North East Asian Mathematics Competition 2018
We were proud to host the prestigious North East Asian Mathematics Competition (NEAMC). This regional competition is a qualifying round together with the South East Asian Mathematics Competition (SEAMC) for the World Mathematics Championships that is held at Melbourne University later this year.
We found ourselves with over 180 students from 8 different countries competing over 3 days of challenging activities. There are 9 assessed rounds which are split according to key attributes: knowledge, strategy, creativity, challenge, collaboration and communication. Activities are completed as individuals, buddy teams or school teams and require skills beyond mathematical knowledge.
As host we were able to secure two outstanding speakers Simon Singh and Michael Haese. Simon Singh is a PhD Physicist and award winning author whose first book ‘Fermat’s Last Theorem’ was the first time a mathematics book was #1 in the UK bestsellers list. Michael Haese has a PhD in Applied Mathematics and is principle editor of Haese Mathematics publishing mathematics textbooks that are found in classrooms worldwide (Michael has written about his experience at the competition that can be accessed here). Whilst discussing different issues both talks focused on the understanding of truth and knowledge particularly through the media. They provided an insightful perspective of how mathematics has impact on our daily lives and how we should always question what we are told.
The competition is well known for being tough with some fiendish questions as well as outstanding participants. Our students battled hard and gave a fantastic account of themselves. There was a real thrill during the gala dinner as the awards were announced. The full details are given below. Special mention has to go to Ryan Lee, Catherine Cho, Johanna Lee and Colin Lee who all received a golden ticket to attend the World Mathematics Championships. Considering the outrageous level of the competition this is a fantastic achievement.
Junior Teams: Catherine, Ryan, Johanna; Sunmin, Aaron, Julie
Senior Teams: Colin, Andy, Christopher; Daniel, Lexie, Kyle
