Maths Challenges 2012
This term several pupils from Years 8 to 10 have been busy taking part in Maths Challenges.
In February, Henry Xiang gained a gold award (and Best in School) in the UK Intermediate Maths Challenge. This is an excellent achievement for a student who is still only in Year 10. He was then invited to take part in the Intermediate Maths Olympiad (Hamilton) for Year 10. This involved a two hour paper taken in March. The results have not yet arrived in school.
Henry Xiang
David Bang and Kyle Phillips from Year 9 and Sebastian Banks and Tommy Kim from Year 8 took part in the Junior Maths Challenge. The aim of the challenge is to promote mathematical dexterity, team work and communication skills, giving pupils the opportunity to compete against other schools in the
David and Kyle had been practising for some months, recently joined by Andy Yuen, whilst Sebastian and Tommy each managed just three practises.
The team were accompanied by Mrs Ward and Mr Edwards to Wolverhampton for the regional final. After some warm up questions the Group Competition started, the team worked together to try and solve ten problems in 45 minutes. This was followed by a short break prior to the Cross-number Competition. One pair worked on the clues down and the other pair on the clues across where some of the other pair’s answers must be entered to allow the other pair to use them to work out their own clues
(back row):David Bang, Kyle Phillips
(front row): Sebastian Banks, Tommy Kim
After lunch the Head to Head competition took place. This involved pair A solving problem one, taking their answer to pair B, who need it to solve problem two, taking their answer to pair A, who use it to solve problem three, taking their answer to pair B who use it to solve problem four. This takes about 10 minutes, and is then repeated another four times.
The final competition was the relay where pair A solve a problem, then take another problem to pair B who solve it, then take another problem to pair A and so on, with each pair aiming to solve fifteen problems in 45 minutes.
The tactics require considerable understanding and practice not to mention being quick at arithmetic, spotting shortcuts, using some imagination and having the determination to solve problems.
After this, the top three teams were announced, prizes awarded, and we then received a certificate with Oswestry School's final position. Although the team were not among the leaders, they did their best on the day and had an enjoyable day out.
Well Done to them all for their efforts!
Why not try this, here is a question in the final relay competition taken from a previous year.
On a good day I can run to school at 15km/hr in 15 minutes. On a bad day it takes me 25 minutes. How fast do I run on a bad day?