Maths – JMAC- The Blog Experience

Scottish Mathematical Challenge 2019

This year our school was fortunate enough to have four super smart students – James Walsh, Rian Duncan, Gavin McKeown and Valentina Joseph – take on the Scottish Mathematical challenge. The pupils from S3 and S4 participated in the middle division placing 42nd overall.

The mathematical challenge was set up in 1966-67 by the chairman of the Scottish Mathematical Council at the time- professor E.M Patterson- who wanted maths to be a source of interest and pleasurable achievement.

The pupils were led to battle by maths teacher Mr Barr. He comments “there was a massive improvement from last year, the four pupils performed brilliantly and worked really well together”

Mr Barr also commented on what the day consisted of ” It’s a national competition across all of Scotland which consists of problem solving maths questions, we finished 20 places higher than last year”

S3’s Talented Mathematicians

S3 pupils Valentina Joseph and James Walsh took part in the UK Junior Intermediate Maths Challenge and achieved scores so great they were able to compete in a further competition. This further competition is called the Pink Kangaroo and only a tiny percent throughout the whole UK are chosen to take part. Pupils sit the hour-long paper comprised of 25 challenging problem-solving questions.

Both students expressed their love and interest for Mathematics and said they were excited to try the Senior Maths Challenge next year and maybe the Grey Kangaroo if they are even more successful.

Mr MacDonald, head of the maths department commented “I’m very proud of the two pupils! It’s an excellent achievement and James Walsh got a merit, he got 117 out of a possible 125 which is outstanding. I’m absolutely delighted and it shows that they are very gifted and talented.”

Well done Valentina and James!

Maths Chums

Sixth year Maths wizards are using their skills to help the new first years with their troubling times tables. The Sixth years are giving up their free time to work in first year classes. The aim is to help teachers by working with small groups and just give that little extra bit of support.

Continue reading “Maths Chums”