Draft:Elizabeth Haskins Mathematics Contest

The Elizabeth Haskins Mathematics Contest is an annual mathematics competition hosted by the Mathematics Department at Fitchburg State University in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. The contest is named in honor of Elizabeth Haskins, a former mathematics professor at the university who retired in 1978 and passed away in 2004.

Format
The contest consists of a 90-minute, fifty-question multiple-choice test that covers high-school level mathematics, including algebra, geometry, probability, and other general mathematics skills. The competition is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors from regional high schools. To discourage guessing, participants will receive a deduction in score for every question answered incorrectly.

History
The contest has been held annually for over four decades, with the 43rd contest taking place in 2024. Over the years, the contest has grown in size and scope, with the 2024 contest welcoming 170 students from nine regional high schools.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the contest was first canceled in 2020, then was held virtually for 2021.

Awards
The top performers in each grade level are recognized, with awards given to the highest-scoring students. The Honorable Mention in the Elizabeth Haskins Mathematics Contest is awarded to participants who were able to achieve a score of top 10% with respect to their grade level excluding the plague recipients. The top 3 performers are then awarded with a green plague embedded with gold lettering and a wooden border. The plague states the grade level of the recipient as well as the placement achieved.

Additional Activities
In addition to the mathematics test, the event often includes other activities for participating students. For instance, in 2021, the event included a solutions session presented by Fitchburg State mathematics majors and a presentation on knot theory. In 2024, the event included a solution session provided by Professor Jessie Oehrlein where the audience could request to go over specific solutions to certain questions.