UKMT Senior Maths Challenge
In November, MCM’s best mathematicians in the Lower Sixth and Hundred took part in the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust’s Senior Maths Challenge. This was the first time that MCM had been able to participate in this prestigious event, as a result of the COBIS accreditation awarded to the College last year.
Students were given 90 minutes to complete 25 multiple choice questions. Negative marking for incorrect answers adds a little jeopardy to the challenge as well as a need for strategic thinking. Under such conditions, it’s better to leave out an answer if you’re not sure, rather than guess!
Our top performing pupils, Sue Park, only had two incorrect answers and left four answers blank. She scored a magnificent 95 marks and, together with Elisa See and Eshaan Kothari, achieved a Gold Award. Nine further MCM pupils received Silver awards and nine received Bronze awards.
A UKMT Gold award is a remarkable achievement and will look good on any university application, especially in the UK where this competition is well known.
The Senior Maths Challenge is aimed primarily at Upper and Lower Sixth Form students. However, our Set 1 Hundred mathematicians have completed the Additional Maths course and are familiar with the mathematics that is required beyond IGCSE.
Special recognition, therefore, must be given to Elisa See who is in Hundred and, as previously mentioned, who still achieved the Gold standard. She will have two more attempts, if she chooses, to achieve Best in the World.
With an increased use of UKMT questions for extension questions in lessons, we hope to improve our students’ higher order thinking skills as well as enabling more students to achieve Silver and Gold certificates going forward.
Here are the harder questions from this year’s paper. The answers are also provided for readers who wish to challenge yourselves.
Q25 B, Q23 A, Q23 A, Q22 E , Q21 A, Q20 A Answers
