Whanganui High School wins Mathex title for the first time in 10 years

Ravi Prasad, Zoe van de Wees, Lauren Phillips, Calum Sinclair, Jimmy Leonard and Firooze Colaabavala won the Year 10 Manawatu-Whanganui Mathex competition. Photo / Bevan Conley

The only high school from Whanganui to participate in the annual Year 10 Mathex Manawatu-Whanganui competition has clinched the title for the first time just over 10 years.

Calum Sinclair, Firooze Colaabavala, Lauren Phillips and Zoe van de Wees from Whanganui High School competed against 23 other teams from around the region at the Awapuni Racecourse.

Whanganui High School won the competition in 2007 and then again in 2008 but has been unable to regain the trophy until now.

Colaabavala said the group all really enjoy maths. especially the problem-solving side of things.

Growing up each member of the group became involved with Mathex and when they reached high school level they decided to join together and create a team.

Whanganui High School maths teacher, Ravi Prasad, said the school held a Mathex competition the Monday before Friday's competition and from there the two top Year 9 and 10 teams were selected.

Different types of math were covered including algebra, statistics and geometry.

"We had to be strategic whether we passed questions or not because we didn't have much time," Phillips said.

Colaabavala said the group found the practical much easier this year as they were more prepared.

Sinclair said they learned how to delegate the practical task well.

"Other teams were doing the tasks all together but we decided to focus on one task each and then discuss them all together at the end."

The teams were given tape, scissors, and glue for the practical tasks but were not allowed a calculator throughout the competition.

"We had to keep concentrated and keeping our momentum going," Sinclair said.

The team hopes to enter again at a senior level next year.