Perfect score: senior mathematicians perform to the highest standard in national competition

Perfect score: senior mathematicians perform to the highest standard in national competition

Two QE sixth-formers scored maximum marks in this year’s UK Senior Maths Challenge.

Bashmy Basheer and Nico Puthu, of Year 13, both scored 125 out of 125, earning themselves jointly the Best in School title. They were amongst 39 QE boys to receive gold certificates – up from 33 last year.

A further 55 boys were awarded silver, and 29 bronze. The top 40% of participants in the competition are awarded gold, silver and bronze certificates in the ratio 1:2:3.

The Best in Year 12 title went to Suvir Rathore, who scored 102.

Nine boys, including Bashmy, Nico and Suvir, have qualified for the British Mathematical Olympiad and a further 30 go through to the competition’s other follow-on round, the Senior Kangaroo. To qualify for the Olympiad, candidates must score at least 102 points, while for the Kangaroo, they need at least 83 points.

Nico said: “There were lots of geometry questions, which I found really interesting to solve.”

Congratulating the successful competitors, Assistant Head of Mathematics Wendy Fung said: “Many of the boys who have qualified through to the follow-on rounds have been members of QE’s Élite Maths group for a number of years and are now passing on their experience and wisdom through mentoring students in Years 9 to 11.”

  • Sample question:
    The positive integer 2018 is the product of two primes. What is the sum of these two primes?
    A 1001 B 1010 C 1011 D1100 E 1101
    Answer:
    2 + 1009 = 1011 so C