Dates for 2008 to 2009

Senior Maths Challenge. Thursday 6th November 2008. For all 6i and 6ii Mathematicians.

Intermediate Maths Challenge. Thursday 5th February 2009. For those in top sets and others who are interested in Years 7 to 11.

Junior Maths Challenge. Thursday 30th April 2009. For those in top sets and others who are interested in Years 7 and 8.

These challenges, organised by the United Kingdon Mathematics Trust, are an opportunity for pupils to display their skills and apply their mathematical knowledge to practical situations.

The UKMT Maths Challenges are lively, intriguing papers designed to stimulate interest in maths in large numbers of pupils. They are tests of reasoning and mental agility which can be taken without any special preparation or revision. The three levels cover the secondary school range 11-18 and together they attract over half a million entries each year from over 4000 schools and colleges.

The three levels:

· UK Junior Mathematics Challenge for year 8 and below
· UK Intermediate Mathematics Challenge for year 11 and below
· UK Senior Mathematics Challenge for the sixth form and below.

The Junior and Intermediate Challenges are aimed at the top 35% of pupils in each year group (see table below). The Senior Challenge is suitable for all students aged 16-19 studying maths below university level, but enthusiastic younger pupils are also encouraged to enter.

The papers contain 25 multiple-choice questions. Of these, the first 15 are more accessible whilst the final 10 will provide more food for thought. Gold, silver and bronze certificates are awarded to 40% of participants nationally and the most successful participants at each level are invited to enter follow-on rounds.

Click here to find out more and to see samples of the papers.

Try Some Questions

Junior Challenge
1. The sum of seven, single-digit positive whole numbers is 17. Six of these numbers are equal, so what is the other number?

Intermediate Challenge
1. Alice's room is furnished with three-legged stools and four-legged chairs. There are 17 legs in all (excluding Alice's!). How many three-legged stools are there?

Senior Challenge
1. Which of the following networks is not traversable? (A traversable network is one which can be drawn without taking the pen off the paper and without going over any line more than once.)

Are you up to the Maths Challenge?

· 580,000 students in 4000 schools across the UK took part last year.