Maths whizzes’ efforts add up to top honours
DURBAN’S Upper Highway is home to nine maths whizzes who have earned their spurs on an international stage … and they’re still at primary school.
Nine pupils from Abagility Maths Club, ranging between 9 and 12 years old, brought home nine trophies from an international mental arithmetic and abacus championship in Singapore earlier this month.
They were the only ones from KwaZulu-Natal to be part of the 29 representatives from South Africa. About 120 children from various countries entered the event. The competition had two segments.
In the first, each child had six minutes to write an exam, with only a Japanese abacus at their disposal.
In the other exam, they were given just two minutes to do maths calculations mentally. In both, they had to calculate 40 sums.
The Durban children brought home a Super Champion Trophy and a Champion Trophy, awarded to participants who finished first and second in their age groups. They also scooped three gold, three silver, and one bronze trophy.
“I was proud to qualify and compete in Singapore. My mom was very proud of me, which made me happy,” said Havaria Pillay, 9.
“It’s fun and I love solving difficult problems,” Heath MaClou, 11, said.
Dylan Jewitt and Daniele Hauptfleisch, both 11, were chosen to do 10 mental calculations on stage with four other contestants in another round.
“I am so happy that I came first in my level and came home with my Super Champion Trophy,” Daniele said. “It was scary, but once the whistle blew, I just focused on the sums.”
Abagility Maths Club director Tracy Hauptfleisch said: “The competition is tough and it’s a huge honour to come back to South Africa with children who achieved top awards.
“They have proven that our children are capable of competing equally against others in the world.”
Hauptfleisch said the children at the maths club had been learning the Japanese abacus techniques since they were 5, preparing them for the competition.
“Practice is essential to build speed and confidence.
“They visualise the abacus to calculate faster than an adult can do on a calculator.”
They qualified for the competition in Singapore after excelling at a regional championship in Kloof last year.
Today the group goes to Gauteng for a national championship tomorrow – 47 from South Africa will take part, 40 from KZN, and seven from the Western Cape. “Some of these children will qualify for the next international championships in Thailand next year,” said Hauptfleisch.