Summary
Event brought together over 6,000 students from 11 countries, all tasked with solving 300 advanced mathematical problems within just 11 minutes
Once perceived as intimidating and tough, mathematics has become a source of confidence and excitement for many young learners. This transformation was evident among participants at the 21st edition of the SIP Abacus International Prodigy held at Biswa Bangla Prangan Mela ground on November 10.
The event brought together over 6,000 students from 11 countries, all tasked with solving 300 advanced mathematical problems within just 11 minutes. Competing students were assessed on concentration, confidence, intelligence, speed and accuracy.
Participating nations included Sri Lanka, Dubai, Australia, the Philippines, Bahrain, Tanzania, Bangladesh, New Zealand, the USA and Nepal. The competition drew participants aged six to 11 from 950 SIP Abacus Learning Centres worldwide.
Competing against them, Bengal kids Adrit Chakraborty of Class VII, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Salt Lake, and Barnita Das of Class IV, St Paul's Academy, Burdwan became National and International champions from levels GM B and 4Brespectively.
Clad in orange T-shirts, the young mathematicians tackled abacus calculations, visual computation and multiplication and division problems. The contest comprised two rounds, each consisting of five minutes to solve problems using the abacus, followed by three minutes for mental math. An additional three-minute segment tested multiplication and division skills minus abacus.
The difficulty of the problems and the strict time limits increased as students advanced through the levels.
Between competition rounds, attendees were treated to a cultural programme, adding a celebratory atmosphere to the high-stakes event.
Saibal Chattopadhyay, director in charge of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, was the chief guest. A total of 1,200 students earned position trophies while 1,800 students were awarded the Performer Award.
The event saw participation from various schools, including South Point School, St Xavier's Collegiate School, Loreto Convent, Entally, Don Bosco, Park Circus and The Adamas International School.
"SIP Abacus is not just an institute for learning mathematics. Rather it helps kids to learn how to visualise numbers and achieve success," said Dinesh Victor, managing director of SIP Academy.
Shubhajit Mullick, regional head, east, SIP Abacus, said: "Abacus is helping kids develop their memory, speed, accuracy and confidence."
Last updated on 21 Nov 2024
