HCM CITY — First-place winners from HCM City in the annual math, physics, chemistry and biology contest using Casio handheld calculators will compete in the national-level exam later this year.

HCM City’s Department of Education and Training and the Bình Tây Import-Export (BITEX) Joint Stock Company held the contest at the Marie Curie High School in District 3 on January 20. 

The exam covered ninth grade math and 12th grade math, physics, biology and chemistry. 

Nguyễn Xuân Dũng, chaiman of the board of BITEX, said the exam gives chances for students to practise their calculator skills for graduation exams in secondary school, high school, college and university.

Candidates must have good performance in the first semester of the school year to be eligible to participate in the annual exam with calculators.

The 60-minute test is given in the form of multiple choice.

This year, the exam attracted 832 candidates, including 215 secondary students and 617 high school students nationwide.

The candidates’ exams in HCM City were marked and published on Sunday morning. Ninety students placed first, 180 placed second, and 270 placed third.

Students taking the test are allowed to use handheld calculators licensed by the Ministry of Education, including the Casio Fx-580 VN X, the newest product resulting from collaboration and research conducted by Bitex, the Ministry of Education and Training, Japan’s Casio computer company, experts and teachers.

The exam using the Casio calculator is held annually. The first examination in 1993 was organised by the city’s Department of Education and Training for math only, but in 2002 the exam was organised nationally by the Ministry of Education and Training. In 2008, the exam added physics, chemistry and biology. — VNS