Out of 569 Montana students who competed in a recent trigonometry test called Trig-Star, Glacier High School claims the state winner — Carmen Miele.

Math teacher Janet Espeseth spearheads the Trig-Star contest at Glacier and said students are given four difficult surveying problems to solve in under an hour. 

While the first three problems may be solved in a matter of a few steps, the fourth problem can involve dozens. This year’s fourth problem proved to be challenging. 

Miele understood the name of the game was not just correct answers, but also time. This is the second year the Glacier junior has taken the test. Although no one completely solved the fourth problem, about 34 students arrived at a score of 76 out of a possible 100 — except Miele arrived there first.

“A better time equals a better score,” Miele said. 

Miele completed as much as he could of the fourth problem before turning it in after 21 minutes.

The 17-year-old briefly described what the test was like.

“The first few problems are cookie-cutter. Every year they are just different numbers,” Miele said. “The fourth problem you can only study concepts. There are a few pieces of information. They tell you what you need to find out and you apply trigonometry concepts.”

Miele received $500, a $1,250 college scholarship and a graphing calculator for his state win. He already has plans to spend the $500 on a trip with friends to Seattle. 

On the same day he received the awards, May 22, Miele learned that he received a perfect math score on the ACT exam.  

Miele will go on to compete at the national level of the trigonometry test. Espeseth said the national test features just one trigonometry problem for students to solve in under an hour. 

“I hope to get first place. I’ll do my best and see how well I can do in comparison to the rest of the country,” Miele said.

Math teacher Brad Holloway said he was proud to see a student rewarded for effort above and beyond the classroom. Holloway said Miele studied for the test independently.

 “It’s also impressive because we’re currently dealing with the subject matter he did in the test,” Holloway said. “It speaks highly to the type of student he is.”

Miele has one more year of high school left, but he already plans to major in mathematics and physics in college.

“I would like to be an astrophysicist,” Miele said.

The National Society of Professional Surveyors sponsors Trig-Star. Marc Burkhart, a land surveyor with the Flathead National Forest, has been involved with Trig-Star since 1993, giving the test at the four local participating high schools. Sixty-one students competed in the valley this year.

Winners at the other local schools were Gabriel Bush, Flathead High School; Yeo Chung, Columbia Falls High School; and Sloan Ellis, Whitefish High School.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or by email at [email protected].