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Secondary education

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Year 7 / 8 maths challenge

64 replies

Tulipvase · 25/04/2024 20:32

Hi

My son year 8 has apparently been taking part in a maths challenge. He knows that last week all the top sets did a maths test and then this week, some of those ( including him) did another test today. They were then told not to discuss it online until Saturday morning……

Him being him has just gone along with this but doesn’t actually know what it is for… He was off earlier this week so it could have been discussed. This was done in a non maths lesson, about 30 children in the hall.

Can anyone shed any light on it?

OP posts:
RecruitmentGuru · 26/04/2024 19:35

My DS’s entire year group did it.

lastfiresocks · 26/04/2024 23:50

Yep we heard about the ferrets too.

SamPoodle123 · 27/04/2024 08:15

Funny about the ferrets. My dd started talking about the ferret question last night 😂

BuddingPeonies · 27/04/2024 10:33

For those of you who haven't yet seen a paper brought homeby their child, the paper, plus solutions, are now online:
https://ukmt.org.uk/competition-papers/jsf/jet-engine:free-past-papers/tax/challenge-type:67/#free-past-paper-anchor

Pinkback · 27/04/2024 11:03

Does anyone know about this year JMO grade boundaries compared to previous year? DC mentioned that this year's question was simpler than the previous one.

BuddingPeonies · 27/04/2024 11:15

Interesting, @Pinkback feeling here is it started easier, but then got hard quite quickly.

That said, we think DS got 113. So awaiting boundaries for the next rounds. I don't think they usually come out til the results are released in a number of weeks.

Pinkback · 27/04/2024 13:03

BuddingPeonies · 27/04/2024 11:15

Interesting, @Pinkback feeling here is it started easier, but then got hard quite quickly.

That said, we think DS got 113. So awaiting boundaries for the next rounds. I don't think they usually come out til the results are released in a number of weeks.

Well done to your DS 113 might get a chance to Olympiad round

RecruitmentGuru · 27/04/2024 14:07

I’m really confused by this as our school really hasn’t made a big deal about it and Year 7 and 8 did it I believe. We had no notice.

RecruitmentGuru · 27/04/2024 14:08

We do have some incredibly talented Mathematicians so it’ll be interesting to see.

Lisaquin01 · 27/04/2024 15:02

do the results get posted online or do we have to wait for the school to let us know....

BuddingPeonies · 27/04/2024 15:28

School will let you know - or if you have a child like mine, he brings home the paper, marked up with his answers, and asks Mum to spend Thursday night working out what he got correct 🫣
Thankfully, my maths agreed with the mark scheme (with a bit of help from my 15 year old on the geometry questions!). So we are pretty sure of his mark, and just need to await the boundaries - hopefully next month. But the official result will come from school with the certificates for those who get them.

Summerma · 28/04/2024 14:25

Rehab4rightmove · 25/04/2024 23:14

My ds said that a typical question was similar to 'if ab+10 = 90c, what colour socks does Dave wear on Tuesdays's?'

Really made me laugh. He said he had to guess a lo of it, but finished (probably because he guessed a lot of it).

This post has had me in stitches! This is EXACTLY what I feel when I read any of the past Qs my son enjoys doing on Dr Frost (he doesn’t get it from me). He’s year 6 and used the solutions to mark his work (memorised his answers) and thinks he got 90. Does anyone know how long the boundaries take to come out? Assume a few weeks? He’s keen to know if he made it through to the Kangaroo.

WarningOfGails · 29/04/2024 11:37

Tiredalwaystired · 25/04/2024 22:57

My daughter did it. Her main take was that the word ferret was overused in one question…

Hah my DD was telling me about the ferret question!

NotQuiteHere · 29/04/2024 15:39

Rehab4rightmove · 25/04/2024 23:14

My ds said that a typical question was similar to 'if ab+10 = 90c, what colour socks does Dave wear on Tuesdays's?'

Really made me laugh. He said he had to guess a lo of it, but finished (probably because he guessed a lot of it).

Now the questions are available, you can see if he was right.
https://ukmt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/JMC-2024-Question-Paper-4.pdf

https://ukmt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/JMC-2024-Question-Paper-4.pdf

WarningOfGails · 29/04/2024 16:03

Forty furry ferrets weigh the same as fifty fit ferrets…

Pinkback · 01/05/2024 21:36

Grade boundaries is out:

Gold 86
Kangoroo 92
JMO 123!

CouldNotStayAway · 01/05/2024 22:00

Pinkback · 01/05/2024 21:36

Grade boundaries is out:

Gold 86
Kangoroo 92
JMO 123!

I'm assuming results might be out soon if grade boundaries are out?

QueryA · 02/05/2024 14:01

DS has texted to say he got 101, which is gold. He is pleased with himself. We didn't know anything about it, it wasn't mentioned at all until last week when he sat it. He enjoys maths but doesn't have a competitive streak so is happy enough just doing extra maths problems.

DoNotScrapeMyDataBishes · 02/05/2024 15:19

Tiredalwaystired · 25/04/2024 22:57

My daughter did it. Her main take was that the word ferret was overused in one question…

Oh god DD1 has gone on and on about the fucking ferrets. I don't give a flying fuck about how many flipping ferrets there were fucking about.

QuiteAJourney · 02/05/2024 15:30

@QueryA with that score, he qualifies for kangaroo. So more problems to enjoy coming his way.

Lisaquin01 · 02/05/2024 16:00

My DD is also through to the Kangeroo but dont know her score yet - her teacher just pulled her aside to congratulate her.

Really chuffed for her as she scrapped silver last year

Tacocatgoatcheesepizza · 02/05/2024 16:17

QueryA · 02/05/2024 14:01

DS has texted to say he got 101, which is gold. He is pleased with himself. We didn't know anything about it, it wasn't mentioned at all until last week when he sat it. He enjoys maths but doesn't have a competitive streak so is happy enough just doing extra maths problems.

My ds also got 101!! It’s the first year he’s done it and he’s super excited to have got through to the kangaroo.

side note: does anyone know why it’s called the kangaroo?!

user799568149 · 02/05/2024 16:33

Tacocatgoatcheesepizza · 02/05/2024 16:17

My ds also got 101!! It’s the first year he’s done it and he’s super excited to have got through to the kangaroo.

side note: does anyone know why it’s called the kangaroo?!

Ancient history. From an old ukmt page:

"Kangourou sans Frontières (KSF) is an independent association, whose purpose is to organise the annual Kangaroo contest with the aim of promoting mathematics among young people around the world. The name sounds strange, but recognises the fact that the organisation was inspired by the Australian Mathematics Trust."

PandaG · 02/05/2024 16:41

DS used to love doing them - he was in the team for his year group too, got through to the national finals of the team challenge several times. But if you don't like that type of maths then can be very boring!

CouldNotStayAway · 02/05/2024 17:23

@Tacocatgoatcheesepizza @Lisaquin01 @QueryA well done to your DC, DS also got 101, and is very pleased he's though to kangaroo.

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