9-year-old Japanese boy passes university-level math test

Shogo Ando, a 9-year-old fourth grader in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, has emerged the youngest student to pass a university-level mathematics test in Japan.

Ando made history when he passed Suken’s top-level 1st Kyu test organised by the Mathematics Certification Institute of Japan in October.

The little boy’s record is the first in the history of the examination, surpassing earlier record set by Hiroto Takahashi, who passed the test at the age of 11 in 2018.

“I want to use my mathematics knowledge and contribute to society through research, such as stopping global warming,” Ando, who started reading for the test at the age of 7 was quoted as saying by the institute.

According to the institute, “Suken is a test for measuring practical skills in mathematics, including calculations, constructions, expressions, measurements, organization, statistics, and proofs. It is a system of absolute evaluation, held on a national level and administered by the Mathematics Certification Institute of Japan.”

Launched in 1992, the test which is available in 14 levels, including from preschool-level to college-level, is taken by over 35,000 students annually.

TheCable Lifestyle had recently reported how Chika Ofili, a 12-year-old Nigerian boy based in the United Kingdom, received the ‘TruLittle Hero Awards’ for discovering a new mathematical formula.