Aaliyah Zhou (9) | Staff Reporter
During the months of October and November, STR students interested in mathematics were given the opportunity to write several national math contests, specifically the Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge (COMC) and the Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests (CIMC and CSMC). The purpose of these competitions is to foster students’ knowledge in mathematics and problem-solving.
St. Robert students participated in the COMC on October 30, 2024. Widely regarded as one of the most prestigious math competitions in the Americas, participation in the COMC is a requirement for students working to compete internationally on Math Team Canada. Top-ranking participants are also considered for university scholarships, math camps, and a variety of awards and prizes. Currently, universities across Canada are in the process of marking COMC tests, and results are expected to be released in December.
The CSIMC (CSMC and CIMC, respectively) took place on November 13, 2024. The Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests, organized by the University of Waterloo, consist of two separate contests run by grade level. The CSMC, designed for grade 11 and 12 students, covers eight major topic areas: exponents and logarithms; trigonometry; functions, equations, and polynomials; analytic geometry; sequences and series; euclidean geometry; counting and probability; and properties of numbers. The CSIMC increases in difficulty as students move to later questions, similar to the format of other math contests administered by the University of Waterloo.
While helping to develop transferable skills such as critical and computational thinking, these competitions also require students to be innovative and capable of coping with poor performance, both of which prepare them for post-secondary studies. All the best to any Rams who participated this year!
