Pupils in bid to answer million maths questions by end of month

SOUTH African Grade 8 to 12 pupils have answered more than 155 000 online mathematical questions in less than a week.

The aim is to answer one million by the end of the month.

The Siyavula #1MillionMaths Challenge hopes to show pupils‚ parents and teachers that through technology, maths can become easier with practice.

“We’re challenging them to complete one million maths exercises on our platform because we want them to experience the impact that practice can have on their grasp of mathematical concepts,” Siyavula chief executive officer Mark Horner said.

“It’s a misnomer that some people ‘just can’t do maths’ – everyone can‚ at their own pace and with the right feedback and guidance.

“Research shows learners who practise regularly will improve and do better in maths.”

Pupils have to sign up and answer the questions online. The answers are checked instantly and the online learning tool provides step-by-step explanations on how to tackle each question.

Prizes including gift vouchers‚ data bundles‚ cellphones‚ a laptop and iPad.

A total of 150 000 pupils from no-fee public schools who participate in the challenge are also eligible to receive a Google.org sponsored scholarship that will grant them free access to practice maths next year.

In July, Google awarded Siyavula a $1.5-million (R20.4-million) grant to help close learning gaps.