2 Jordanian students crack the code to top places at global math competition

AMMAN — Two Jordanian students have topped the “SAMA” global mental math competition, snatching first and third place each in a category. 

Summit Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association (SAMA) is a non-profit organisation that held their 2021 annual competition virtually, with students from 28 countries worldwide participating, according to both their website and a statement from their accredited centre in Jordan.

“Mental math skills are all about breaking a problem down into numbers that are easy to deal with in your head. Sometimes we need to turn the calculation around and think of it in a different way,” first place winner 12-year-old Hamzeh Momani told The Jordan Times. 

Momani added that mental arithmetic can seem “quite scary”, but with practice you can use these mental math hacks to break down a difficult problem into smaller chunks that are easier to think about.

“Mental math provides children between the ages of five and 16 with the skills of doing math without tools, which is a great way to keep their mind sharp!” the winning students’ trainer Reem Mallah told The Jordan Times.

Mallah noted that arithmetic calculations provide a great way to maximise students’ speed for mental math tests, as well as their results in school. She noted also how it strengthens memory and builds children’s confidence.

Meanwhile, Joudi Bsoul won third place in the six- to seven-year-old competition. 

“I believe kids have to be exposed, we as parents have to provide them with an opportunity to explore their passion and peruse it,” Joudi’s mother Jeehan Malkawi told The Jordan Times. 

According to Mallah, Joudi had been training for just six weeks, which she says is a very short period. Mallah stated that students take years to get to the level Bsoul accomplished, which indicates her brilliance along with great persistence to achieve the best results.