Maths Enhancement Club
- 16 Mar 2020
“Each 3x3 box, as well as each row and column must contain all the numbers from 1 to 9.”
A rather simple rule for a puzzle, and yet, it can lead to thousands of variations, and some so mind-boggling that it may take hours to solve. One great feature of Sudoku puzzles is that it is accessible to everyone since it does not require any higher mathematics. It does however require logical thinking and a bit of patience.
The McK Sudoku Challenge is one of the major events organized by the Maths Enhancement Club during Term 1. It is open to all Year 7 and 8 students who are interested in Sudoku, logic or problem solving in general. On Monday 16 March, a group of puzzle enthusiasts took part in the challenge to solve three different Sudoku-inspired puzzles in 30 minutes. It was an exciting contest for all involved:
“The Sudoku Challenge is very fun and challenging for all ages.” Esha Gaind (Year 7)
“The Sudoku Challenge was really hard for me since I am not really good at these activities, but it was still fun overall. I would like to do this again in the near future so I can get a good score.” Amy Tran (Year 7)
“The Sudoku challenge was fun and exciting. I am glad I participated, and I found out that I am actually better than I thought!” Rohan Russel (Year 8)
“The McKinnon Sudoku Challenge is a great way to challenge your mind, whilst still competing with your peers. As the school offers many amazing opportunities, the McKinnon Sudoku Challenge is definitely a must.” Thea Dodos (Year 7)
“I very much enjoyed the 2020 Sudoku Challenge. It was challenging yet really fun at the same time. Competing against my friends also made it more of a competition to try even harder.” Naomi Fowler (Year 8)
Congratulations to the following placegetters:
1st - Mischa Kong (Year 8)
2nd - Jonathan Kui (Year 8)
3rd - Thea Dodos (Year 7)
4th - Josh Newfield (Year 8)
5th - Aaron Baker (Year 8)
Special thanks to Mr Andrew Krause for the wonderful photography and Mr Bill Manolas for the professionally made commemorative/award badges! We leave you with a puzzle written by one of the contestants:
“If A=B, B=C, C=D…. Z=A, Decode the following message: Tveplv dibmmfohf jt gvo!” Jonathan Kui (Year 8)
Finally, in preparation for the Math competitions, each registered participant has been invited to the Math Enhancement google classroom. This will be the forum to communicate in open discussions, watch video demonstrations, and share preparatory resources. We encourage all those involved and others interested to post their ideas and mathematical working on problem sets to help build a strong online learning community.
Mr Georgiadis & Dr Law
Maths Enhancement Club
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