More than 100 primary pupils from across Lanarkshire had the formula for success when they took part in the inaugural maths fun day hosted by Hamilton College.
Teams of four budding mathematicians took on a range of challenges including a variety of problem-solving posers and an exciting relay competition.
Coatbridge quartet Lucas Ferguson, Lewis Birkins, Joseph Bryce and Michael McIlhatton, representing St Patrick’s Primary, were crowned the winners – and the event is now set to become an annual fixture.
Each team was challenged to create the tallest possible free-standing structure using only spaghetti, string and sticky tape, as well as assembling two-dimensional shapes into a 3D cube and puzzling out a series of tangrams.
Pupils also tackled a number of logic problems and solved a special challenge entitled “rush hour” – and were also treated to an impressive Rubik’s cube demonstration in which they saw the popular puzzle being solved within just 40 seconds.
The event culminated in the relay grand finale, which saw teams race to collect and complete a variety of maths puzzles in the school’s assembly hall and to gain as many points as possible in the allocated time.
St Patrick’s won the close contest with a winning score of 163, and were presented with their trophy by Gavin Wiseman, a trustee of the Wiseman family charitable fund which sponsored the event.
He said: “It’s thrilling to see so many young people enthusiastic about mathematics and I hope this event is the first of many that will help inspire the next generation of great mathematicians.”
The other participating teams were from Bent and St Elizabeth’s primaries in Hamilton plus the host school; Canberra, Greenhills,South Park and St Kenneth’s in East Kilbride; Milton and Woodpark in Lesmahagow; Alexander Peden and Stane in Shotts;
South Lanarkshire schools Blackwood, Forth and Tinto; and from St Bride’s in Bothwell, St Kevin’s in Bargeddie, Calderbridge in Wishaw, High Mill in Carluke, St Bride’s in Cambuslang, St Michael’s in Moodiesburn, St John the Baptist in Uddingston, Eastfield in Cumbernauld and St Gerard’s in Bellshill.
The event was organised by Hamilton College head of maths Mark Shields and department colleague Gillian Kerr, who said: “This was a wonderful day, not just for our school but for the wider community; the participants did well and our senior pupils who acted as facilitators were fantastic leaders.”
Mr Shields added: “Mathematics is so important in everyday life. Days like this are so important and I hope every person who participated has made memories that will last a lifetime.”
Hamilton College headteacher Richard Charman called it “an honour” to host the event, saying: “The joyous looks of the visiting pupils were infectious and every one of them was a credit to their school.
“We share the Wisemans Trust’s enthusiasm for mathematics and hope to inspire the next generation with fun competition; the whole team at Hamilton College, especially Gillian Kerr and Mark Shields, worked exceptionally hard bringing this event together.
“Congratulations to our winners, St Patrick’s – it was a fantastic day and the next event will be even bigger.”
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