Funmi Ogundare
Six participants have been selected for the last round of Cruxlearning Mathematics contest Africa, a reality TV quiz show designed to demystify Mathematics and identify and reward outstanding students across the continent for their brilliance in the subject and social skills.
Already 12 mathletes out of the 18 geniuses from across Africa that started the race were evicted at different points in the first three weeks of the competition.
With over $10,000 worth of university scholarship and the bragging rights as Africa’s Math champion, the mathlete with the highest points will go home with this title and the cash prize.
The six mathletes who have excelled above all others on the journey to be crowned Africa’s Math champion were code-named; Arc, Root, Alpha, Curve, Axis and Cube, which are mathematics symbols. However, Arc, Curve and Axis have never been put up for eviction, while Root and Alpha have been to the quiz, had an encounter with the dean and escaped eviction.
In the past three weeks, the mathletes have been involved with lots of games/tasks such as Mnemonics and Sing-the-Song, to test their mental recall abilities, balancing act and hang-on, which is a test of concentration, speed, precision and focus. It has been a mix of testing both the intellectual and cognitive abilities of the contestants, who have each been identified by mathematical symbols.
At the beginning of the competition, the top 18 mathletes were made to understand on the show that there is more to maths than just solving equations as they were given different daily activities/tasks in the math lounge, where they met and interacted throughout their stay in the contest. Their tasks were centred on applying their knowledge of mathematics and logical reasoning in everyday activities.
Some of their tasks earned them points, and at the end of each week, the six with the lowest points earned from the tasks were put up for eviction, which meant they had to participate in the quiz contest. Only two mathletes with the highest points from the quiz show could return to the Mathslounge to continue in the contest, while the weakest four would be evicted.
By promoting maths as being cool, Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest (CLMCA) Africa is setting the stage to build students and guide them on the path to developing technological solutions to the various challenges affecting Africans and the world at large.
Cruxlearning Mathematics Contest Africa finale will be available to millions of viewers worldwide via CruxlearningTV social media channels and television stations.
