PETALING JAYA: A five-year-old boy from Johor Bahru has stunned onlookers with his remarkable ability to solve math problems in under a minute.
Uwais Mohammad Zulqarnain, a self-proclaimed “math whiz,“ can quickly tackle around 10 math questions, from single-digit multiplication to more complex calculations involving powers and square roots – all without a calculator.
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His mother, Surya Syafiqah A Rahim, 32, explained that her son’s journey into mathematics began at the age of four.
“He started with addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and his understanding has grown rapidly since then,” she told New Straits Times.
Not only is Uwais excelling in math, but he is also fluent in Spanish, Russian, and Jawi, further showcasing his prodigious abilities.
The mother credits much of his success to both his own enthusiasm and the encouragement he receives from his father, Mohammad Zulqarnain Alan Zamirza, 33, an engineer.
“We consistently introduce Uwais to numerical games, take him to bookstores, as well as have him accompany me while I read.
“We also enrolled him in reading and speech classes in the city. He has a keen interest in learning various languages, including Spanish and Russian, and he teaches himself using online resources with our supervision,” she was quoted as saying.
Uwais’ academic talents extend beyond his math skills.
Despite being enrolled in a math class for five-year-olds, his rapid progress led to his placement in a class designed for six-year-olds.
“Typically, he answers a single mathematics question on single-digit multiplication within three to five seconds,” she stated.
“I usually give him 20 questions and then take a short break, but he never gets bored; instead, he wants to try more questions.”
The boy has already earned several awards for academic excellence and math at his school, further affirming his exceptional abilities.
His mother believes a nutritious diet also plays a vital role in his cognitive development.
“Alongside the exposure we provide, Uwais’ diet significantly contributes to his mental strength, as he enjoys vegetables like broccoli, cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes, along with a variety of fruits in his daily meals.
“We hope his arithmetic skills continue to develop, enhancing his mastery of both mathematics and languages.
“Uwais’ abilities are truly a gift from God; we are grateful and pray for his continued good health,” she said.
