Coastal Carolina University will host the 38th annual Dr. Subhash C. Saxena Math Contest for High School Students on Friday, March 17, from 9:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the James J. Johnson Auditorium of the E. Craig Wall Sr. College of Business Administration. The purpose of this event is to stimulate interest in mathematics among high school students. About 200 students from several South Carolina high schools will compete for awards, prizes and scholarships in two levels of competition.

The following high schools will participate: Academy for the Arts, Science and Technology, Myrtle Beach; A.C. Flora, Columbia; Academic Magnet, North Charleston; Aynor; C.A. Johnson, Columbia; Carver's Bay; Georgetown; Early College, Conway; Georgetown; Green Sea Floyds; Mullins; Scholars Academy, Conway; South Carolina Governor's School of Science and Math, Greenville; South Florence; Spring Valley; West Florence; Williston-Elko and Wilson, Florence.

CCU offers a Coastal Scholars Award, a merit award, to the highest scoring Horry County senior on the Level II test. The Level II test is an assessment of junior and senior students who have taken algebra I and II and geometry.

In addition to the competitions, CCU math professor Thomas Hoffman will give a presentation entitled "FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Team." The Ocean Bay Middle School Robotics Team competed in the State FTC Competition on Feb. 11. Hoffman, a professor of mathematics and coach for the robotics team, earned a master's degree from Oregon State University and doctorate degrees from the University of Arizona.

CCU professor Tara Craig will present the "Afternoon Brainteaser" activity, which involves a group problem-solving activity. Craig, an assistant professor of mathematics, earned her master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Texas.

Saxena, distinguished professor emeritus, endowed the fund for the annual math contest.

For more information, contact CCU's Department of Mathematics and Statistics at 843-349-4074 or visit coastal.edu/math/mathcontest.