Maths

Maths Talent Quest

This year, EHPS took part in the Mathematical Association of Victoria's Maths Talent Quest for the very first time. It was completely optional and open to any student curious enough to turn a question of their own into a real investigation. The response was wonderful to see.

Students went looking for maths in the world around them and found it in some brilliant places. One student asked, "How Many Cinnamon Trees Does a Cinnamon-Loving Astronaut Need on Mars?" Another investigated how far the sound from a musical instrument could travel, working out the distance needed to avoid annoying his older brother. There were tower-building experiments, dog park surveys, chess strategies, pocket money savings plans and discount shopping sprees. 

Reading through every submission was one of the highlights of my term. There was plenty of mathematics in there, but also lots of careful thinking and problem-solving. Students collected their own data, tested ideas, changed their approaches when things didn't work, and followed questions that interested them. There were also more than a few moments that made me laugh out loud.

None of this happens without families helping behind the scenes. Thank you to every parent, grandparent, and friend who helped with the IT, printing, recording, shopping, writing, or just talking through an idea at the kitchen table. 

Thank you for supporting the projects without taking them over, and for letting each child's own ideas and curiosity stay at the centre.

Congratulations to every student who took part. 

Maths Olympiad

The fourth round of the Maths Olympiad has concluded. Students encountered five challenging questions each round. This may be one of our strongest performing teams, and I was impressed by their performance. Congratulations to our team for representing the school, and we eagerly await our results.

Kelvin Tang

Mathematics Learning Specialist