Media Release
Competition date: Thursday 5 August 2010
Aussie kids ready to have fun with maths again!
The 33rd annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) will take place on Thursday 5 August in
primary and secondary schools all over Australia. Hundreds of thousands of students from Year 3 to Year
12 compete on the same day, making it the largest single event on the Australian education calendar.
Students of all levels of ability, from all types of schools in vastly different locations around the country will sit
the 90-minute paper, which contains quirky questions with an emphasis on fun and problem solving.
AMC is also the first and believed to be one of the largest Competitions of its kind in the world, with more
than 1100 prizes and 60 medals awarded annually. Since it began in 1978, it has become a truly
international event, attracting approximately 13.5 million entries. This year, there are entries from 43
countries across South East Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Mongolia is entering for the first time
and there is an increase in entries from Singapore, Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago. In Australia, entries
from the ACT and the Northern Territory are also up.
Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australian Mathematics Trust, which
administers the Competition, said, “Responding to great societal and technological changes for more than
three decades now, we aim to ensure that this Competition and our other enrichment programs remain
relevant and of value. We are constantly striving to promote the study of mathematics, contribute to
improving the curricula and to supporting teachers’ practices and education. This work is vital.”
Students who are outstanding both within their state or country and overall in the Competition, are
awarded medals at special annual ceremonies. This year the Governor of NSW, Professor Marie Bashir,
AC, CVO will present awards to the Australian medallists at Government House, Sydney, in November.
The Trust is based at the University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association also supports the
Competition.
The following sample question appeared in the 2009 Upper Primary paper (Years 7 and 8):
SAMPLE PROBLEM:
In a television quiz show, Rachel wins 250 points for a correct answer but loses 150 points for an incorrect
answer. Rachel answered 15 questions and obtained 2150 points. How many questions did she get
correct?
Answer: 11
Method: Since 8 x 250 = 2000, it is clear that Rachel must have got 9 or more questions correct. Trying each number
from 9 gives the correct answer with 11 (11 x 250 = 2750 minus 4 x 150 = 600 is 2150).
For further information or to arrange interviews and photographs, please contact:
Professor Peter Taylor, Australian Mathematics Trust, pjt013@gmail.com, 02 6201 2440; 0412 258 699
Jan Collins, Australian Mathematics Trust, jan.collins@amt.edu.au, 02 6201 2954; 0415 922 433
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