Darwin whiz-kid Matthew Chapman excels in Australian Mathematics Competition despite hating maths
A Darwin student has come top of the class in a worldwide mathematics tournament his parents made him enter despite not even liking the subject.
Matthew Chapman, 13, beat hundreds of thousands of other children from almost 4,000 schools in more than 30 countries as part of the 37th annual Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC).
Competitors answered 30 problems set in situations which the organisers said show the relevance of mathematics in students' everyday lives. The top placegetters receive a medal, with 77 being awarded this year, representing the top 0.03 per cent.
Matthew, who is in Year 8 at Dripstone Middle School in Darwin's northern suburbs was the first NT student to win an AMC medal in 10 years.
A very modest Matthew, who said he would rather play sport than tackle sums, seemed unfazed by the honour when he spoke to the ABC.
Was he excited about the award ceremony?
"A little bit."
Why did he enter the competition?
"My parents put me in it."
Did he even like maths?
"No."
He said he preferred sport and music, which are his favourite subjects at school.
Matthew said he didn't study for the competition.
His mother Jodi Chapman, who takes care of her four children at home, said he wasn't given any special classes.
"He does just have a natural ability, certainly, for maths. He plays board games a bit, so maybe that might contribute," she said.
She studied accounting at university and said her husband and herself both had a knack for maths when they were in school.
His father Bruce Chapman, an Anglican youth minister, said he couldn't be prouder of his son.
"Matthew's really got his feet on the ground. It's not like maths is a particular love of his life. He does pretty well at school all round. And I think he's just got a natural talent to do with numbers," he said.
High scores not a problem
"Most of the questions have to do with problem solving," Matthew said.
The Australian Mathematics Trust, which runs the competition, said it is designed to be fun and practical, with problems "set in situations which show the relevance of mathematics in students' everyday lives".
The Trust's executive director, Adjunct Professor Mike Clapper said it was encouraging that the number of medallists from Australia had this year increased from 25 to 34.
It's a record number, he said, and many were first-time medallists, like Matthew.
Despite his take-it-or-leave it attitude, Matthew has quite a high strike rate.
He first entered the AMC in 2009 and was awarded a distinction.
He achieved a high distinction in 2010 and more distinctions in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
In 2012 he received the Moil Primary School Excellence in Mathematics award and in 2013, the Dripstone Middle School Year 7 Mathematics award.
Matthew said he wants to be a pilot, while dad Bruce said he'll support him in whatever he chose to do.
