A team of number experts from Ipswich attempted to divide and conquer when they travelled to a national maths competition in Solihull.
Earlier this year, three teams from Suffolk New College won their respective heats in the MEI Further Education (FE) Maths Competition regional contest, a competition that was created by Mathematics in Education and Industry (MEI).
Thanks to this regional success, a Suffolk ensemble then headed on a trip to the Midlands to take on other college students who had travelled from all areas of this country.
(The travel and overnight stay were made possible thanks to a generous donation from Willis Towers Watson).
Whilst in Solihull, teams firstly had to negotiate a maths puzzle before taking part in a quiz.
A team from the college managed to secure third place overall, fractionally missing out on top honours.
Maths lecturer from the college, Sarah Stevens, was wowed by the learner efforts. She said: “Coming third is a phenomenal achievement considering 58,416 students took part in the competition across the country – only 120 students went through to
the national final. Overall, the whole experience has given the students a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of maths, giving them a boost ahead of the exam season. Lastly, a big thanks to Willis Towers Watson for making this trip possible.”
Billy Harden, 16, from Ipswich, is studying on a level 1 Games Design and E-Sports course. On the experience, he said: “This has been an amazing confidence building experience for all of us, and hopefully next year we represent our college again.”
Riley Palmer-Smith is studying on a Catering and Hospitality course. The 16-year-old from Ipswich said: “The trip was enjoyable. I also have a new love for Sudoku following the trip.”