The Naturally Mathematical Challenge
Semester 2: 2010
Naturally Mathematical is an Internet Challenge
for the mathematically able that provides three Qualifying
Challenges and a Final Challenge. It
is designed for the mathematically-able students for whom the regular
maths program may not be sufficiently challenging. It is seen by us as a
resource for the Gifted & Talented coordinator in a school with one of
the most important features being the feedback that we provide to each
team. The first challenge for Semester 2
is now available - click on the link in the table below to open the
questions pages.
The questions and solutions for the 2010 competition
are made available via this page, with links given in the table
below as the questions and solutions come on line. We've have given
links for the Semester 1 questions and solutions below in case you are
wondering what types of challenges are posed and what is our
expectation of quality in the solutions. You'll find that the challenges
are mostly open-ended, with more than one answer being possible and that
the solutions should explain not only the solutions but the thinking
that led to finding them.
Click on the Guidelines to see how the
competition works. Also, have a look at the hints given for
E-submission. As our students become more
and more engulfed in the use of ICT for the submission of their work,
the ability to control the look of a document and its file size become
more and more important.
The questions for the competition are devised
by Johnny Baker (Natural Maths) and Roger Duke (formerly of the
University of Queensland). A focus of the competition is the use of
Java applets that encourage exploration of maths 'micro-worlds' and
which are devised by Roger Duke. Both
Johnny and Roger would like to see an enhanced use of computers in the
teaching of maths - computers should become as central to the teaching
of maths as they are to the applications of maths in the real world.
Our guidelines allow the Senior and Junior teams
of (ideally) 4 students to answer the
Challenges over a one-week period and to vary the membership and size of
a registered team. Please go to the
Registration page if you would like to organise one or more teams to
become involved the competition.
Last year, a teacher asked if we could put
together a presentation that would enable her to explain the competition
and its benefits to her staff. As a result, we have a brief PowerPoint
presentation that you can download which gives the rationale of the
competition, some sample questions and a few selected comments from
teachers who have found the experience of being involved one not to be
missed. Click on the Competition
Explained link to download a .zip file that you can run on your
computer.
This competition
also provides an excellent opportunity for ICT
integration as the questions are made available over internet, solutions
are composed electronically and emailed to Natural Maths, who reply
electronically with feedback.
 Recently
endorsed by Engineers
Australia as a valuable learning
experience, this competition seeks to promote problem solving skills in
ways that students can actively engage in. The
challenges often call for the use of hands-on materials and have a
practical emphasis.
Only 30% of marks for the student
solutions are awarded for correct answers; the remaining 70% calls for
clear explanations of the problem solving processes that led to those
solutions.
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