Jacob Braach is a math star. 

The Flathead High School student took second place in the national Trig-Star competition in June, winning a $2,000 prize. He went up against 29 other state winners. 

"I just love math. I love solving problems," Braach said. 

The last Flathead County student to place in the top three at the national level was in 1997, when Columbia Falls High School student Josh Cogliati took third. 

The annual Trig-Star competition is put on by the National Society of Professional Surveyors and proctored locally by the Montana Association of Registered Land Surveyors. Tests were submitted to Trig-Star to determine the winners. 

"I was actually getting ready to get on the plane for speech and debate nationals when I got the phone call ... letting me know I was in second place. I was surrounded by coaches and friends. I remember being so excited," Braach said. 

Although it was his first time placing in the top three at nationals, Braach is well-versed in Trig-Star, having competed since his freshman year. It was in middle school that he entered the competitive math arena, participating in Mathcounts and Northwest Regional Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics contests. 

"I think math is fun, so I had a good time," he said. 

Braach also simply enjoys competing — in math, speech and debate and band, where he plays French horn. 

The annual trigonometry test focuses on problems a surveyor could encounter in the field. 

"It's a little bit different than the math you're learning about in the classroom," Flathead Math Club adviser and Trig-Star coach Jenna Nichols said. "It's more about application of the math." 

"It really doesn't matter what type of math I do," Braach said. "It's the problem-solving I enjoy. I do like to have a clear, solid solution." 

National Trig-Star competitors were given two hours to complete four questions. 

"The highest score with the fastest time wins," Braach said. "But it doesn't matter how fast you finish if you lose one point." 

That is why his first focus is answering each question correctly, spending the most time on the final question. 

"You have to find different values," Braach said. "And you have to be accurate — down to the thousandth place. If you're one thousandth off, you lose a point."  

To prepare, he worked through sample tests posted online. 

"It allowed me to notice patterns of what to expect on the test," he said. "What does it ask for and how do I get there?" 

He also worked through packets of practice questions provided by Nichols, who he said helped students with pacing. 

"A big part of the practice was timing those first three problems," he said. "The goal laid out by the Math Club instructor was under 15 minutes, and I managed to get the first three under 10 minutes." 

Nichols said Braach didn't need much coaching. 

"Jacob was very independent. He is a very bright student," Nichols said. "He was experimenting with some different strategies, and it was fun to see him work with the younger students." 

"We're super proud of him. It's a big accomplishment," she said. 

Reporter Hilary Matheson can be reached at 406-758-4431 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.