The Worcester County Mathematics League (WOCOMAL) is a

high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...

mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

league composed of 32 high schools, most of which are in Worcester County,

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

. It organizes seven mathematics competitions per year, four at the "varsity" level (up to grade 12) and three at the "freshman" level (up to grade nine, including

middle school A middle school (also known as intermediate school, junior high school, junior secondary school, or lower secondary school) is an educational stage which exists in some countries, providing education between primary school and secondary school. ...

students). In the 2013–14 school year, WOCOMAL began allowing older students to compete in the freshman level competitions, calling this level of participation "junior varsity." Top schools from the varsity competition are selected to attend the Massachusetts Association of Math Leagues state competition.

Contest format

A competition consists of four, or nine rounds at the Freshman level or five rounds at the Varsity level. The team round consists of eight problems at the Freshman level and nine at the Varsity level. Regardless of level, each student competes in three of the individual rounds. In each individual round, competing students have ten minutes to answer three questions, worth one, two, and three points. The maximum meet score for a student is eighteen points.

History

The Worcester County Mathematics League was originally formed in 1963 as the Southern Worcester County Mathematics League (Sowocomal). The winningest school in league history is St. John's High School, with twelve league championships in the fourteen-year span between 1983–84 and 1996–97. Algonquin Regional High School won six consecutive league championships from 1998–99 to 2003–04.

Current events

The league currently has members from Western

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

Counties. In the past, it has had members from Hampshire County, Massachusetts, and Windham County,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

. In the 2015–16 season, the champion of both the varsity division and the freshman division was the

Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) is a charter school founded in 2005. It is located at 201 Forest Street in Marlborough, Massachusetts, U.S., in a few remodeled office buildings. The school is widely recognized for its aca ...

. League members AMSA Charter,

Worcester Academy Worcester Academy is a private school in Worcester, Massachusetts. It is the oldest educational institution founded in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, and one of the oldest day-boarding schools in the United States. A coeducational prepara ...

, and Mass Academy and took first, second, and third place among small-sized schools at the 2016 Massachusetts state championship math meet. St. John's High School took fifth place among medium-sized schools. WOCOMAL schools have taken first place in the state among small schools for thirteen consecutive years. At the 2016 New England championship math meet, league members AMSA Charter, Worcester Academy, and Mass Academy took first, second, and fifth place respectively among small schools. WOCOMAL schools have taken first or second place in New England among small schools for twelve consecutive years.New England Championship Math Meet Team Championships by Year (Small)
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References

{{reflist Mathematics competitions Education in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Contest format

History

Current events

External links

References