Mathematical Olympiad for Girls

Senior pupils triumph in Mathematical Olympiad for girls at UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT) competition.

S4 pupil, Lucy, S5 pupils Esther, Delphie and Arianna and S6 pupil Becca excelled in the nationwide competition to receive Merit certificates, which is no mean feat and an incredible achievement.

The UKMT sets out to advance the mathematics education of young people and the nationwide competition is aimed at the UK’s most able girls. With training starting back in August, the girls spent numerous lunchtimes problem solving. There may have been even an oreo cookie, or two, consumed to fuel the fires of solving extremely challenging, and thoroughly enjoyable, mathematical problems.

With the competition taking place in early September, and around 2,000 participants from across the UK, this year’s challenge was far from straightforward. The problems involved a lot of mathematical thinking and completion, the girls’ solutions were then sent off to be scrutinised and marked by the panel, with their results only recently announced. It’s a waiting game of anticipation. Most pupils who enter the competition only receive a Certificate of Participation, proving the girls outshone the competition with their problem-solving merit.

There’s no stopping them now though, the girls are already back in training for next year proving that they thoroughly enjoy solving interesting and challenging mathematical problems.

Congratulations Lucy, Esther, Delphie, Arianna and Becca, your Maths teachers are incredibly proud of your dedication and momentous achievement, as are the wider school community.

Fancy taking on a Maths challenge? Here’s the first question from the competition.

Solutions (and all other Questions) can be found at https://bmos.ukmt.org.uk/home/ukmog.shtml