On Sunday, March 3rd, Torrance High fielded two Mathworks Modeling Challenge Teams. The team has been tirelessly preparing since fall of last year, with meetings at lunch once a week to learn all about math modeling. It’s an online competition where students download a problem and complete tasks to build models of different problems, and in those models reflect data trends and predict possible outcomes.
The students are given tasks based on real-world problems and create projections based on actual data. The questions are centered around more modern issues, for example, the last 3 years have asked students to model the growth of e-bike use. Other examples include modeling the costs of internet while incorporating remote working, or planning infrastructure for electric big rigs to be used on US freeways.
The students arrived at the school at 7 in the morning the day of the competition to get ready. The teams had to prep their stations, download tasks, and build their models, competing against schools all across the US and even the UK. and working from when the competition started at 7:20 AM until 9:20 PM. The students finished ahead of schedule and didn’t have to work too late into the night. The teams for the competition included:
Team 1:
- Adam Grossman (Senior)
- Jedrick Espiritu (Senior)
- “Julian” Donggyu Yoon (Senior)
- Dainielle Ferrer (Junior)
Team 2:
- Rahat Khan (Senior)
- Kevin Sohn (Senior)
- Kei Miyanishi (Senior)
- Maria Lewis (Junior)
“If you don’t know the answer to something, why not make a mathematical model. Fun! Easy! And you’re bound to be correct!” says Adam Grossman, who led one of the teams. He and others, including Jedrick, Kei, and Maria, also participated in the Science Olympiad competition at Rio Hondo college the day before, making for a chaotic weekend.
