UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge 

The annual senior mathematical challenge took place this term, with the results recently being published. The challenge is aimed primarily at year 13 students, encouraging mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. Testing yourself against the best mathematicians in the UK can be a daunting but rewarding experience for those involved. Just to give you a taste for the sort of questions involved, have a go at the following from this year’s paper: 
The hare and the tortoise had a race over 100 m, in which both maintained constant speeds. When the hare reached the finish line, it was 75 m in front of the tortoise. The hare immediately turned around and ran back towards the start line. How far from the finish line did the hare and the tortoise meet? 

The following students managed to secure a bronze certificate in the challenge, putting them in the top 40% of students nationally; Rohan N, Jock E, Areeb A, Taylor T and Adam H. Sadman A and Thomas N managed to secure a silver certificate, placing them in the top 20% of those sitting the paper nationally. However, it was a year 12 student that managed to show how well he can apply his mathematical reasoning to these interesting questions. Theodore V managed to not only secure a gold certificate for his outstanding score but has now been invited through to the British Mathematical Olympiad, which is a competition only open to the top 1000 students in the UK. He will now compete against those students in a gruelling three-and-a-half-hour paper made up of just six questions. Given that Theodore is a year younger than most of the students sitting the senior maths challenge, this is a truly outstanding result. We wish him luck in the next round and look forward to hearing more about his mathematical journey.