Two budding motor engineers from a school in Cambridgeshire fulfilled their driving ambition by winning the
2014 Jaguar Maths in Motion Challenge, which is supported by Rapid.
From a field of 30 teams, involving pupils in Primary and Secondary categories, Tommy Walters and Sam Maryniak from Sawtry Community College claimed overall victory in the National final at the British Heritage Motor
Centre in Gaydon, Warwickshire.
However, no tyres venture onto tracks in this challenge, at least not
physically.
Crunching numbers rather than gears, teams have 90 minutes to use their
mathematical skills to set up a virtual racing car to complete a
multi-lap race on a simulated Grand Prix race circuit. Calculations and
measurements are performed to determine fuel loads, tyre types and race
speeds, taking into account weather conditions and the demands of each
circuit. Students also gain a basic understanding of how engine tuning, aerodynamics, suspension and gears affect the overall performance of a car.
Each team’s data is entered into the bespoke challenge computer
software, which launches the race. As can be seen in
this video, there was an excitable atmosphere within the auditorium, as teachers and pupils watched the Maths in Motion action unfold on big screens and schools across the country listened in on internet radio. The race saw the
lead change hands 13 times and five cars crash out within the first 12 laps. The boys from Sawtry held off the challenge of five other cars to win the overall race by 62 seconds.
The winners of the Primary category, for the second year running, was St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School from Stockton-on-Tees (Primary). Rapid sponsors the Secondary category and the prizes for the Sawtry pupils included a
VEX Classroom and Competition Mechatronics Kit, programming software and entry into the 2014-15 VEX Robotics competition. Tommy and Sam are pictured above together with Peter Richings, Director of Engineering Technical Services at Jaguar Land Rover, and Toshiba's Mark Finkel.
Rapid is one of 12 sponsors of the Jaguar Maths in Motion Challenge,
which aims to provide a fun and exciting platform for pupils to apply
mathematics skills.
Read more about the National Final and enter next year's Jaguar Maths in Motion Challenge