THREE students from Tidworth have been named among the winners of their school trust's mathematics challenge.

The beginning of the year saw Trustees from Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust throw down the gauntlet to pupils within the schools by setting a Mathematics challenge based on the curious date, 22nd February (22/2/22).

Pupils were asked to generate a series of numbers, starting from one, using mathematical formulae, but only using the five 2s in the date 22/2/22, for each calculation.

Among the winners were students from The Wellington Academy and Wellington Lions Primary Academy in Tidworth, with all winners receiving a certificate and prize.

Oliver Zalewski Da Graca in Year 9 said: “I enjoyed this challenge, it really pushed me to think of different formulas to achieve the highest score I could.”

Rachel McLaren in Year 5 added: “I really enjoyed how you can make so many different patterns with numbers.”

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Chair of trustees, Nathan Coombs, said: “This Maths challenge has really fired the imagination of our pupils in our primary schools, but also really stretched the advanced mathematicians in our sixth forms. The first few numbers were quite straight forward but solutions after 26 became a little more involved.

“It has been exciting to hear of conversations even carrying on at home and hope this will deepen a love of mathematics for some.”

After a month or so of head scratching, and by using the heads of Mathematics of each school as adjudicators, Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Trust announced that the overall winner was Year 10 student Oscar Graham Eld from Royal Wootton Bassett Academy. He used a combination of high-level trigonometric functions to reach 118.

Pupils from every school produced some fantastic solutions, showing creativity and tenacity in deriving solutions from just five digits. All winners - which included Oliver, Rachel and fellow Wellington Lions pupil Maisie Holmes in Year 6 - were awarded their certificates and book tokens during school this week.

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George Croxford, CEO for the trust, added his congratulations. He said: “It is great that our Chair of Trustees has set a challenge which has gripped so many students across all our 7 schools. I am sure the students are already looking forward to his next challenge!”

Mr Coombs added: “The formulae for some of the answers have been exciting and mind-boggling. Well done to all the pupils who took part in the challenge and congratulations to the superb winners of each school. We know there will be competition among the schools to rise to the top of the leader board next time.

“The Trust will be issuing another challenge before Easter for all the pupils in their schools. Again, this is one that can be attempted and solved by any pupil, but it will require diligence and persistence. Watch this space!”

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