FAQ

What is the Theme?

The theme for 2011: Active Maths.

The theme for 2012: Maths in Christchurch

How do I know my entry has been received?

The lists of entries received are regularly updated on the website on the 2011 Teams Competition page. Please check this page to see if we have received your entry.

Why is there no Preliminary Heats this year?

As we have had to change venues we are now able to cater for more teams in each of the competitions and hence the need to run the Preliminary competition is no longer needed.

We find the sound system unclear.

A few schools mentioned that it was very difficult to hear and understand the compere. However, the students on the floor can clearly hear the compere and follow directions. We will check out the sound system with the sound technicians and the compere thoroughly before the competition.

We find the Scoreboards hard to see.

We realise it can be difficult to see these boards from far away and we have considered an electronic alternative but the cost is far too prohibitive for us. We are considering a data projection screen and camera which could show different scoreboards on a big screen during the competition for those sitting upstairs that cannot read the boards.

Who are the Markers?

Over the course of the Cantamath history we have found senior school students to be the most reliable (over teachers/trainees/other adults!), also we do not have to worry about bias (the markers do not mark teams from their own schools). There is always going to be an element of human error however we do have a number of excellent checking systems in place that allow us to track problems efficiently.

Some of the confusion in the past couple of years has been where a team has submitted more than one answer on their question slip (forgetting to cross out a previous incorrect answer). As the marker could only reply yes or no, in these cases, the marker had to say no even if one is correct.

Now we allow markers to say "unclear" indicating to the team that they cannot clearly see only one answer.

Who judges the Display Categories and how is it kept consistent?

There was a comment regarding inconsistency in judging completed mainly by Mathematics Teachers. This is difficult to avoid and there will always be an amount of subjectivity in this; the judges are assigned to categories in pairs in an attempt to offer some moderation. We extend an offer to any teachers willing to be part of the judging process.

How can I get involved in Cantamath?

Yes we are always looking for help and especially on the busy days in August. Please email your details to the Cantamath Secretary; cantamath@gmail.com and state briefly who you are, what you do and how much time you have to offer.

How can I feedback my comments?

Please feel free to email any comments to the Cantamath Secretary; cantamath@gmail.com. Website comments and issues should go to rm@burnside.school.nz.

Thank you!
(File edited 12/05/11)