NEWS
GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR GENUINE MATHS RESEARCH
TEAMWORK AND CREATIVITY EARN OUR BOYS FIRST PRIZE IN UNIVERSITY COMPETITION
Scotch has a longstanding tradition of mathematics excellence that extends back to its founding , and we are pleased to report that our current cohort of Scotch boys is upholding that fine legacy .
The Mathematics and Statistics Research Competition , run by the University of Melbourne , gives students the opportunity to conduct genuine mathematical research . Responding to an open-ended question , students employ authentic mathematical methods as used by mathematicians . The aim of the competition is to allow students to creatively solve a difficult problem , and to make independent choices about how best to answer the question .
Teamwork , a vital component of modern mathematics , is encouraged since it not only gives students the capacity to work collaboratively with others but it also involves the complementary talents of each team member . This year , Scotch had two teams successfully progress to the finals of the competition . In the intermediate division , Scotch was represented by Year 10 boys Witter Onggara , Tommy Chu and Joseph Pan , and in the senior division we had Edward Wang , Jiamu Li and Frank Tang of Year 11 .
Our senior boys took out first prize . The judges lauded the creativity and generality of the boys ’ response , noting that their exploration extended well beyond the expectations of the mathematician who set the problem . They also delivered an assured presentation to a panel of mathematicians , conveying the full scope of their impressive results .
The competition gives students a taste of what mathematical research looks like , and we are keen to see our boys participate in years to come . The full results , along with the winning submissions , can be seen here : https :// ms . unimelb . edu . au / engage / outreach / mathematics-and-statisticsresearch-competition
DR DAVID TREEBY – TEACHER-IN- CHARGE OF EXTENSION MATHEMATICS
FIRST PRIZE WINNERS EDWARD WANG , FRANK TANG AND JIAMU LI OF YEAR 11 WITH DR DAVID TREEBY
36 Great Scot Issue 168 – May 2023