The VUWMA Maths Challenge

Purpose: A cooperative venture between VUW and WMA to provide a challenge for senior students and to introduce them to the VUW maths department.

Structure: Inter-school problem solving competition for senior students with assistance from VUW students. No advanced mathematical knowledge is required.

Teams: Each secondary school is represented by a team of 10.

Teams are encouraged to have an identifying uniform (school or costume) and name.

Format: One day event at VUW hosted by the maths department during common holidays. Two sessions of question with a lunch break between.

Date: End of first term holidays. Starting at 10.00am and finishing at approximately 4.00 pm.

Venue: Victoria University.

Introduction: Before the question period, teams introduce themselves to each other with the graduates talking about their research subject. There could also be an opportunity for some staff to introduce research topics.

Questions: First round consists of approx 10 (discrete maths) questions. Each team receives the set of questions and has 60 minutes to answer them in their own way (individually or as a team).

Second round is applied maths. A scenario will be introduced which requires a mathematical solution. The team works together for 60 minutes to find a solution. Each team presents to the whole group in 2 minutes their solution.

Lunch: Lunch will be provided by VUW during the break between the two rounds.

Prizes: Prizes will be provided.

Entries: Each school can enter one or more teams. Schools can also combine together to enter a team.