Singapore students win medals in leading international maths competition

A presentation ceremony will be held for the annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) on Thursday 22 October at the Novotel Hotel, Clarke Quay, at 5.30pm. The Australian Consul-General to Singapore, Mr John Newman, will represent the Australian High Commission and present awards to the medallists.
The AMC is the major mathematics school enrichment event in the South Pacific region, and the first and one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year more than 28,000 students from 133 primary and secondary schools in Singapore entered the competition. Several hundred thousand students from schools across 42 countries entered and only 68 medals have been awarded globally so far.

Whilst the AMC aims to encourage the average primary and secondary student in the study of mathematics, it also identifies and acknowledges the more exceptional and talented students. This year there are 10 Singaporean medallists: 
- BAY Wei Heng*, Hwa Chong Institution, Year 8 
- HAO Ang Yun Jonathan*, NUS High School of Mathematics & Science, Year 8 
- KOR Ryan*, Raffles Institution, Year 9 
- LEE Kai Wei*, Raffles Girls School (Secondary), Year 8 
- LIEW Chien Cheng Sean*, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), Year 8
- LIM Jeck*, NUS High School of Mathematics & Science, Year 8
- LIN Wayne*, NUS High School of Mathematics & Science, Year 10
- LO Sean*, Raffles Institution, Year 7
- NG Nathaniel*, Raffles Institution, Year 8
- SHENG Chao, Hwa Chong Institution, Year 11

* These nine medallists achieved perfect scores and will also receive the Peter O’Halloran Award for Excellence.

Professor Peter Taylor, Executive Director of the not-for-profit Australian Mathematics Trust, which administers the AMC, said, “The AMC aims to encourage students of all standards in their study of mathematics. It sets out to demonstrate how mathematics can be used in the world around them via problem solving using the skills students learn in the classroom. The AMC has also been useful in identifying talented students such as these and the results are used for inviting students into more advanced mathematical enrichment programs.”

Prizes are awarded to approximately the top 0.3% of students sitting the AMC in each year. Approximately 1500 prizes will be distributed amongst students in 42 countries. There will be 74 prize awards presented at the ceremony to the AMC prizewinners and a total of 87 Prudence Awards to students in Singapore who achieved the highest number of consecutive correct responses in their school.

Local students who won prizes in the Australian Intermediate Mathematical Olympiad (AIMO) and the Australian Informatics Competition (AIC), which are also conducted by the trust, will receive their awards at this special ceremony together with the AMC medallists.

The University of Canberra and the Canberra Mathematical Association in Australia are supporting sponsors of the AMC.

Photo opportunity:
WHAT: Special prize giving ceremony for the 2009 Australian Mathematics Competition
WHEN: Thursday 22 October 2009 at 5.30pm
WHERE: The Phoenix Ballroom, Level 6, Novotel Hotel, Clarke Quay, Singapore

Media are cordially invited to attend, but are asked to kindly be set up by 5.00pm.

For further information, please contact:
Ms Suzanne Fraser, Manager, Australian Mathematics Trust; tel. +61 437 670 610