Math students at Bob Jones High School concentrate on problems in National Assessment’s 2014 Ciphering Time Trials. Bob Jones ranked fifth in the nation among high school teams. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Official results of the 2014 Ciphering Time Trials were cause for celebration by math teams at Bob Jones high and Discovery middle schools.

Discovery came in first place in the nation. In addition, five individual students reached the ranks of the national Top 25. “What a great way to start the week!” Julie Goldston said when receiving results.

Goldston teaches the class for the seventh-grade math team and serves as Discovery’s math team sponsor. Discovery’s team teacher for algebra one is Carrie Maxwell.

Aditi Limaye rated third place with a score of 65. Tony Tian was in ninth place with a score of 53. Others in the Top 25 were Corey Tolbert, 11th place, score of 50; Justin Byers, 16th place, score of 44; and Shreyas Pant, 25th place, score of 39.

“Discovery’s team score of 212 was just two points lower that James Clemens’ 17th place team score of 214,” Goldston said. “If we had to compete against high schools, Discovery would have ranked 18th in the nation. Bob Jones came in fifth.”

“Congratulations to the entire team,” Goldston said. “In addition to the five students who earned individual recognition, Discovery had numerous students with test scores in the high 30s.”

Bob Jones ranked fifth in the nation among high school teams in the time trails. “We were also the highest scoring school in Alabama,” math teacher and team sponsor Kimberly Cox said.

From Bob Jones, freshman Alan Grissom was 24th in the nation and the only Alabama freshman to make the Top 25. Among sophomores, Joey Li ranked first in the nation. Close behind, sophomore Winston Van tied for second place. Senior Tina Tian was 19th nationally.

Administered by National Assessment, this contest has ten rounds in which students must solve three problems in three minutes. Each round contained both easy and difficult problems and covered various topics.

For more information, visit natassessment.com.