13 Aug 14
The post that was quoted here has been removedIts cultural and has to do with how important school is to the parents. In Zambia school is considered very important and the dream job is Engineering or something in the sciences at least. So from a very early age, maths is prized by both the children and parents.
Here in South Africa, maths has far less importance both to children and parents. There is much more acceptance of non-scientific careers, and schools even allow children to drop maths altogether and they do something called 'maths literacy' instead - whereas learning two languages seems to be more important. In Zambia, although many children fail maths, you cannot go to school and not have maths as one of your subjects.
14 Aug 14
The post that was quoted here has been removedYes, but you would never enter an Olympiad if you didn't do any mathematics in school.
I wish that I could tell you about Zambia's results at the IMO, but I can find
no evidence that Zambia ever has participated in an IMO, even in 2014.
Zambia is a very poor country. Many children do not even get to finish school due to lack of facilities.
Zambia did not participate in the International Olympiad, I do not know why.
I never even heard of it until this year. It was not mentioned when I was in school.
The host South African team finished in 64th place. (4 of its 6 team members
seem to be of Asian (South or East) heritage.)
At my sons school it is well known amongst the children that Asian kids work harder and do better on average. And by 'Asian' I mean those who have recently come from Asia, not South Africans of Asian descent.
14 Aug 14
I think, and this is only my thoughts nothing more, is that basic math is a cheap hobby in a poor country. When you start to study it, you don't need a lot of expensive stuff, you use your brain, some books, and that's it. When you are discovered by the universities mathematical faculty (provided that there are such in the particular country) you get mentors and support. And if you are of the right stuff you begin to produce new ideas in the field of mathematics that interests you.
India has produced some highly skilled mathematicians, so have Soviet, Japan and others when their times were hard. Brazil has produced football players of the same reasons mentioned above. Soviet has been dominant in chess for ages, etc...
I don't say that this is the ultimate truth, but it is food for mind.
14 Aug 14
Originally posted by twhiteheadYes, of course. India is a poor country, and yet there are many contributors in the field of math. Srinivasa Ramanujan wasn't perhaps poor but he had a talented from young age. He is my favourite.
Keeping in mind of course that even though it is relatively cheap it is still beyond the means of the poorest people.
15 Aug 14
Originally posted by EladarThe problem is this: when you have a large population that can't get an education, like the US 200 years ago or Africa today, you are going to be missing, not finding, a genius buried in that crowd. Some of them will find a way to make themselves known, like the kid, I think in Nigeria, who tinkers with wind generators, using car alternators, that kind was like, 14 years old and his own ambition drove him into prominence. But other kids may not have that motivation and be hidden out and never found to be genius level till way too late, they find out a guy or girl is genius at age 40, its a bit too late to have an effective education. You know that from playing chess, like me, I learned to play when I was 18 in college. All I ever got to was grade B, like 1700 USCF. If I had learned when I was 8 and had proper coaching, it would be a different story, I could be at least an IM but at 18 with no coaching, too bad for me and chess.
Of course when I say black, I mean African blacks.
Same with almost any other discipline. Especially the sciences.
15 Aug 14
Originally posted by sonhouseYeah well you can rationalize just about anything can't you.
The problem is this: when you have a large population that can't get an education, like the US 200 years ago or Africa today, you are going to be missing, not finding, a genius buried in that crowd. Some of them will find a way to make themselves known, like the kid, I think in Nigeria, who tinkers with wind generators, using car alternators, that kind was ...[text shortened]... ng, too bad for me and chess.
Same with almost any other discipline. Especially the sciences.
If race is good enough to be a discussion topic in the original post when it comes to Asian kids, then why not blacks?