The St Catherine high school learners participated on the 12th of March in the first round of the annual Maths Olympiad. This event served as a great opportunity for the learners to apply their problem-solving skills to challenging questions in a low-pressure environment. Despite the lack of pressure, emotions varied from anxiety to excitement. The paper consisted of 20 multiple choice questions comprising a mixture between algebra and geometry. A time allocation of 60 minutes was given to the participants to complete the questions. Calculators and maths sets were not authorised in the venue, so paper and mind-power was used to work out answers. As the paper went on, the difficulty of each question increased. Normally, the grades 10s, 11s, and 12s write the senior paper, however, this year the grade 10s did not write the senior paper but were instead given their own test to write which made the experience more enjoyable. The large number of participants in this voluntary Maths Olympiad reflects the learners’ love of the subject. Even though the results are important, the experience is more valuable as it’s a good opportunity to learn from your mistakes and perfect the for the future.
Written by Haylee Slimmert
