Friday, 10 October 2008

Just when you thought the Olympics were over...let the true games begin.

Whilst the Water Cube and Bird's Nest are already becoming distant memories, the WA Junior Mathematics Olympiad is just gearing up, ready to challenge young minds in the quest for mathematical excellence.

"If they were alive today, the Greek mathematicians Euclid and Pythagoras would probably be delighted to know that The University of Western Australia has its own version of the old games," said organising committee chairperson, Professor Cheryl Praeger from UWA's Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics.

The competitors, bright Year Nine and outstanding Year Eight students, rely on brain power rather than muscle power to get them through the competition without a calculator in sight!

More than 200 of the State's best young mathematicians from over 25 schools will decipher complex mathematical and statistical problems in the WA Junior Mathematics Olympiad to be held at The University on Saturday, November 1.

High schools have been invited to enter teams of four students to compete for over $2000 in prizes.  Sponsors of the Junior Olympiad are the departments of Mathematics and Statistics at WA universities including UWA, Curtin University, Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University, along with the Mathematical Association of WA, the WA Department of Education and Training, Data Analysis Australia and the New Edition Bookshop.

Students with the best results will also receive an invitation to take part in the UWA Academy for Young Mathematicians.

Professor Praeger said, "in addition to showing students how much fun maths can be, it also provides opportunities for skills development and recognition of outstanding achievers".

More information is available on the website: https://www.maths.uwa.edu.au/students/high-school-students/olympiad

Media references

Professor Cheryl Praeger (+61 8)  6488 3344
Danni Wick (+61 8)  6488 2260
(Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics)  (+61 4) 15 046 276
Simone Hewett / Sally-Ann Jones (+61 8)  6488 7977
(UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 4) 20 790 097  /  (+61 4) 20 790 098

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