Team Math is a national Mathematics competition for 6th Year Secondary School Students. The purpose of the competition is to stimulate an interest in mathematics. Preliminary rounds of the competition are administered by the Irish Mathematics Teachers Association (IMTA). An invitation is issued to every second level school in Ireland inviting teams to enter the competition. Following the preliminary round at thirteen centres around the country in January, fifteen teams qualified for the National Final.
The competition format is based on that of a Table Quiz. Students work in teams of four at a table solving eight rounds (and a tie-breaker, if required) of problems. At each round, teams are given two/four problems to be solved within a specified time limit. Problems are designed to be sufficiently difficult so that all the students must participate actively, no one/two students could solve all the problems within the time limit. Problems are based on the Higher Level Leaving Certificate Syllabus. The competition has been running since 1991 at a local level and there has been a National Final since 2005.
The top performing student at the Leaving Certificate Mathematics Examination has been a member of the winning Team Math team on a number of occasions. Dr Donal Hurley of UCC’s School of Mathematical Sciences said Team Math Final is aimed at the very best Mathematics students throughout the country. “Participants in the Final represent the very best cohort of Mathematics students nationally. The competition is a most enjoyable experience for all students who compete”, he said.
Competition organisers ensure that teachers get recognition for their work and dedication in promoting Mathematics and the Competition. Teachers of award winning teams get the same prize as their team members and all teachers of Finalist teams get a separate teacher award. The prize for the 2008 winners, and their teacher, was a three-day trip to the European Space Agency in Noordwijkerhout, Holland.
The Irish Mathematics Teachers Association prepare questions at the Final and do the grading of student solutions. The organisation of events and administration is undertaken by the School of Mathematical Sciences at UCC.
The 2009 Team Math Final took place on Saturday, March 7th in the Multifunctional Hall, Áras na Mac Léinn UCC.
from UCC Website
The Irish Times - Monday, March 9, 2009
Midleton CBS work it out in highly competitive Team Math final - OLIVIA KELLEHER
VING CERTIFICATE students fresh from completing their “pres” gathered at University College Cork on Saturday for the fiercely competitive national final of Team Math, a mathematics competition for sixth-year students.
Midleton CBS from Co Cork saw off Marist College, Athlone, to claim the top prize of a trip to London and the Royal Meteorological Society in Reading. In total, 15 teams from around the country competed in the final.
The winning team comprised Alan Lane, Jamie O’Mahony, David McCarthy and Conor O’Donovan. Taught by Liam O’Brien, they correctly answered 18 of the 20 questions. The Marist team, taught by John Parker, of Edward Fagan, Robert Reid, Ruairí Dooley and Howard Costello scored 16 out of 20.
Dr Donal Hurley of UCC’s school of mathematical sciences said the problems were designed to be sufficiently difficult so that all the students would participate – no one or two students could solve all the problems within the time.
Dr Hurley said the top-performing student in Leaving Cert maths had been a member of the winning Team Math team on a number of occasions.
“Participants in the final represent the very best cohort of mathematics students nationally,” he said. “It was very competitive. The winning team got 18 out of 20 and . . . six teams tied for third place on 15 points.”
The Team Math competition has been running since 1991 at local level and there has been a national final since 2005. The Irish Mathematics Teachers’ Association (IMTA) prepares questions for the final and does the grading of student solutions.
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