The math competition Sigma 8 will take place at the library April 16–17
On April 16–17, the math competition Sigma 8 will take place at the KTH Library. Sigma 8 is a Nordic math competition for 8th-grade students throughout the Nordic region. It is a unique math competition, the only one of its kind in Sweden, where the entire class collaborates to solve problems as well as a deeper project.
This year, the deeper topic is "block box", a subject that these students have not previously worked with. Collaboration means that the students are given eight tasks that the class must solve in 90 minutes. There is a lot of argumentation about which solution is best. Often, some students wake up and find math enjoyable.
About 170 classes participate in the competition, well spread throughout Sweden. The ten best municipal winners go to the semifinals. Four students (two boys and two girls) will represent the class in the semifinals on April 16 at the KTH Library. On April 17, the final will take place, where three teams compete. The winner will represent Sweden in the Nordic final, which will be held in Trondheim, Norway this year.
All participating classes also create a poster and video, an and oral presentation about the project. High school students from Danderyd's special math class are judges. Some of these posters can also be seen after Sigma 8 has ended.
The competition also opens up the possibility of returning to KTH as a student as the pupils grow older. They gain insight into what KTH looks like, and the library serves as a great platform for showcasing KTH's breadth and attracting future students. According to Bengt Åhlander, one of the organizer of Sigma 8, it is clear that the students get a very positive impression of KTH during their visit. They express that it would be cool to study at KTH, and they also tell friends and classmates about their impressions.
More information is available at www.sigma8.se .
During Tuesday to Wednesday, April 16–17, the South-East Gallery will be occupied by the competition. Those of you visiting the library during these days are kindly requested to be mindful of our younger visitors on these days!