To An Ky, a student from class 9H at Trung Vuong Secondary School, achieved an impressive total score of 47,25 out of 50 in the 10th-grade specialized entrance examination organized by the Hanoi Department of Education and Training. Notably, Ky earned a perfect 10 on the specialized math test, a rare feat.

Ky highlighted the combinatorics question as the most memorable part of the exam. He explained that the solution to part 2 became clear almost immediately after solving part 1, but recognizing this crucial connection required keen insight. "I was fortunate to discover that link in the final minutes and piece together a complete solution," Ky recalled. He expressed relief that his presentation was sufficiently clear and coherent, ensuring no points were lost due to minor errors.

Regarding the other questions, Ky observed that while their structure remained similar to previous years, their difficulty had increased. The arithmetic section, specifically part 2 of question II and part 1 of question III, was particularly challenging. These problems required candidates to identify natural and positive integer pairs that satisfied the given conditions, demanding sophisticated application of classical mathematical techniques and careful thought.

In the general math exam, Ky scored 9,5 points. He focused on meticulous presentation and a slower pace to minimize mistakes, though he expressed slight regret over a calculator error in a geometry question. For the remaining subjects, literature and English, Ky primarily relied on in-class learning and diligently completed all assignments given by his teachers.

To An Ky. Photo: Family provided

Beyond the Hanoi Department of Education and Training's exam, Ky also gained admission to the specialized math programs at the High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of Science, and Hanoi University of Education High School for Gifted Students. He noted that the entrance exam for the High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of Science, was more challenging than in previous years.

Ky found the inequality problems in both examination rounds most surprising, as they were uncommon in past exams and involved a high number of variables. He also praised the third part of the geometry question in the first round for its clear, elegant phrasing and the high level of technical thinking it demanded.

Following his performance, Ky received a congratulatory letter from the board of directors at the High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of Science, acknowledging him as one of the top scorers. He chose this institution as his next academic home, having developed an affinity for the school since researching it in 7th grade. "I am deeply impressed by the long history of international Olympic achievements and the academic legacy of the High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of Science. I appreciate its traditional, classical style and scholarly environment," Ky stated.

Earlier this academic year, Ky was one of the 4 top-ranked students in math in Hanoi's 9th-grade excellent student competition. His extensive list of accolades includes the first prize in the northern region and third prize nationally in the 2023 National Young Informatics Contest (D2 category), first prize in the Tech category of the 2024 VEX Robotics National Championship, and first prize in the 2026 Hanoi City Handheld Calculator Math Competition.

This year, over 3,000 candidates competed for 245 available spots in specialized math classes across four specialized high schools under the Hanoi Department of Education and Training. The admission rate for specialized math at the High School for Gifted Students, VNU University of Science, was 1/10, while at the Hanoi University of Education High School for Gifted Students, it was 1/15,7.

Khanh Linh