NZ Kids take on Aussie Maths Comp

NZ Kids take on Aussie Maths Comp

Australian Mathematics Competition, 7 August 2014

Primary and secondary school students from all over New Zealand will join hundreds of thousands of students from around the world on Thursday 7 August to take part in the 37th annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) sponsored by the Commonwealth Bank.

Students of all levels of ability, from all types of schools in very different locations around the country, will sit a 75-minute secondary paper or 60-minute primary paper which contains some quirky questions with an emphasis on fun and problem solving.

The AMC is Australia’s original classroom-based mathematics competition with more than 14 million entries since 1978. The AMC awards more than 1000 prizes and 70 medals annually. A truly international event, there are entries from some 40 countries across South East Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Bangladesh is taking part in the AMC for the first time this year and entries from Tonga increased significantly.

Adjunct Professor Mike Clapper, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australian Mathematics Trust (AMT) which administers the competition, said, ‘We are delighted to welcome a number of new schools who will be participating in this historic competition for the first time, especially primary schools, as encouraging the study of maths at an early age is vital’.

‘The competition is designed to be accessible to all students but it also identifies the most talented, who can then go on to a series of AMT enrichment programs that nurture their special ability, and may lead to further success such as representing New Zealand in the International Mathematical Olympiad’, he added.

Students who are outstanding both within their state or country and overall in the competition are awarded medals at annual ceremonies. The New Zealand AMC Medal ceremony will be held in Wellington on 16 October.

The Commonwealth Bank is the AMC’s principal sponsor. Vanessa Nolan-Woods, General Manager, Education and Not for Profit Sector Banking, stated, ‘Mathematics is central to understanding finance and smart money management, so the Commonwealth Bank is pleased to be the principal sponsor of the Australian Mathematics Competition. We all know how important these skills are in laying a strong foundation for financial wellbeing through every stage of our lives and we wish all participants the very best of luck!’

The Australian Mathematics Trust is under the trusteeship of the University of Canberra.

ENDS

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