“The success of the third e-rehkendus shows that there is a strong interest in mathematics in Estonia,” said Tiit Land, Rector of Tallinn University of Technology. “We are on the right track, but we need to see tangible improvements in mathematical skills sooner. Large cohorts of upper secondary school graduates are entering higher education today, yet much smaller cohorts lie ahead. This makes it all the more important to help every young person develop their abilities. Estonia needs people who can calculate, reason, think independently and use their ingenuity for their own benefit and that of society as a whole.”

Karl Kirt, Head of Võru Gümnaasium, echoed Land’s message: “Mathematics is about more than finding the right answers. It is also about asking questions, exploring solutions and having the courage to try again. Through playful activities and working together, people of any age can experience the joy of discovery in mathematics. We were particularly delighted that Tiit Land, a graduate of Võru Kreutzwaldi School and now Rector of TalTech, joined us in tackling the e-rehkendus problems.”

A record 375 participants answered every question correctly

Participants had to solve one problem for each school grade, making 12 problems in total. These were prepared by Hele Kiisel, Helen Kaasik and Kristel Tamm from the Estonian Mathematical Society’s school mathematics association.

Who were this year’s top performers?

Upper secondary school students

1. Jasper Vähk
2. Mattias Mahlakas
3. Egert Pähkel

Primary school students

1. Karl Miko Põdra
2. Märt Mattias Alas
3. Mia Väinsar

University students

1. Romet Martjan
2. Getlin Juhe
3. Sergei Baumer

Teachers, university lecturers and researchers

1. Rainer Bõkov
2. Mikk Põdra
3. Ekke-Markus Muttika

Other participants

1. Hendrik Nigul
2. Mihkel Kree
3. Hannes Valk

The highest-ranked upper secondary school student will be offered a place on a TalTech bachelor’s degree programme of their choice, excluding architecture. The highest-ranked adult in the general participants category will have the opportunity to enrol in a TalTech microdegree programme of their choice.

Mathematics teaches us not only to calculate, but also to try and make mistakes

Any discussion of mathematics must also address maths anxiety, which can make solving problems uncomfortable or stressful and affect performance.

E-rehkendus offered a playful, pressure-free opportunity to feel at ease with mathematics again. According to the organisers, the number of participants showed that an interest in mathematics can endure long after people have left school.

Allan Parik, Chairman of the Management Board of SEB, said: “Maths anxiety is usually rooted in the fear of getting an answer wrong. Yet perhaps one of the most valuable lessons mathematics can teach us is the courage to make mistakes. That way, tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, who are sitting in classrooms today, will see their first flawed business plan as a starting point for a better one, rather than a failure. The costliest mathematical mistakes happen in real life, not in a test. At school, a wrong answer may mean a lower grade; in everyday life, a mistake could cost you years of savings. Mathematical competence is therefore more than an educational issue: it is one of the foundations of financial literacy and security.”

Tiina Kaalep, a member of the Management Board of Estonian Public Broadcasting, believes that initiatives bringing people together across Estonia can do a great deal of good: “Every spring, we see how the online dictation challenge gets people talking about the Estonian language, its beauty and its grammar. For the third autumn running, the same is happening with mathematics. E-rehkendus sparks conversations about maths, even debates about whether this year’s problems were reasonably easy or really made people rack their brains. And to join those conversations — or sometimes arguments — you have to try e-rehkendus yourself.”

Participants could also tackle the problems with their families, classmates, sports teammates or colleagues. A total of 378 groups registered. The largest was the Nõo Reaalgümnaasium group, with 220 participants.

The problems will remain available

All of this year’s e-rehkendus problems will remain available to solve until next year’s competition. Step-by-step solutions will be published on 8 October at 14:00.

Photo Gallery from Võru.

E-rehkendus was organised by Tallinn University of Technology, Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) and SEB Bank. Prizes were provided by TalTech, ERR, SEB, Tele2, Alexela and Balbiino.