Hello everyone, SUMS will be holding a Maths Relay on Wednesday, October 8 (that is the first week back from the mid-semester break). It will be held in Carslaw Lecture Theatre 275 from 1-2pm. Most of the rest of this notice is regarding how the relay will be run. The details can be subject to change if there is enough demand (if their is something that you would like changed, please tell me). A maths relay is pretty simple, so don’t be daunted by my long explanations, most of the rules are pretty intuitive. BASICS - The relay is a team competition, with teams of 3 competing. - When the relay begins, a member of each team will go to the marker and collect a question on a sheet of paper, which they then take back to their team. They then attempt to work out the answer to their question. - When a team thinks they have an answer, they will write their answer on the sheet of paper, then go to the marker to have their answer checked. - If the answer is right, the marker will give them the next question, which they then attempt to solve, etc. - If the answer is wrong, the team can attempt the question again, or pass. If they pass, the marker takes that question and gives them the next one. SUBTLETIES - If a team gets a question wrong and wishes to make another attempt, the team member must return to their team’s location and write in the new answer, before returning to the marker. They cannot simply stand next to the marker and write down a new answer. - Answers must be written on the sheet of paper containing the question, and must be easily visible and readable to the marker. Anything else written on the paper (e.g. old answers that were marked wrong) must be scribbled out, so it is obvious to the marker what your "current" answer is. - If a team passes a question, they cannot return to it and attempt it later on. - No calculators or textbooks, reference materials etc. are allowed. - Teams may use their own paper for working out. Do not do your working on the question sheet. STYLE OF QUESTIONS - The questions will be of a problem-solving nature, similar to the questions you would get in those multiple-choice maths competitions that you may have done in high school. Think of the SUMS Problem Competition, only MUCH easier. - Each question will have a simple, concise answer (usually, but not necessarily, a number). None of the questions will ask you to prove anything. Working will not be considered, only the answer. It will always be clear what the question is asking you to do. - Although the questions will not strictly be ordered in terms of difficulty, they will tend to get harder as the questions progress. That is, the first few questions will be easier, while the last few questions will be very tricky. - Every team will get the same set of questions in the same order. Thus it is advised that teams do not discuss their questions too loudly, or verbally announce their answer to the marker. - Their will be at least 15 questions. It will be set such that it is unlikely that a team will get through all the questions in time. Therefore, each team will always be working on a questions (unless they are getting their answer checked). SCORING - The first 5 questions are worth 5 marks, the next 5 questions are worth 10 marks, the next 5 questions are worth 15 marks. This system may change slightly, but each question will be worth the same number of marks or more marks than the previous question. - Wrong answers will not be penalised, nor will passing on a question. However, if you pass a question, you will not get the marks for that question and you cannot attempt that question again. - I do not intend to have any penalties for this relay. However, obviously if I see any behaviour that I consider to be against the spirit of the relay (e.g. interfering other teams, using calculators, bribes, stabbing the marker in the eye while delivering an uppercut to a rival team member, etc.), then I will penalise those teams accordingly. MISCELLANEOUS - There will be prizes. - If I have missed any details or make any corrections, I will mention them in a future notice. HOW TO PARTICIPATE - If you want to participate, simply find 2 friends and contact me at garethw@maths.usyd.edu.au. - When you have a team, please email me telling me the name of your team, and your team members. - You cannot be in more than 1 team. - That is the best way of participating in this relay. However, if you would like to participate but cannot find 2 other people, please still notify me telling me that you wish to do the relay, and I will put you in a team. - Please try to email me as soon as possible after you form your team. If you intend to participate, you must notify me before the day of the relay (so October 7 or earlier), as I will almost certainly not have enough time to accommodate teams that turn up on the day without prior notice. - As I mentioned in that last point, time is important here. We will only have the lecture theatre from 1-2pm (there are classes immediately before and after). As I would like to devote as much time as possible to the actual relay, I ask that you try your best to turn up as close to 1pm as possible. If some of your team members are a little late, do not worry, it shouldn’t make much of a difference. If you have any questions or want me to clarify anything, please email me at garethw@maths.usyd.edu.au Gareth