Today we watched the film Hard Problems. The director of the film George Csicsery hopes that it will “inspire others to see mathematics as those in the film already do—the most challenging and the most rewarding of pursuits.”
I’d like you to react to what you saw. The following are some quotes from the film and some questions that may help you focus your reaction.
- “It takes a lot of stupid ideas to generate a good one”
- “Whenever I get something by my own effort is when things get really exciting”
- “[Math contests were] the first time I really discovered the subject of math rather than being taught random stuff”
- “Math is all about exploring. Trying new methods and techniques.”
- “I love not only getting the right answer but searching for the right way to get the right answer.”
What was your impression of what made the students in the film successful in mathematics?
What was your impression of how the students in the film viewed mathematics?
Here is a link to the problems that the students completed in the 2006 IMO.
The students in this movie worked throughout almost their whole lives to achieve what they did at the end of the movie. Their daily lives were encompassed by mathematics. They feel like this is what they are meant to do and they enjoy math because they are good at it. They basically felt as if math was an art and they were working to master it. Math was just a puzzle that they wanted to solve and find out how they solved it. The students in this film are very talented and I think that it makes you think differently about mathematics as a whole because of how these students felt about it.
My impression of what made the students successful was their passion for the work they did with math. A few of the parents gave examples of how they had to tell their kids to stop doing math so that they could concentrate on other parts of their lives. Their passion for math is what I believe drove them to the levels they have achieved. They didn’t view math as work. They viewed it as something they loved to do.
Math was seen as a love, not a job. This view drove the students to achieve what they did. They saw math as fun puzzles, not as tedious work. When you enjoy something, you constantly work with it, which is why these people were always doing math. Their love of math motivated them to become the best mathematicians in the world.
My impression of what made the students in the film successful mathematicians was that they loved, rather than loathed doing math. They saw it as a part of their lives rather than as an annoying part of school. Their love of mathematics is what made them so extremely successful. It motivated them to go beyond the daily expectations and achieve greatness.
The students had seen math as something that they loved to do, not as something they had to do. I think that their passion for math is what drove them to be as successful as they were. Although what they do is tedious and takes a lot of hard work, they saw it as their passion and did it for fun. When you are passionate about something, it no longer is work, no matter how much work you put into it. These students loved math and thats what made them successful.
This video gave me the impression that the greatest mathematicians can’t be made, they’re (as cliche as it sounds) born. The students in this video see math as something that was bigger than just a class they had to take in school. To them it was a passion, a way of life, and a real love. As one student stated “I study math with my heart” (or something to that effect), which proves that while math may not make sense to everyone, to some people math transforms from a bunch of random numbers to an art form.
Having an initial interest in mathematics as well as being naturally gifted in problem solving seemed to set these kids on the course for being phenomanal mathematicians. These kids viewed math like how we would view sports or video games. Its something fun to do and an intellectual journey. I’m sure if we weren’t required to do mathematics in school we wouldn’t see these kids as so “wierd” for liking math. Math to them is just like any other puzzle…an adventure of curiosity and trial and error. Its much like the numerous metal puzzles in the Math Room. To these kids math is just like that, a fun puzzle that presents a challenge to solve and awards the solver with a great sense of accomplishment.
The students were successful in math because they didn’t see it as something their teacher made them do. Instead it was a puzzle that they were trying to solve. It is kind of like one of us working on a crossword puzzle or word search. These students were doing math because they loved it and it was one of their hobbies. The students were also successful because they never gave up. They had to get creative and try new methods. Some people challenge themselves in sports or music and these students were challenging themselves in mathematics. They put a lot of time and effort into their work and that was another reason they were successful.
I think the students were successful because they really enjoyed working on the problems and were very hard working they didn’t give up easily and most of them were determined to be part of the competition. I think they viewed math as a hobby that they did in their spare time to really better understand it. They were really interested in it and didn’t view it as just another good grade they were trying to get but a fun hobby.
I believe that the students were successful in their math careers because they had a strong interest in math and solving difficult problems. Most people wouldn’t stay home and solve math problems in their spare time like the kids in the film did. This shows they are dedicated to what they are doing and believe in themselves. They never give up when a problem gets hard, they always find a way to work things out. The kids in the film viewed math not just as a class but as a hobby and fun activity to do. We all have certain things that we enjoy doing, and they like to do math. When you enjoy doing something, you are always going to want to get better, and this is the idea these kids had in their head. They know they have a gift and they don’t want to let it go to waste.
The students were successful because they truly loved math. It was their passion and they had lots of fun working through problems. They took enjoyment from working on different ways to solve and comprehending problems. All of the students talked about the beauty of math and it was what they loved to do in life. They all worked hard to be as successful as they were.
The students in the film were so sucessful at math because it was something they loved to do. Many of them said they loved the challenge and the reward of finding the solution. They also felt that even if they did not suceed at a certain problem, they still learned skills from the experience. In competitions they could even be rewarded points if they did not get it but had good ideas. The students viewed math as part of everyday life and that is part of why they were so talented at it. They practiced it any chance they got because they felt it was always relevent. For example, the film talked about one student who would sort and count his halloween candy at a young age. Another student built geonometric shapes as a hobby. Math was a constant part of their lives which was why they experienced so much sucess.
I found this movie really interesting. To see students that passionate about mathematics was astounding. My favorite quote was when the first place winner from China was asked if he was surprised he won and said, “No, I deserved it. I worked hard and deserve it. I study with my heart.” I don’t know if that’s exactly it, but it’s pretty close. At any rate I found that really inspiring. Yes these kids were born smarter than me in mathematics, but they live and breathe math and truly enjoy it. Mathematics is their passion and while I would projectile vomit if I had to do math problems for 4 1/2 hours, they thrive off it and appraciate that with hard work the receive positive results. Overall this kids are smart, love math, and put in the effort to do well in competition because they love the subject and the challenge it poses.
These kids were successful because they were passionate about math. They wanted to succeed and tackled each challenge because it was just that. They knew a lot of different techniques and felt that solving these math problems was like an art form. They were born with a mathematical gift, but they worked incredibly hard in order to refine it. Just because they know something doesn’t mean they’re done; they’ll keep working to get knowledge far beyond what they learned that one day in class. Their view on math is rather different from most high school students who do math to find the answer and get a good grade. These kids do it to go through the mathematical process. They recognize that sometimes finding the right answer first requires finding the BEST way to solve it. I think the key here is that they are able to see math in a completely different light and are motivated to try different shades of light to find the perfect setting.
The kids in this film have one thing most people don’t have when it comes toat: patience. They worked for 4.5 hours on tests and did not give up. This also requires a lot of determination. They also have such a passion for math that the first thing they do for fun and entertainment is math. It is like anything, you need heart and desire to succeed. But I think being good at math is sometimes inherited from their parents. And is it just that the schools are so much better in china than here? By all means I am not trying to be racist but it seems like the majority of the kids in the competition were of Asian descent. Maybe it is how they are brought up by their parents or maybe it is another reason. I just don’t get it lol. But no matter someone’s ethnicity, thy can still be amazing at math.
The students in the fild were mathematics becasue to be something, you need to take pride in it, and love it. These students absolutely loved math, and they were proud to have a gift that not a lot of other people in the world have. I was very impressed how they viewed math. I never thought that someone could have a true pure love for exploring problems, but these kids do. I am happy that they have learned to love something that they are extraordinary in. And yes they were naturally good at it, but they have learned to love it at a young age, and with that they grew to find different techniques to understand mathematics.
My intial thought when watching the movie was that all of the students said that math was beautiful to them. I have never thought that math was beautiful, but it is very interesting that a person my age could be so passionate about a subject in school, that the adjective they use to describe it is as emotional as the word “beautiful”. I think that the thing that made these students most successful was the unimaginable drive they possess. It takes a lot of tenacity to complete those types of tests, and if they didn’t have that inner personal drive, they would not be as successful as they are.
I believe the students from the film were successful for two main reasons- their obvious natural ability and their love for math. Many of the parents commented on how the students had shown unusual strengths in numbers and patterns from an early age. This proves that to be great at something natural ability comes into play. But the film also showed that simply to be a natural mathematician will not get you to the IMOs, you have to have passion. These students showed their love of problem solving through endless studying of new concepts and methods. They exhibited true dedication.
The students in the film saw math as a challenge which caused them to think outside the box to solve problems. Through having to apply different methods to solve problems, they grew to love math. Since they loved it so much, they put in a great amount of work to become superior to the best of mathematicans. The students’ love of math and determination to get better seperated them from many of the other very smart students who took the IMO.
I think its pretty crazy how much those kids truly love math. They see a beauty in the way the numbers work out which is something that not many people find in math. Most people think of math as a class they have to go to and do homework for to graduate high school but not these little mathmaticians, they spend a great deal of their time doing math and challenging themselves for fun. They do math for pure sport. It is a pretty absurd idea to me but it’s what they are passionate about and it’s what they love and I for one can respect that.
In quote from a friend of mine “I think its pretty crazy how much those kids truly love math. They see a beauty in the way the numbers work out which is something that not many people find in math. Most people think of math as a class they have to go to and do homework for to graduate high school but not these little mathmaticians, they spend a great deal of their time doing math and challenging themselves for fun. They do math for pure sport. It is a pretty absurd idea to me but it’s what they are passionate about and it’s what they love and I for one can respect that.” Also the kids demonstrate a very good work ethic. I think that if all of the people in the world took after the kids, everyone would work much harder towards what they are trying to accomplish.
I must be honest and say that I am no where near as passionate about math as the kids in the video. It was amazing the amount of time that these kids spend working on math problems and studying math. Math is not just a class they have to take, it is a hobby that they truly love. These kids spend most of their lives doing math and loving every second of it. They spend their free time researching and studying math. They love numbers and the things you can do with them. One of them also said that they liked when they solved difficult problems on their own. It just amazes me that they love math enough to want to be part of a math team, and take a four and a half hour test to show how big of geniuses they are when it comes to math. Wow!!!
Before I start I would like to quote a good friend of mine. “In quote from a friend of mine “I think its pretty crazy how much those kids truly love math. They see a beauty in the way the numbers work out which is something that not many people find in math. Most people think of math as a class they have to go to and do homework for to graduate high school but not these little mathmaticians, they spend a great deal of their time doing math and challenging themselves for fun. They do math for pure sport. It is a pretty absurd idea to me but it’s what they are passionate about and it’s what they love and I for one can respect that.” Also the kids demonstrate a very good work ethic. I think that if all of the people in the world took after the kids, everyone would work much harder towards what they are trying to accomplish.” In addition, the kids in the movie were great. The fact that they had a social disability but could still pull together and have a good work ethic was phenomenal. Furthermore, I enjoyed the fact that they could find something they loved doing so much. These days its hard to find something that makes you happy, especially when it comes to your career. GO ZEB!!
The students in the movie had a strong passion for math, they loved it from they were little kids. They played with numbers and not normally toys as other kids. I think they got so successful in mathematics, because they have always been good at it, and that makes it more fun. And they loved to solve difficult problems, and sometimes together. Then they can see how they others are thinking and that could help them. They looked at math as a hobby not just a class, and they loved to talk about the test after and tell the other how they did because they were so proud of them self. I think its interesting how some people have such a strong passion for something. And then I think they should go for it!
Math is just more than numbers and equations its a journey. This quote from the movie is true in so many ways because it explains how others may just find the answer to the question but to understand the thought process behind it is even more important. Every kid there also had the same dream and goal in mind and a journey of knowledge had to take place to reach glory.
Every single kid highlighted in the movie had a fascination with everything that had to do with mathematics. They have been studying it since they were in middle school. Although some of the kids were inexperienced at the IMO, they still pursued their goals and performed to the best of their abilities. These kids are an inspiration to all kids interested in mathematics.
The students in the film were able to attain success in math because they would go to great lengths to do so. Since math is their true passion, they didn’t hesitate to spend days searching for methods to find an answer to one problem. I think that is the main difference between the kids in the video and kids like most of us; whereas we may stop generating ideas to solve a problem as soon as it seems hard, they thrive under pressure and love the challenge of an insanely difficult math problem. I, on the other hand, don’t enjoy an insanely hard math problem. I enjoy things like a nice nap, or homemade chocolate chip cookies, for example. But that’s beside the point. These kids are not strange or different for having such a profound love for math, they just enjoy spending hours on end working on math problems. This is no different than someone who spends hours every day practicing basketball. The bottom line is that these kids reached success because they wanted it more than anything else. Although they obviously possessed natural talent, they weren’t afraid to test their limits in order to achieve their goals.
These kids just simply loved math. Each kid constantly kept trying to improve their math skills. I completely agree with the quote,“It takes a lot of stupid ideas to generate a good one.” Even if a method is wrong, it can still give you an idea of what you need to do. Their sheer determination and hardwork made them the great math students they are. I only hope that i can become as dedicated and skilled as something as these kids were at math.
Many of the students shared the belief that problems are more about the process than the solution. I completely agree with this belief. YOu only truly understand a concept if you can understand WHY the answer is the answer. They say that most of the concepts we learn in high school we forget. What we remember are the skills we use. In that regard it’s more important to understand the problem solving processes we use to solve problems than the actual problems themselves as problem solving skills apply to a broad spectrum of subjects.
The reason these kids were so succesful was because they really loved what they were doing: math. All of the kids who made it to the World Championship loved to do math and did it all the time for fun. I think many kids are smart enough but just dont have the love for math to do those problems for 4.5 hours! Its just like a quarterback on a football team. No matter how skilled and atheletic they are, if they dont like the pressure, the big hits and the hard work there never going to be great.To them, math wasn’t a boring skill you had to learn it was fun for them.
“I love not only getting the right answer but searching for the right way to get the right answer”. This quote shows me what math is really all about. In the early stages of math, the basis of the material was solving simple probles with concrete techniques. When more in depth math class are being offered, students must adjust to the new style. As shown in the movie, math is all about thought process when solving a problem. Its not just doing the problem, its understanding how and why you got to the final answer. These kids inspired me to be the best math student I can be. Maybe if I work hard i can be like them. If reversearp shows me the way ill be receiving a gold medal soon. NOT. But in all seriousness the movie “Hard Problems” showed how hard work, talent, and love for math can lead to great accomplishments.
I feel that this kids strived for that one chance at being a math olympian. They were passionate about what they liked which always makes a person push harder and be able to acheive great things. If everyone had this type of passion towards things, a lot of people would accomplish their goals. Not only did these kids view math with pure passion, but they also saw it as an outlet. They did it when they were bored, and also they so it as a way to “fit in”. Although some did not always know the languages of others around them, numbers are always the same in all languages. I feel that if everyone was passionate about what they truely loved, great things would be accomplished.
I never thought anyone could be so passionate for mathematics. These kids worked their whole lives to be in the math olympics. I liked the quote where the kid talked about going through stupid ideas to get the right one. I feel this applies to all mathematics, espicially in our class. But back to the children, they gave up their free time just to work on math. But to them the math they did wasn’t work, it was a pass time hobby. I don’t think i could do what these kids do even if I loved math like they do.
This movie really showed how a group of kids passions grew to complete a goal. They studied math all the time and it was usually just for fun. I personally don’t think i could spend 4 hours working on three problems, but those kids were able to concentrate and zone everything out to complete it. These kids proved that if you follow your dreams, you can achieve anything, it just won’t come easy. You have to work at it. These students are role models to any aspiring Math Olympian.
I think that they genuinally enjoyed what they were doing which made them even more succesful when they competed. I also think they feel a very greater sense of satisfaction when they completed problems than people normally do.
I feel that the students in the movie were successful because they were so passionate about math. Math was their life and the thing they enjoyed most. You’re bound to be better at something if you love to do it. They love everything about math, not only the solutions, but the process about how to get there. These kids prove that if you love something and work hard at it, you can be successful.
The kids in the video were succesful because they worked really hard to get better at math and were very passionate about it. Also the kids had alot of natural talent in math. They considered math their life and spent alot of time doing problems for fun. SOme even said they thought math was beautiful. They gained alot of satisfaction from getting problems right and excelling in it.
From algebra to precalc, I feel like we have gone through a deeper understanding of math. algebra was about “what” the answer was. geometry as about “how” we got to that answer. and I think that precalc is not only “how” we got to that answer, but “why” that method works… I know this isn’t really a reflection of the movie, but it sort of made me think about that. I would say that the people in the video were awesome at math because they loved it. Just like how I pretty much have Spring Awakening memorized because I LOVE it. But I just read everyone else’s responses, and that’s pretty much what everyone else said. So, I’m gonna try to come up with something new to say! …… maybe all those math kids are just nerds! did we ever think of that? (just kidding) I’m pretty sure that if Zeb(?) and I got into a nerd-off, I would win.. or lose.. depending on your point of view… what I am trying to say is that I would be nerdier… oh, goodness, now I’m rambling… i’m just gonna go….. the nerdy kids loved math, and that’s why they’re good! because they love it!!!
The students in the film were sucessful in math mainly because of their dedication. Even when Zach’s little sister, or at least I think it was Zach’s, was talking about him she said that all he does is math all day. I think without math these kids would be lost, so they put all their effort into it. The exploration of math and the problem solving is exciting to them. They love it, just like if someone loves to play football or soccer, they love math. I especially enjoyed when Sherry said that math is beautiful. Even though that is sort of cheesey, to her it is. Math is what these kids live for!
These students weren’t fooling around when it came to this. Anyone willing to spend their whole summer dedicated to math must really want to win the gold and must love what they’re doing. Even though being mathematical geniuses came naturally to these kids, they still had to work hard to get to where they are. God bless them