News Releases 2009

The LeTourneau University Mathematics Team won first place for the second consecutive year at the annual College Calculus Bowl, sponsored by the Texas section of the Mathematical Association of America recently.  The team traveled to the University of North Texas in Denton April 16th to compete against seven other Texas university teams, including Texas A&M Commerce, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, University of Texas at Arlington, and Stephen F. Austin University.

The competition requires students to answer questions using calculus with speed and accuracy. The competitors were allowed to use calculators.  The competition consisted of two preliminary rounds and one final round.  The teams were given multiple choice questions from topics in calculus.  The first team to answer correctly received 3 points, the second team 2 points, and the third team 1 point. All teams to answer correctly after the third team did not receive any points.  An incorrect answer cost the team 1 point.  The maximum amount of time allowed for any question was 1 minute.  The final round consisted of 27 questions.

“I was pleased to be able to coach this talented team of students who for the 2 ^nd year in a row won the calculus bowl competition,” said Dr. Steve Fast, the team coach. Team members included Sam Hovan, junior math major from Elkhart, Indiana; Caleb Fast, junior math major from Longview; Eric Anderson, junior math education major from Meadville, Pennsylvania; Chris "Manhawk" Manhave, senior math major from Longview; and Jon Hersack, senior computer science engineering major from San Antonio, Texas.