Taylors' Boys take on The House Maths Competition
Last week we held our annual House Maths Competition which began with an exciting initial round held in the Exam Hall, where all eight houses gathered to compete. Each team tackled two questions across six sections, covering various areas of mathematics.
The atmosphere was electric as participants engaged in Mental Maths, Algebra, and Geometry, as well as individual questions, relay-style problems, and team challenges. With minds whirring and intense focus in the air, the teams gave their all to secure a spot in the next stage.
After a strong showing, four teams qualified for the semi-final round, a knockout stage that saw Mulcaster face off against Spenser, while Raphael went up against White. The competition was fierce, with each team vying for a place in the final.
Ultimately, it was White and Mulcaster Houses that emerged victorious from the semi-finals, advancing to a highly anticipated final round. The report below, written by the captain of the White House team, captures the thrilling conclusion to this year's House Maths Competition.
writes Samuel W (U6th)
Thursday afternoon saw the hotly anticipated denouement of the annual House Maths competition. Intriguingly, the final round pitted Mulcaster house against White, which amounted to a rematch of last year’s finale, an enthralling encounter in which White had narrowly prevailed. Trying their utmost to keep their nerves at bay, veteran and fledgling competitors alike were all too aware of the stakes - each team must consist of one Third former, a Fourth former, a student from the Fifth form and one from the Sixth form.
The Starter Round failed to separate the two sides, although Mulcaster emerged with a narrow lead after the Mental Maths round. If a pin were to have dropped in the midst of one of the timed rounds, it could certainly have been heard; such was the focus of the budding mathematicians and the awe of lookers-on. Despite the rugged efforts of White House team members throughout the challenging yet intense Algebra and Geometry rounds, Mulcaster retained a slim lead entering the Shuttle Round. Still as determined as ever, White house overturned this lead, thanks in large part to the supreme Shuttle skills of Vinit B (U3rds) and Kevin Z (4th), who managed a remarkable 8 points in signature style.
Lastly, the Team Section offered the opportunity to book a one-way voyage to the House Maths history books, as a significant number of points were up for grabs. Our answer sheets were taken to be marked by members of the Maths department, who, just as in past years, had toiled diligently to put on such a captivating competition. Learning the news of a 41-37 White house victory, team members shook hands with their counterparts, all of whom had been highly proficient adversaries. Sheer geometric blood, arithmetic sweat and algebraic tears had earned White this victory, and valuable points had been won in the quest to defend its title in the yearly House competition.