The Middle School Mathematics Challenge will take place this Saturday at the North Hall Lecture Theatre of the Bermuda College.

Clearwater Middle School were the winners last year and hope to maintain their claim.

The Bermuda Council of Teachers of Mathematics is hosting the event and council president Necheeka Trott said: "The aim of the competition is to make students aware of maths related careers, like actuarial science, accountancy, computer science, economics and banking."

Ms Trott said: "We work very closely with the reinsurance businesses here on the Island."

Students will compete for prizes by answering questions on algebra, geometry, data handling and problem solving.

They will have 60 seconds to answer each question and if they cannot, the question will be thrown to the rest of their team and then to all the other schools.

The prizes are a computer, printer, scanner, a trophy for each student, a TI-83 calculator and the grand prize winner will also win a scholarship for two years at the Bermuda College.

The event is being sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Chartered Accountants of Bermuda, Argus, Ace Group, Bermuda Microsystems Group, XL Education Initiative and the Ministry of Education and Development.

How would you do at the Mathathon?

Here is an example of the kind of maths problem that Mathathon competitors will face on Saturday. Try it and see how you would do.

In the 1948 Olympics, Olga Gyarmati of Hungary won the women's long jump competition by jumping approximately 18 feet.

Forty years later, in 1988, Jackie Joyner Kersee of the United States won the same event, jumping 24 feet.

If this percent of increase is maintained,what should be the length, in feet, of the winning long jump in 2028?

Other events:

Spice Valley Middle School Maths Fair - April 16 to 17

Northlands Primary School's `Lets Measure Up' - April 22 to 26

Somerset Primary Family Math Night - April 23

Gilbert Institute Math Quiz Contest - April 24

Gilbert Institute Family Math Night - April 25

Prospect Primary Math Fun Day - April 26

Somerset Primary Number Fact Competition - April 26

St. John's Preschool Math Celebration - April 26

World Math Day April 26:

Clearwater Middle School Math Career Day and Quiz

Heron Bay School Family Hands-on-Math Night

St. George's Preparatory School Family Math Fun Night

Port Royal Primary School Meaningful Math Day

Please ring the above schools for the event dates.

On the Internet:

Check out the Do Math website at:

www.domath.org or

www.nctm.org