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Event
The
Sunny Side of
Mathematics
 Life without
maths is like a broken pencil…pointless. In order to
refresh the excitement of mathematics, a two-day National
Math Festival was held in Notre Dame College on June 23 and
24. The event was organised by the Bangladesh Math Olympiad
Committee and sponsored by Dutch Bangla Bank Ltd. and Prothom
Alo.
The participants
of this competition were winners from different regions and
divisions of the country and they were tested in four different
categories. The occasion also featured numerous events such
as the math Olympiad, teaching workshops, discussions, surprise
quizzes and math drills followed by cultural programmes.
After
the opening festivities, the floors of Notre Dame shook with
the roar of eager feet, being taken to their respective classes
and tested on different mathematical nitty-gritty. Soon, the
Mathematics Olympiad was in full swing. Over 400 applicants
sat for the test and after the students started pouring out
of the classrooms, the excitement was evident. Some were confident
and happy about their '100/100' scores, while others walked
in disbelief at how they had managed to miss out a vital chapter
from their revision the following night.
Taisha
Tasreen Mimu stood staring expressionlessly at a bulletin
board. "I could not answer four questions," was
her sad reply before going back to staring at the board. She
is perhaps among the scores of students whose parents are
always pushing them to the limit; to strive for perfection
at every walk, over-expectation always fuels their enthusiasm.
The prize-giving
ceremony and other special shows marked the second day of
the event. There were also special discussions on how maths
can be improved in this information technology era and on
famous mathematicians, scientists, space, aeronautics and
much more. Among who spoke on the occasion were renowned scientist
Jamal Nazrul Islam, Vice-chancellor of BRAC University, scientist,
Professor Jamilur Reza Chowdhury and editor of Prothom Alo,
Matiur Rahman.
 A
software that makes maths easier and more fun was also presented
on the occasion by a voluntary organisation called Bangla
Innovation through Open Source (Bios). If more such software
are created and are financially backed by the government and
other bodies, these organisations would be able to prosper
and maybe take it to the next step in the ladder of information
technology.
There
was also a Science Fair on the ground floor of the campus,
with projects on electricity, magnetism, force, reflection
and other elements of physics. Pictures of famous mathematicians
and scientists adorned the walls of each room. The science
fair showcased not only the practical abilities of the students
but also their conceptual knowledge. Not only were the students
confident but they were also able to present their projects
in a professional and elaborate manner. Some major models
worth mentioning were The Two Stroke Engine, The Steam Engine,
a model to prove Newton's Third law, a fun x-ray (using mirrors)
with which one can see through objects and many more. There
were also two model planes, each controlled by remote controls
and with complete aviation capabilities. At one point, large
plane engines were put to the test to show enthusiastic viewers
the thrust the propellers made.
Eager
parents roamed the halls, pointing to the works of their offspring's
explorations that fuelled their pride and joy: their children.
As the second day came to an end, festivities ended as well.
It was another successful campaign by the Math Olympiad Committee
to show us the sunny side of mathematics.
Imran
H. Khan
Copyright
(R) thedailystar.net 2004
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