Cantamaths 2014

Theme: Famous Mathematicians

Great website about famous mathematicians

Cantamath is an important and exciting part of the school calendar for many teachers and students. It provides an opportunity for students to explore the wide world of mathematics and display their work to a Canterbury audience. Each year there is always new and fresh ideas, along with top quality work and careful presentation. The theme this year is Famous Mathematicians and it’s now time to start to consider what you would like to enter. What can you make, what could you write and most important what issues or topics relating to the theme have significance from a mathematical perspective.

Cantamaths Date:19th and 20th August.

PUBLICITY MOTIF – Individual (Year 7 – 10) 

The winning motif will be used as the basis of the advertising poster for CANTAMATH 
2015. The design needs to be eye-catching and reflect the theme for 2015. Often a 
simple, imaginative and carefully constructed design is the most effective. Artistic merit 
is rewarded in this category. There are specific requirements for this category, as set out 
below. 
Requirements: 
 Use only A4 (210mm x 297mm) paper size in vertical 
(portrait) orientation for your motif 
 Your motif may use any shapes but must stay within the size 
of the A4 paper 
 You must use red and black only on a white background 
 Shading by cross-hatching is allowed 
 Technology can be used to create the motif 
 The only words permissible are CANTAMATH 2015. (Please 
note that there is no “s” on the end of CANTAMATH and the 
motif must have next year’s year on it.) 
 The theme for 2015 is “Maths in the Future” 

MATHEMATICAL POSTERS – Individual (Year 7 – 10) 

Ideas: Advertisements; Applications of Mathematics; Cartoons; Famous Theorems; 
Slogans; The History of Mathematics; Mathematical Curves; Patterns; Tiling; 
Quilting; Mathematical Shapes in 2 Dimensions 

Notes:  Computer Generated work and hand-made items are both allowed 
 Judges will be considering originality when marking this section 
 Designs must contain less than 15 words 
 A3 or A2 paper is suggested 
 A brief description must be provided about which computer 
programs have been used to create the poster 

MATHEMATICAL MODELS – Individual (Year 7 – 10) 

Ideas: Mathematical Shapes in 3 dimensions; Curve-tracing equipment; Mobiles; 
Polyhedra; working or non-working scale models (not kitsets) employing or 
demonstrating Mathematical content; String designs; etc. 

Notes:  Models must be made to be free standing and have no loose parts 
that can be lost 
 A brief explanation must accompany each entry. Working models 
must include instructions to enable judges to mark the work fairly. 

 The judges will be considering originality when marking this section 

WRITTEN WORK – Individual or Small Groups (no more than 3 students) (Year 7 – 10) 

Ideas: Description or investigation of some Mathematics used in a branch of 
agriculture, commerce, science, health or daily life; A Statistical Investigation; 
A Mathematical Principle or Idea; A Story with Mathematical significance 

Notes:  The work may be prose or poetry 
 It may include illustrations or decorations, done by hand, on a 
computer or photocopied 
 The work may be presented as a single sheet or as a book 
 A bibliography must be included, all resources including websites 
used must be included 
 NO powerpoint or electronic presentations please 

 Group work needs to clearly show full names of all participants 

CLASS PROJECT (Year 6 – 10) 

Ideas: Murals with a Mathematical theme; Investigations of Mathematical ideas; 

Scale drawing or models; Statistical survey or experiment 

Notes:  This must be undertaken by a whole class or a substantial portion of 

a class and should include a brief description of what the class has 

undertaken 

 Please notify the Cantamath Secretary by August 1 if a large space is 

required (particularly for large murals) or PowerPoint, tape or slide 

presentations 

 Performance items must be registered with the Cantamath Secretary 

by August 1. Items will be judged on Tuesday August 19 during the 

day. 

 Entries are to be displayed as either a large piece of paper or as a 

booklet, not both. 

GAMES AND PUZZLES – Individual or small groups (no more than 4 students)
(Year 7 and 8) 

Ideas: Calculator Games; Games of Skill with Numbers; Hidden-Word Puzzles; 

Racing games; Probability Games 

Notes:  Games and puzzles must be no bigger than A2 in size 

 The rules of the game must be given and the mathematical principles 

explained 

 Games which use counters or dice should have them in typical 

playing position 

 Loose pieces can be easily lost, please tape or stick them down for 

display 

 Simplicity and originality will be rewarded 

MATHS PHOTOGRAPHY (Year 7 – 10)

Ideas: Photo displays with a Mathematical theme; 

Notes:  Photos that have been taken by students and adapted using 

technology are appropriate (e.g. Photoshop) 

 Judges will be considering originality when marking this section 

 Designs/photos must contain less than 15 words 

 A brief description must be provided about the display 

TEAM COMPETITION BANNER (Year 7 and 8) 

Notes: The banner is for supporting your school at the teams’ competition. It must 

be no larger than 5m x 2m. The banner can be hung from the top section of 

the stands at the East end of the arena – check displays map for clarification 

– but must not interfere with the running of the team competition below. 

There are two prizes in this section: 

 Best Visual Appeal – as judged by the Cantamath committee 

 Best Supporting Crowd – judged on the amount of noise on the night! 

Examples from Room 18: