Analysis of demographic and academic factors influencing mathematical achievement in a Peruvian university competition

Abstract

This exploratory quantitative study analyzed mathematical achievement among 211 university students participating in the first interfaculty mathematics competition at a private Peruvian university. Using structural equation modeling, mathematical achievement was specified as a latent construct measured by performance in algebra, geometry, number theory, and combinatorics. The model evaluated the effects of gender, age, field of study, motivation, and prior experience in mathematics competitions. Results indicate that prior participation in mathematics competitions and gender significantly predicted achievement, while age, academic discipline, and motivation showed no significant effects. Male students and those with prior contest experience obtained significantly higher scores. The findings highlight the educational value of mathematics competitions, while also revealing persistent gender disparities. Due to the non-random, self-selected sample and the exploratory fit indices of the structural model, the results should be interpreted as associative rather than causal.