A Year 11 pupil has been placed equal 15th in the British Mathematical Olympiad. Gabriel Gendler is only the second QE boy ever to qualify for the second round of this competition.
He achieved his high position despite being younger than most of his fellow Olympiad competitors, many of whom were Sixth-Formers. Gabriel was invited to participate in the competition because of his outstanding previous performance in the Senior Maths Challenge. Both the Challenge and the British Mathematical Olympiad are run by the UK Mathematics Trust.
Along with five other QE boys – and around 1,300 strong mathematicians from around the country – Gabriel first sat the Round 1 Olympiad test. This consisted of six extended questions which had to be completed in three-and-a-half hours. Gabriel scored 50 out of a possible 60 marks and was awarded a silver medal, a book prize and entry to the second round.
Only 34 students nationally qualified for Round 2, in which participants had three-and-a-half hours to attempt four extended questions. Gabriel’s score of 12 points gained him joint 15th position overall.
“We offer our warmest congratulations to Gabriel,” said Mathematics teacher Wendy Fung. “He performed very well in a competition which attracts the brightest and best of young mathematicians from across the UK each year. This experience will stand him in good stead for future competitions.”