Student who wowed China in Alibaba math contest got help from teacher, organizers say

Organizers of a Chinese math competition say a vocational school student who finished near the top in the first round was helped by her teacher in violation of the rules. Jiang Ping became an overnight celebrity in June when she finished 12th in the preliminary round of the Alibaba Global Mathematics Competition. But organizers said this week that assistance from her teacher broke a rule against any discussion with others. The competition attracts graduates of top universities such as MIT. It was started six years ago by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to find students who enjoy math and encourage and support them.