Baltic Way (mathematical contest)

The Baltic Way is an annual team mathematics competition for secondary school students from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. Participating countries typically include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Occasionally, invited teams from other countries also participate.

The competition is held over two days, usually in late autumn. The first day consists of team introductions and cultural events. The second day is dedicated to the mathematical contest itself.

The contest involves each team solving five problems in four and a half hours. The problems cover a range of mathematical topics typically found in secondary school curricula, including algebra, geometry, number theory, and combinatorics. Emphasis is placed on ingenuity and problem-solving skills rather than advanced mathematical knowledge.

Each team consists of five students. Teamwork is crucial as the students collaborate to solve the problems. Each problem is worth a maximum of 5 points, making the maximum possible team score 25 points.

The Baltic Way aims to promote mathematical talent and foster cooperation between students from different countries. The competition provides a challenging and rewarding experience for participants, encouraging them to pursue their interest in mathematics.

The name "Baltic Way" is inspired by the peaceful political demonstration of the same name held in 1989, where people joined hands to form a human chain across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, demonstrating their desire for independence from the Soviet Union. The mathematical contest seeks to embody a similar spirit of collaboration and shared goals.