Some students react rather adversely when they hear the calculus term \integral.""
""I think it's the worst term ever invented,"" UW-Madison freshman Patrick Sweeney said.
However, not all students take such a view. Some of those with a more positive outlook toward all things integration had an opportunity to not only flex their mathematical muscles, but also to compete for $100 and the title of ""Grand Integrator of Madison"" at Tuesday's inaugural Integration Bee in Sterling Hall.
At the bee, 14 UW-Madison students, both graduate and undergraduate, competed in a double-elimination style tournament testing their knowledge of one of the fundamental practices used in calculus. These 14 students faced off, one-on-one, until only one contestant remained.
James Reardon, an outreach specialist with the UW-Madison program ""Wonders of Physics,"" organized and ran the first ever Integration Bee at UW-Madison. Reardon said his motivation behind organizing the bee, which is based on a similar competition in which he participated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was to encourage people to get excited about learning math skills. After having taught Physics 201 and 202, Reardon said he became convinced that many students, while having no problem with the science aspects of physics, had a big problem with the math elements.
""I don't know anyone with a sufficient math background that has trouble with physics,"" Reardon said.
This year's winner, UW-Madison graduate student Boian Popunkiov, said he was exhilarated but also noted that he certainly did not feel that way throughout the contest.
""The whole competition was nerve-wracking,"" Popunkiov said.
Popunkiov said that he would likely return to defend his title as ""Grand Integrator of Madison"" at next year's competition.
