Intermediate Maths Challenge

[TheSecondOfHerName]

Anyone's DC take part in the open round this morning?

DS2 felt that it went well.

Last year he did quite well in the Junior one (gold certificate in the open round and a merit in the Olympiad) but he was in the oldest year group taking part. This year he is in the youngest year group for the Intermediate one, competing with children two years above.

relaxitllbeok, I wondered if you knowhow the follow on rounds work?

If they get a mark for the pink kangaroo in year 9, will they still do the grey? Do they have to be in the right year to do their year's Olympiad or could they do the one for the year above if they get a high enough score?

You mentioned your ds did the Cayley four years ago, so I thought you might know.

The thing that seems to happen if nobody asks for something different to happen is that they get put in the easiest follow-on that they're young enough to be eligible for, even if their IMC mark qualifies them for a harder one, so we're still expecting DS to do Cayley. (The Kangaroos and the Olympiads are separate: you'd only get put into a Kangaroo if you hadn't qualified for an Olympiad.) I think I remember reading on some school website about a child who had medalled at the Cayley one year being allowed to do Hamilton the next year rather than Cayley again, though, so it's not an iron-clad rule. I don't know whether all that is required is for the school to ask, or whether it's a special concession that only applies to children who've already medalled at the lower level, or what.

Thank you for that. Dd passed for the grey two years ago, did not pass for a follow on last year, but is hoping to go have got enough for the pink this year, but may have to do the grey again. I'll wait and see how she did, then she can ask at school.
Was your son only in year 5 when he gat a distinction at the Cayley, or am I reading it wrongly? If he did, that is pretty good going. Well done to him.

Hope your DD has fun, whatever she ends up doing! (and whispers um thanks: y4 actually, though progress is not linear and there are plenty of things he can't do well!).

My maths and problem solving is apparently too poor to work out the mark scheme...

The maximum mark is 135. The site says 95 is the 2016 qualifying score for the Maclaurin - I don't think that sounds right. Do they mean 95% of people who took part won't qualify, 5% will, and they're yet to say what score is required?

No, they mean someone who gets 95 out of 135 qualifies. Why don't you think that sounds right?

Thanks relaxitllbeok - I guess I just thought I was reading it wrong for no good reason... Thank you!

Dd got into Cayley, so really pleased. It is really variable; sometimes she does well, other times poorly. It is definitely not linear. But she likes doing the tests whatever she gets.

Excellent, and yay for fun with maths!

Well done to your DD JustRichmal
Hope she enjoys it.

I forgot about this until tonight, when DS casually dropped into conversation that he qualified for the kangaroo.

I'm feeling very proud, and just had to tell someone (so I'm telling you lot!)