Dominate the sports field

Embarking on an adventurous journey to explore the unknown requires more than just courage and curiosity—it also demands a keen understanding of mathematics. From charting uncharted territories to navigating treacherous terrain, mathematics is the compass that guides an explorer to success.

With mathematics, explorers can calculate distances, estimate travel times, and plan resource allocation effectively. Mathematics helps explorers analyse data, make informed decisions, and adapt to changing conditions on their expedition.

So, whether you're scaling towering peaks or diving into uncharted depths, remember that mathematics is your trusted companion on your quest for discovery.

This question tests students' ability to formulate. Formulating situations mathematically means recognising and identifying opportunities to use mathematics, and then providing mathematical structure to a problem presented in some contextualised form, including reasoning about the constraints and assumptions in the problem.

This is a level 2 question, meaning that students should be able to employ basic formulae to solve problems using whole numbers, interpret information from a single source, and make literal interpretations of results.

64% of students worldwide answered this question correctly.

Penalty shootouts in football involve a unique blend of skill, psychology, and mathematics. When a match ends in a draw and needs to be decided by a penalty shootout, players and goalkeepers must strategise based on probabilities.

Research has shown that, statistically, a well-placed shot into the corner of the goal has a higher chance of success, as goalkeepers tend to dive in one direction before the ball is kicked. Additionally, goalkeepers often study the penalty-taking tendencies of their opponents to improve their chances of making a save.

This interplay between the geometry of the goal, the trajectory of the ball, and the psychology of the players showcases the role of mathematics in enhancing performance and decision-making on the football field.