Some 8 000 of the Western Cape’s sharpest young mathematicians will be participating in the 40th UCT Mathematics Competition on 7 April 2016.
The 2015 UCT Mathematics Competition attracted some 7 500 students and this year’s contest will likely see the mathematicians turn out in even bigger numbers.
The notoriously brutal tests push scholars to the limits of their numeracy and lateral-thinking potential. Despite this, the competition remains popular and many current UCT mathematics students cut their teeth in this contest.
The participating scholars come from 170 high schools across the Western Cape, including schools from as far afield as Atlantis, Ceres, Hopefield, Vredendal, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Worcester, Bredasdorp, Laingsburg and George.
Schools may enter five individuals and five pairs per grade. Although pairs and individuals write the same paper, their results are graded separately.
Mathematics teachers and UCT mathematics staff work together to set the papers, which will be tackled in 80 venues around UCT. More than 300 local mathematics teachers and UCT student volunteers will supervise the proceedings.
The top 200 students will be invited to take part in a follow-up event, the UCT Mathematics Challenge, which is due to take place on 7 May 2016. The top students in the Mathematics Challenge will be invited to take part in the UCT Mathematics Olympiad seven days later.
Traffic to and from upper campus is typically congested on the afternoon and evening of the competition, so motorists are advised to plan their movements around Woolsack Drive well in advance.
Read full details of the competition, including past papers and results
Story Yusuf Omar. Photo Je’nine May.