A teenager from China had a remarkable performance in a math contest, surpassing both A. I. systems and students from prestigious universities like MIT, Stanford, and Princeton. The 17-year-old fashion design student's unexpected success garnered widespread support and astonishment due to her modest academic background. In China, vocational schools aren't typically known for their academic rigor, and among the thousands of participants, Jiang Ping was the sole representative from a vocational school, according to state media reports. Jiang finished 12th in the latest qualifying round of the Alibaba Global Math Competition, a highly competitive and well-known math contest. Her achievement secured her a place among the 801 global finalists who would compete in the final eight-hour test on Saturday. The qualifying round, conducted online, lasted for 48 hours and comprised multiple-choice and essay questions. Notably, no A. I. teams qualified for the finals, as confirmed by the organizers on Chinese social media platform Weixin. Jiang's improbable triumph has generated fervent support, with a hashtag about her amassing over 17 million views by Saturday. The hashtag in Chinese conveyed the message, "In a life not defined by others, anyone can be a dark horse. " The contest includes questions on applied mathematics, probability, and algebra. Jiang, a fashion design student from Jiangsu Province in eastern China, has impressed numerous Chinese universities, which took to social media to congratulate her. Zhejiang University, a prestigious institution in eastern China, posted on Weibo, saying, "Kudos to Jiang Ping!Anyone who has a dream is amazing!" The final results will be announced in August, and the winners will have the chance to receive up to $30, 000 in prize money. In an interview shared by the organizers, Jiang expressed her passion for delving into advanced math, stating that it fuels her desire to explore. The interview garnered over 4 million views, with most viewers expressing their astonishment at the results and questioning their authenticity. "One who can perceive beauty in mathematics and physics is generally at the next level, " wrote one user.

"We must protect and nurture them. " As a testament to Jiang's rising fame, fans have even visited her parents' home in a village in Jiangsu province, bringing gifts of alcohol and money to show their support. Pictures of her have been displayed in local shopping malls. Jiang also outperformed her own teacher, Wang Runqiu, who ranked 125th in the contest. According to state media People's Daily, Wang encouraged Jiang to participate in the competition and was quoted as saying, "I want to help young people as much as possible and let them know they can have a different future. " Mathematics is Jiang's "hobby, " as she mentioned in the interview with the organizers. She admitted that she didn't believe she deserved to participate in the competition. Her aspiration now is to study at a reputable university. "If pursuing fashion design is my Plan A, then exploring the world of math is my Plan B, " she said. "I hope my Plan B can receive recognition. " Despite achieving high marks on a high school entrance examination, the Communist Party secretary of her current vocational school told state media that she chose to attend the school because her older sister and close friends were also students there. The competition began in 2018 and welcomes participation from all math enthusiasts, regardless of their background. This year marked the first time A. I. teams were allowed to compete. "No matter what the future holds, this interest will continue, " Jiang affirmed.