ian Pulizzotto North Miami Beach
2 Derrick Bass North Miami Beach
3 Robert Pearson Miami Palmetto
4 Shawn Gross Miami Springs
5 Kichol Lee Miami Sunset
1989 - 1990
Rank Student High School
1 Ian Pulizzotto North Miami Beach
2 Derrick Bass North Miami Beach
3 Pedro Nunez South Dade
4 Eric Gettleman Coral Gables
5 Jose Lorenzo Miami Sunset
1990 - 1991
Rank Student High School
1 Derrick Bass North Miami Beach
2 Ian Pulizzotto North Miami Beach
3 Giovanni DellaLibera Coral Gables
4 Jose Lorenzo Miami Sunset
5 Rahul Garg Coral Gables
1991 - 1992
Rank Student High School
1 Brad Allen Miami Sunset
1 Jose Lorenzo Miami Sunset
3 Rahul Garg Coral Gables
4 Simon Lau Miami Sunset
5 Dag Shapshak North Miami Beach
1992 - 1993
Rank Student High School
1 Rachel Ventura North Miami Beach
1 Jeff Talpin North Miami Beach
3 Ryan Dougherty North Miami Beach
4 Jorge Fernandez Coral Gables
4 John Kim Miami Palmetto
1993 - 1994
Rank Student High School
1 Jorge Fernandez Coral Gables
2 Ryan Dougherty North Miami Beach
3 Ernest Miklavic North Miami Beach
4 Nathan Shackles Miami Sunset
5 John Kim Miami Palmetto
1994 - 1995
Rank Student High School
1 Nathan Shackles Miami Sunset
2 Samuel Thompson Miami Sunset
2 Ernest Miklavic North Miami Beach
4 Jason Freeman Ransom Everglades
5 Jason Chicola Miami Palmetto
1995 - 1996
Rank Student High School
1 Ernest Miklavic North Miami Beach
2 Serg Sverdlov Ransom Everglades
3 Derek Greenfield Miami Palmetto
4 Richard Perez Miami Springs
5 Jeff Lieberman Ransom Everglades
1996 - 1997
Rank Student High School
1 Eric Li Miami Palmetto
1 James Whiting Miami Sunset
1 Andrew Kamons Miami Palmetto
4 Derek Greenfield Miami Palmetto
4 David Harden South Miami
1997 - 1998
Rank Student High School
1 James Whiting Miami Sunset
2 David Harden South Miami
3 Raag Airan MAST Academy
4 Rene Shen Miami Palmetto
5 Derek Greenfield Miami Palmetto
1998 - 1999
Rank Student High School
1 David Harden South Miami
2 Raag Airan MAST Academy
3 Vinicius Vacanti Miami Killian
3 Julio Machado Miami Springs
5 Brad Hershbein Miami Killian
5 Arthur Baum Miami Palmetto
1999 - 2000
Rank Student High School
1 David Held Miami Sunset
2 Luis Romero Miami Springs
3 Christopher Searcy Miami Palmetto
4 Sean Mirmelli Ransom Everglades
5 Kapish Aggarwal Coral Gables
2000 - 2001
Rank Student High School
1 David Held Miami Sunset
2 David Thornton Gulliver Preparatory
3 David Cohen Ransom Everglades
3 Luis Romero Miami Springs
5 Timothy Lee Miami Killian
2001 - 2002
Rank Student High School
1 David Weinberg Miami Palmetto
2 Ryan Williams Miami Springs
3 Robert Reyes Miami Springs
4 Kapish Aggarwal Coral Gables
5 April Tam Miami Springs
2002 - 2003
Rank Student High School
1 Ryan Williams Miami Springs
2 David Weinberg Miami Palmetto
3 Michael Chow Miami Sunset
3 Eitan Reich Miami Beach
5 Stephen Koren MAST Academy
2003 - 2004
Rank Student High School
1 Ryan Williams Miami Springs
2 Guy David Ransom Everglades
3 Jason LaRue Miami Palmetto
4 John Karpis Miami Springs
4 Scott Rabin Miami Palmetto
2004 - 2005
Rank Student High School
1 Guy David Ransom Everglades
2 John Karpis Miami Springs
3 Murtaza Nek Hialeah
4 Rui Yang Miami Palmetto
4 Syed Ahmed Miami Sunset
2005 - 2006
Rank Student High School
1 Jason LaRue Miami Palmetto
2 Rui Yang Miami Palmetto
3 Alan Tarrab Dr. Michael M. Krop
4 Sandhya Ramakrishnan Miami Palmetto
5 Wei Yang Miami Palmetto
2006 - 2007
Rank Student High School
1 Jason LaRue Miami Palmetto
2 Rui Yang Miami Palmetto
3 Juan Bustos Miami Springs
4 Kevin Barlan Miami Killian
5 Wei Yang Miami Palmetto
2007 - 2008
Rank Student High School
1 Rui Yang Miami Palmetto
2 Frank Rodriguez Miami Springs
3 Wei Yang Miami Palmetto
4 Joseph Moon Miami Palmetto
5 Sijie Fan Miami Palmetto
2008 - 2009
Rank Student High School
1 Luis Ares Advanced Studies South
2 Joseph Moon Miami Palmetto
3 Evan Williams Miami Springs
4 Robert Perez Home School
5 Daniel Levine Miami Palmetto
2009 - 2010
Rank Student High School
1 Sijie Fan Palmetto
2 Taylor Manning New World
3 Yuto Ezure Gulliver
4 Jerry Yeh Palmetto
5 Michael Elgart Gulliver
2010 - 2011
Rank Student High School
1 Forrest Voight Palmetto
2 Alexander Barreiro Palmetto
3 Sanchit Bhattacharjee Ferguson
4 Taylor Manning New World
5 Daniel Gu Palmetto
2011 - 2012
Rank Student High School
1 Jeffrey Gu Palmetto
2 Prudhvi Lokireddy Coral Reef
3 Matthew Mistele Ransom
4 Daniel Gu Palmetto
5 Sanchit Bhattacharjee Ferguson
2012 - 2013
Rank Student High School
1 Matthew Mistele Ransom
2 Prudhvi Lokireddy Coral Reef
3 Haojie Zhuang Palmetto
4 Henry Laney Miami Springs
5 Jeffrey Gu Palmetto
2013
Rank Student High School
1 Faraz Masroor Gulliver
2 Tianjian Guo Palmetto
3 Sanchit Bhattacharjee Ferguson
4 Aaron Crair Coral Reef
5 Haojie Zhuang Palmetto
2014
Rank Student High School
1 John Mistele Ransom Everglades
2 Faraz Masroor Gulliver
3 Tianjian Guo Palmetto
4 David Gonzalez Miami Country Day
5 Chaitanya Lokireddy Coral Reef
2015
Rank Student High School
1 John Mistele Ransom Everglades
2 Faraz Masroor Gulliver
3 Ethan Partidas Doral Academy
4 Logan Kraus Palmetto
5 Eric Cai Ransom Everglades
2016
Rank Student High School
1 John Mistele Ransom Everglades
2 Jaedon Whyte Doral Academy
3 Ethan Partidas Doral Academy
4 James Leng SAS Wolfson
5 Joon Kim Ransom Everglades
2017
Rank Student High School
1 Rafael Sampaio Archimedean Upper Conservatory
2 Ethan Partidas Doral Academy
3 Jaedon Whyte Doral Academy
4 Vincent Li Palmetto Senior High
5 Anirudh Rahul Doral Academy
2018
Rank Student High School
1 Jaedon Whyte Archimedean Upper Conservatory
2 Dylan Tie-Shue Ransom Everglades
3 Vincent Li Palmetto Senior High
4 Anna Mistele Ransom Everglades
5 Anirudh Rahul Doral Academy
2019 - 2020
Rank Student High School
1 Anirudh Rahul Doral Academy
2 Vincent Li Palmetto Senior High
3 Rafael Collado New World School for the Arts
4 Dylan Tie-Shue Ransom Everglades
4 Raul Valle Doral Academy

Essner Talks

  • XXXVI 2016: Dr. Morgan Brown "Polya Enumeration"

  • XXXV 2015: Dr. Ken Baker "Tracking Paths of Continued Fractions"

  • XXXIV 2014: Dr. Drew Armstrong "Music of the Spheres"

  • XXXIII 2013: Dr. Drew Armstrong "How Many Bridges?"

  • XXXII 2013: Dr. Pengi Miao "Motion that Shortens a Curve"

  • XXXI 2012: Dr. Valerie Hower "Mathematics and the Human Genome"

  • XXX 2011: Dr. Kenneth Baker "In One, Out the Other"

  • XXIX 2010: Dr. Drew Armstrong "Buffon's Noodle"

  • XXVII 2009: Dr. Kenneth Baker "Do Knot Sphere"