Pham Nam Khanh - the "golden boy" of Hanoi - Amsterdam Math Team: "Pursuing Math for Passion"

Post by: trangtrang | 06/11/2015 | 3752 reads

When the results of the City Merit Competition were published, everyone was startled by the achievement of Pham Nam Khanh - currently a student in grade 10, Math1. As the youngest participant, he earned a near-perfect score of 19.5/20, ranking highest among all participants in Hanoi. Nam Khanh is known as an excellent student, but he is also an interesting boy with his own hobbies and ambitions, which he shared with Ams Wide Web.

Reporter (R): Hi, first I’d like to congratulate you on your accomplishment in the past merit competition. Even though you are in grade 10, you were chosen for the contest, and moreover, had the most impressive score. How do you feel?

Nam Khanh (NK): First of all, I want to thank Ams Wide Web for your great concern. I am very proud of my achievement, but then I believe it is just my first step.

R: When did you first find your interest in Math? What do you like most about the subject?

NK: I guess I got such interest in Math from my father, who used to be a Math- specialized student. When I was small, he would challenge me with Math quizzes. I was so fond of them and since then I have been pursuing the subject as my passion.

And what I like most about studying Math is that it requires reasoning and logical thinking. Whenever I cannot find the solution to a math problem, I feel fidget and keep trying until I reach the point. If my solution is still lengthy, I try to find a shorter one. Sometimes I am so lost in my own thoughts that I don’t even know what’s happening around.(Laugh)

R: Some people think that Math is a rigid subject. What do you think about this?

NK: To the contrary, I believe Math is intriguing. For example, in a geometric

problem, I ask myself questions such as “Why are these three points aligned?”, “Why are those three lines convergent?” and in others, “Why are some functions or sequences symmetric?” and so on. The logical connection among information in a math problem appeals to me in a special way. That is the interesting part about Mathematics. Math plays an undeniably essential role in our life. Not only is it associated with such subjects as Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. but its application can be found in everything around us.

R: Can you share your methods of learning Math with us?

NK: If I have to study continuously for a very long time, I would stop to listen to some music. I usually go for some pop, ballad or country songs since they help me reduce stress but not distract me from work.

R: Besides Math, do you have any other particular hobbies?

NK: I spend time writing science fiction and superhero stories. My imaginary characters are actually based on my classmates. The main character (who is usually myself) and his friends are usually excellent at science subjects and together they work on incredible inventions, such as the time machine. When ideas strike me, I will immediately transfer them into stories.

I also play football and basketball. Although I devote most of my time to Math, I try to strike a balance between the subject and other extracurricular activities. If some friends ask me to join them in a football match, I'm in. I read lots of books about science, too, though I do not read novels very often.

"My favourite super power is the ability to run at the speed of light, because I like running very much."

R: What is your dream for the future?

NK: I hope I can invent something applicable and useful to our life - to be an inventor. In order to fulfill this dream, first I want to broaden my understanding by studying abroad. I think I will choose the US as my destination, and I will try my best.

Thank you for interview. Wish you much more success in the future!

Other outstanding achievements of Nam Khanh:

- Grade 6: Platinum Medal at Asian-Pacific Mathematics Olympics; Bronze Medal at International Mathematics Contest - Singapore

- Grade 7: Second Prize at Hanoi Open Mathematical Olympiad; Gold Medal at International Mathematics Contest - Singapore

- Grade 8: First Prize at Hanoi Open Mathematical Olympiad

- Grade 9: First Prize at City and National Merit Competition