There are four categories:
| Primary | P6 and P7 |
|---|---|
| Secondary | |
| Junior | S1 and S2 |
| Middle | S3 and S4 (and keen S2) |
| Senior | S5 and S6 (and keen S4) |
Each year the top 20% of entrants in each category is awarded a gold, silver or bronze certificate. There is also a certificate presentation which features a talk on a mathematical topic or some other mathematical activity, and the top scorers receive a Maths Challenge mug.
This year one participant completed a full set of six gold medals in his secondary school career - an impressive record, and of course he will also have a set of six mugs!
For more information visit the Scottish
Mathematics Council or the Scottish
Mathematical Challenge websites. There are some questions to try, and
books of past challenge problems are also available.
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The questions are designed to provoke thought rather than requiring standard solutions. The solutions often depend on insight rather than knowledge of facts or techniques, so almost everyone can get satisfaction from the flash of inspiration that enables them to solve a seemingly impossible problem. Only the fastest and most able will expect to complete all the questions.
The answer sheets are optically marked, enabling large numbers to be processed relatively easily.
There are three categories:
| Junior | S1 and S2 (and keen P7) |
|---|---|
| Intermediate | S3 and S4 (and keen S2) |
| Senior | S5 and S6 (and keen S4 or below) |
Each year the top 40% of entrants in each category is awarded a gold, silver or bronze certificate. There are also special awards for the best in school in each category.
The dates for the next challenges are as follows:
| Junior | Tuesday, 29 April 2003 |
|---|---|
| Intermediate | Thursday, 6 February 2003 |
| Senior | Tuesday, 12 November 2002 |
For more information and entry details visit the UK
Mathematics Trust website. There are also questions to try, and books
of past challenge problems are available.
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| Category | Next round |
|---|---|
| Junior | Junior Mathematics Olympiad |
| Intermediate | S2: European Kangaroo |
| S3: International Intermediate Invitational Mathematics Challenge (Year 10) | |
| S4: International Intermediate Invitational Mathematics Challenge (Year 11) | |
| Senior | (all years) British Mathematics Olympiad Round 1 |
At the junior level about 1000 of the 200,000 or so entrants can expect to proceed to the next round, and success there may lead to an invitation to join a mentoring scheme.
At the intermediate level success in the follow on competitions may lead to invitations to join mentoring schemes or attend study weeks.
At the senior level, the British Mathematics Olympiad Round 1 may lead to the British Mathematics Olympiad Round 2, selection for the UK International Mathematics Olympiad squad and even selection for the UK International Mathematics Olympiad team.
The 2002 International Mathematics Olympiad is being held in Glasgow at Strathclyde University. There will be 500 - 600 of the world's best young mathematicians there from 19th - 30th July.
In recent years there have been no Scots (or Irish or Welsh) on the
UK team: if more were to enter the challenges early in their secondary
school careers then they would have opportunities which could just make
the difference.
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Before the finals take place each team prepares material for a poster, which is completed and assembled at the competition itself. On the day there are a round of questions on the poster topic, a speed round, a Swiss teams round and a relay -all involving mathematical games and problems. Each team is accompanied by a teacher who participates in the organising and marking of the rounds.
This competition has recently been extended to the whole of the UK,
with the original Scottish competition forming the Scottish regional heat
for the UK competition.
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Almost 1000 schools registered for Round One, which took place in schools during January and February 2002.
600 teams have been invited to compete at 19 regional finals taking place around the United Kingdom during March to May 2002.
Top-scoring teams will be invited to attend the national final of Enterprising Maths in the United Kingdom on Monday 29th July 2002. This event coincides with the IMO closing ceremony at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow.
The organisers are delighted to confirm that HRH the Princess Royal
has accepted their invitation to attend the National Final and present
the prizes to the winning teams, and the "Enterprising Maths in the United
Kingdom" trophy to the top-scoring team.
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