Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           985/549-2341/fax 985-549-2061
    Date: 4/302
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple 91

SOUTHEASTERN MATH DEPARTMENT SPONSORS CAMPUS AND ONLINE
CONTESTS FOR "MATH AWARENESS WEEK"
     HAMMOND  -- Southeastern Louisiana University's Mathematics Department will
again spotlight "Math Awareness Week" with online and on-campus mathematics problem
solving contests.
     Last year, more than 1,500 middle, junior high and high school students tackled Math
Awareness Week problems posted daily on the Internet. "We're hoping for many more this year,"
said mathematic professor Kent Neuerburg, who is directing the contest. Neuerburg has sent
letters to all schools in surrounding parishes encouraging students to participate.
     "The goal of the contest is to encourage students to think about mathematics in a casual
and fun way," Neuerburg said. "We want students to realize that mathematics is more than just
arithmetic, that it involves critical thinking, visualization and logic."
     The online contest will run April 15-19. Neuerburg said each day a new problem will be
posted on Southeastern's web-site for grades 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. "Students will submit their
answers via an interactive form right on the web page," Neuerburg said. "Each correct answer
enters the student into a drawing for great prizes."
      In addition to the web-based contest, the Mathematics Department will host an
on-campus problem solving contest for Southeastern students. At 8 a.m. each morning from
April 15-19 a "problem of the day" will be placed on selected bulletin boards in McClimans Hall,
Tinsley Hall, McGehee Hall, and the Classroom and Lab Building.  
     "Any student on campus will have until 4:30 p.m. the evening of the same day to submit
an answer," said mathematics professor Wayne Stevens. Answers should be submitted to the
Mathematics Department office, located in Room 308 of the Classroom and Laboratory
Building. 
     "Each correct answer will enter the student into a drawing for first, second and third
prizes, which will be awarded each of the five days of Math Awareness Week," Stevens said.
     For additional information about the campus contest, call the Mathematics Department at
985-549-2175. Neuerburg can be reached for information on the Internet contest at
kneuerburg@selu.edu.
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/news/spring02.html