Since 1983, TCU students have been putting their math skills to the test in a yearly competition of differential and integral proportions.

That tradition continues Tuesday at the TCU math department’s 31st annual Calculus Bee.

About 30 students are set to participate this year, Ken Richardson, the event’s organizer, said. There is room for up to 45 participants.

Those participating are mainly math students, but some come from other majors that require calculus, such as engineering, Richardson said.

“You don’t have to be a math major – you can be anything. You can be an engineering major, or in any of the sciences, really,” Richardson, who is a math professor, said. “Almost every science [major] requires calculus one and two anyway. A lot of students are from different areas.”

Over the course of the hour-long competition, students individually answer differential and integral calculus questions, according to the Calculus Bee website.

Richardson said students usually answer 15 questions, each of which take anywhere from one to three minutes to complete.

Faculty judges, located in a separate room, grade the answers after each round. Students are eliminated from competition after three incorrect answers.

The final three remaining competitors take first, second and third places. They also receive gift cards to the TCU Bookstore as prizes.

Each year has a central theme. Richardson said last year’s theme was the ‘Calculus Games,’ a play on the “Hunger Games” trilogy.

However, Richardson did not disclose what this year’s theme might be.

“I don’t know if I want to reveal the theme for this year yet, but it’s going to be something funny,” he said.

This year’s Calculus Bee is scheduled to take place Tuesday in the Tucker Technology Center, room 246, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served beginning at 3 p.m.