2022 School Magazine

AUSTRALIAN MATHEMATICAL OLYMPIAD COMMITTEE SELECTION SCHOOL

D uring the last week of Term 1, I attended the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee Selection School, along with 80 other like-minded students from across Australia. The AMOC Selection School is a national training camp held each year, with participants selected on the basis of their performance in the invitation-only Australian Mathematical Olympiad exam held over two days in February, and other competitions over the previous year. The aim of the camp is to choose the team to represent Australia in the International Mathematics Olympiad in July, and to train the participants for future competitions. Throughout the week, we learned about some interesting mathematical concepts, including invariants, functions, and graph theory. We also completed two challenging two-hour practice exams covering topics that we had discussed in the previous days. These lectures and problem sessions were exciting opportunities for me to challenge myself with new and interesting ideas and types of problems. Despite the camp being held over Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was still a wonderful opportunity to talk to, and learn from, other high-achieving Maths students from around the country. Kathryn Petersen (10O)

BRISBANE GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2022 | 103

THE COMPUTATIONAL AND ALGORITHMIC THINKING COMPETITION T his year, the Computational and Algorithmic Competition (CAT) was held on Thursday 5 May. It was open to those in Years 7 to 10 who were looking to challenge their problem-solving skills! The competition was one hour long under exam conditions and consisted of nine puzzling questions—six multiple-choice and three free-answer questions. We gathered in April to practise problem solving for the competition. On the day, BGGS students had some delicious afternoon tea beforehand, and then set straight to solving the papers. The problems ranged in difficulty and required a lateral approach while others used identification and application of algorithms. We thoroughly enjoyed this competition and highly recommend this opportunity to those who enjoy solving questions using sound reasoning and want to expand on their mathematical ability. Terese Pulle (8B) and Sabrina Yong Gee (9H) SIGMA MATHS S igma Maths offers students the opportunity to participate in a variety of mathematical experiences outside the Mathematics classroom. Girls enjoy the challenge of competitions and workshops and welcome the opportunity to share their love of mathematics with like-minded students. Participating in Sigma Maths activities, particularly the external competitions such as the QAMT Problem Solving Competition, The Australian Mathematics Competition, and the Maths for Young Australians program, can lead to additional mathematical opportunities. The Australian Mathematics Trust runs a number of invitational programs for students based on their performance in these competitions. Kathryn Petersen (10O) has been heavily involved in the advanced programs offered by the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee throughout the year. She received an Honourable Mention in both the Australian Mathematical Olympiad and the AMOC Senior Contest. Kathryn was also invited to participate in the AMOC Selection School and subsequently the AMOC Mentor Program. In Semester 1, Emily Kua (9G), Grace Gong (9O), and Emma Wong (10W) were invited to participate in the Australian Mathematical Olympiad Committee (QLD) Maths Sequences program and Anna Hodge (8L) joined the Number Theory program. Additionally, Alisa Wang (8R), Emma Wong (10W), Grace Gong (9O), Ruby Galligan (10R), and Anna Hodge (8L) were selected for the Introductory Olympiad Maths Program. Essentially, the experiences within Sigma Maths give students exposure to the wonderful world of mathematics beyond the scope of the classroom curriculum, and we encourage any Grammar girl with an interest in this area to consider these opportunities in 2023. Mrs Lee Mazzaglia MATHEMATICS TEACHER