West River Math Contest
Divisions
- ALGEBRA I
for students who have had no more than one year of Algebra - GEOMETRY
for students who have Geometry in progress - ALGEBRA II
for students who have Advanced Algebra in progress - ADVANCED MATH
for students having completed Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and are now taking Trigonometry, Solid Geometry, or other senior level courses. - MASTER'S
for students who have already participated in the Advanced Math Division.
Do note, as some schools do not offer courses in this sequence, a student should take the exam for the course they are enrolled in, regardless of age/grade.
74th West River Math Contest
Date: Monday, May 11th 2026
Time: 9:30 am - 2:00 pm
South Dakota Mines Campus
King Center | Campus Map
Entry Deadline: Friday, April 17th, 2026
Registration will open in March (Link coming then)
Donations
Registration for contestants for the West River Math Contest is free thanks to our generous sponsors. If interested in contributing, please visit our donation page
Contestant Spotlight
Participating in our West River Math Contest is not just about the exams and glory, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to explore the campus that one day you may attend! For inspiration, please read about one of our past winning contestants and South Dakota Mines alumnus, Dr. Donn Lobdell.
General Information
Class B schools are designated as those with less than 300 students enrolled in grades
9-12. They may enter at most six contestants in each division.
Class A schools are those with more than 300 students enrolled in grades 9-12 (or
middle schools whose students would then attend grades 9-12 in a high school with
more than 300 students). They may enter at most ten contestants in each division.
Please indicate approximate enrollment for grades 9-12 on your registration form to
ensure correct Class A or Class B placement.
- The contest will consist of a fifty-minute test followed by a twenty-minute test. The latter will be scored only if it is necessary to break ties. The contestant's score will be the score achieved on the fifty-minute test
- All contestants should plan to provide their own pencils. The college will provide scratch paper
- Calculators are not necessary for the exam and we will not allow their use. The use of cellphones is strictly prohibited during testing.
- The tests in all divisions will be prepared and scored by the faculty of the Mathematics Department at South Dakota Mines.
- Prizes will be awarded in each class to the top five in each division. The top scorer in each division will be awarded a prize. The exception is in the Master's Division, which will have only 1 prize, to be awarded to the top scorer.
| Schedule | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| General Meeting | 9:30am | Goodell Gym, King Center |
| Testing | 10:00am - 11:30am | TBA |
| Intermission | 11:30am - 1:30pm | RSVP*** |
| Awards Ceremony | 1:30pm | Goodell Gym, King Center |
***Before or after lunch, students can participate in a “scavenger-hunt” style tour of our campus and be entered into a drawing for prizes.
We do require you to indicate on your entry form an estimate of how many students are interested in touring campus and the number of people staying with us for lunch.
