Cape Town maths boffins dominate SA team at African champs
Five pupils from schools in Cape Town and one from Pretoria are taking part in the 24th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO)‚ taking place in Senegal until April 30.The South African team was selected from the top learners who participated in the 2015 Final Round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO) and other Olympiad training programmes organised by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF).The team of three girls and three boys comprises: - SangEun Lee‚ Grade 12‚ St George’s Grammar School in Cape Town; - Hannah Clayton‚ Grade 12‚ Rustenburg Girls’ High School in Cape Town;- Rauseenah Upadhey‚ Grade 10‚ Westerford High School in Cape Town; - Timothy Schlesinger‚ Grade 10‚ Rondebosch Boys’ High School in Cape Town; - Ralph McDougall‚ Grade 10‚ Curro Durbanville Private School in Cape Town; and - Mpho Nkwana‚ Grade 12‚ Clapham High School in Pretoria.In 2015 the South African team managed second place.The SA Mathematics Foundation said in a statement that SangEun Lee was crowned African queen of mathematics in 2015 when South Africa obtained one gold‚ one silver and four bronze medals. Hannah Clayton and Timothy Schlesinger were also part of the 2015 South African team. Ralph McDougall‚ a junior top 10 national medallist of the 2015 SAMO‚ Mpho Nkwana and Rauseenah Upadhey are the three new members in the team.The PAMO questions cover algebra‚ geometry‚ number theory‚ combinatorics and probability. The objective is to encourage mathematical talent and exchange information on curricula and teaching methods in mathematics across the African continent."This great opportunity will not only open up doors for these young 'mathletes'. It will also broaden their problem solving skills. They will learn how to tackle mathematical problems differently as they interact with learners from other African countries‚" the foundation said.Professor Johann Engelbrecht‚ the SA Mathematics Foundation executive director at the SAMF‚ said they had high hopes for the South African team: "We have no doubt that they will bring home a few medals"...
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