World Maths Day 2010 sets new Guinness World Record

Children from around the world unite in numbers to set a new World Record

“THE LARGEST ONLINE MATHS COMPETITION”


Collectively, the students from around the world added, subtracted, divided and multiplied their way to a Guinness World Record for the largest online maths competition, correctly answering a staggering 479,732,613 million correct questions during the event.

1,204,766 students in 56,082 schools from 235 countries took part in World Maths Day this year, including 442,972 children from 3,747 schools in the UK.

Tim Power, Managing Director of 3P Learning, the company who created and run World Maths Day, said: “This is a fantastic achievement, not only have young people across the world united in numbers to set a Guinness World Record this year, but we had more children than ever taking part in World Maths Day. It’s been great to see and hear about so many young people giving maths a go and having plenty of fun along the way”.

World Maths Day is the world’s largest education event where students (aged 5-18) compete in real time against other students from around the world playing mental arithmetic games on the World Maths Day website. World Maths Day encourages students of all ages, backgrounds and abilities to have a go at maths in a fun, interactive and accessible way. Best of all participation in World Maths Day is free. Visit http://www.worldmathsday.com to view World Maths Day 2010 final results and details for the World Education Games 2011.

Tim Power concluded “We are now preparing for next year when we expect World Maths Day to be even bigger! In 2011 it will become a part of the World Education Games and join World Science Day and World Spelling Day during the month of March”.


For more information, images, or to arrange interviews, please contact:
Vikki Bulbeck | +44 (0)1932 829077 | Vikki.bulbeck@mangomarketing.com
Jayne Warburton | +44 (0)1173701999| jayne.warburton@3plearning.com


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NOTES TO EDITORS:

2010 Student Winners:
Ages 5-8: Avit P, Thailand (36,202 questions)
Ages 9-13: Kaya Genc, 12 years, The Southport School, QLD Australia (43,007 questions)
Ages 14-18: David Anderson, Fraser Coast Anglican College (26,662 questions)

2010 School Winners:
Ages 5-8: Our Lady of Lourdes Primary, Class 5EA, UK, (243,701 questions)
Ages 9-13: Cempaka Schools, Class F1Y7 Team MO, Malaysia (418,363 questions)
Ages 14-18: Cempaha Schools, Class F3Y9 Team A, Malaysia (365,387 questions)

About World Maths Day:
World Maths Day had a humble beginning in 2006 with a trans-Tasman, Bledisloe Cup inspired clash between school kids in Australia and New Zealand. This was followed later that year by a mathematical Ashes competition between children in England and Australia. Finally in March 2007, the event went global and became World Maths Day. Today the event reaches more than 200 countries.

Students participate in mental arithmetic games, playing against other students in real time using the World Maths Day online program. Each game lasts 60 seconds and involves arithmetic problems including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and minor equations. Whilst students and schools can participate whenever they like throughout the official 48 hour event, only 500 challenges (1 minute each) count towards their individual or class points score, Hall of Fame and Medal tallies. This allows all students the opportunity to compete for a medal regardless of other school commitments.

The questions are appropriately levelled for different ages and abilities. There are three age divisions within which students compete: 8 years and under, 9-13 years, and 14 years and over. Each age division experiences a different level of difficultly.


World Maths Day 2011:
Next year in 2011, World Maths Day will be even bigger again, becoming part of The World Education Games. This will be a global education event where students and schools from schools around the world will unite to set a new world record for the number of questions correctly answered in maths, spelling and science. The World Education Games will take place on the first three Wednesdays in March and will include World Maths Day (2 March 2011), World Science Day (9 March 2011), and World Spelling Day (16 March 2011).


About 3P Learning:
3P Learning is the global leader in online mathematics learning for school-aged students with its flagship learning platform, Mathletics, used by more than two million students worldwide.

The Mathletics learning platform also includes a game engine which allows students from around the globe to compete live against each other in answering mental arithmetic questions.

3P Learning’s mission with Mathletics is to engage every student every day with a personalised, responsive and intelligent learning resource that inspires a delight in maths and an innate drive to better results.

3P Learning has headquarters in Sydney, Australia, with learning support teams in New Zealand, Hong Kong, South Africa, United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.