Maths prodigy adds up cost of having his dad as a roommate

Yifan Huang's dormitory walls are not covered with posters of rock bands or basketball stars. Instead, there are photocopies of certificates and awards that chronicle his exceptionally accomplished academic life.

The 16-year-old maths prodigy is getting ready for his first year at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. And instead of getting to know his roommate, he already knows him too well - it is his dad.

The teenager's father, Quentin, insisted that he live with his son, saying he was too young to be on his own. Originally, Yifan was accepted into three universities in the province with C$10,000 (HK$60,000) in scholarships. But only one was willing to allow the 44-year-old father to live with his son.

As he slouches on the sofa, Yifan is visibly embarrassed by his father's boasts about his academic success. The quiet teenager would rather play computer games or watch television than listen to his dad reminisce about how he taught Yifan the alphabet when he was five months old. Born in Wuhan, Yifan was two years old when the family moved to Sweden as his father worked towards a PhD in mathematics.

However, his academic pursuit ended when he got a job in Singapore as a naval architect and engineer. Three years ago, the parents divorced and he took Yifan to Port Alberni, a small town on Vancouver Island.

Yifan's Canadian teachers were so impressed with his academic talents that he was able to jump two grades, into Grade 9 (Form Three).