UTC’s Society of Physics Students played a major role in ensuring Math Kangaroo ran smoothly from setup to registration. Photo by Peyton Schultz.
For young math minds, solving complex puzzles isn’t just a skill—it’s a challenge they embrace.
On Thursday, March 20, students ranging from elementary school to high school arrived at Grote Hall on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga campus to put their problem-solving skills to the test in the 2025 Math Kangaroo competition.
Math Kangaroo, which originated in Australia in the 1980s, is designed to promote logical reasoning and creative problem-solving in a fun, engaging format. Instead of focusing on memorization and formulas, the competition challenges students with multiple-choice questions designed to test their mathematical thinking.
As one of only a handful of Math Kangaroo centers in Tennessee—and the only one in the Southeast region—UTC provides students with the opportunity to take part in this international mathematics competition.
“This event is important because it brings out the fun in math,” said Dr. Tatiana Allen, a UC Foundation professor of physics and director of Math Kangaroo for the state of Tennessee. “There can be a feeling that math is boring, that math is difficult, that math is not friendly. But these kinds of problem-solving competitions and this kind of community hopefully show kids that math is fun and math is wonderful. I hope they will love it.”
According to Math Kangaroo, participation continues to rise both nationally and internationally, with nearly 53,000 students registered in the U.S.—up from 42,000 last year—and 6 million worldwide.
At the UTC competition, students participated in a 75-minute test split by grade level: 24 questions for students in grades 1-4 and 30 questions for grades 5 and up. The test was taken without calculators or smartphones, encouraging students to rely on their problem-solving abilities.
Allen, who has been involved with the competition since 2015, has played a key role in expanding UTC’s presence in Math Kangaroo. But over the past year as the program’s state director, she has also focused on growing the program by working to ensure that more students have access to local competition centers.
“We opened several new centers over the last year,” she explained. “Last year, we had people travel here from Knoxville, from Nashville, from everywhere.
“This year, Knoxville and Johnson City opened their own centers so people don’t have to travel with kids across the state to participate. That’s the goal.”
Math Kangaroo winners are determined by national scoring, with high performers earning awards, scholarships and invitations to advanced mathematics competitions.
Over the years, UTC’s center has produced numerous state winners and several national champions. This year’s results will be announced in May.
Putting on a large-scale competition like Math Kangaroo takes a dedicated team. Allen said that UTC’s Society of Physics Students (SPS) played a major role in ensuring the event ran smoothly. The student-led organization has received the national SPS organization’s Outstanding Chapter Award honors for the past two years.
UTC faculty also lent their support, with several professors volunteering as proctors.
With Math Kangaroo continuing to grow, Allen said she is optimistic about the future of the competition in Tennessee and UTC’s role in fostering a love for mathematics among young learners.
“Our goal is to increase participation both locally and across the state,” she said. “The excitement is there, and with each year, we’re seeing more kids wanting to be a part of it.”
For more information about Math Kangaroo, including sample questions and practice materials, visit the Math Kangaroo website.
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Department of Chemistry and Physics
As one of only a handful of Math Kangaroo centers in Tennessee—and the only one in the Southeast region—UTC provides students with the opportunity to take part in this international mathematics competition.
