A GROUP of schoolchildren have taken part in a maths challenge designed to show them the practical applications of numbers.

Year seven pupils from Education Village, in Darlington, took part in the Mathemania Tech Math Challenge and worked as a team to produce a number of products that utilised both maths and engineering skills, without using calculators, pencils or paper.

The teams were challenged to build the tallest tower possible that could hold a tennis ball using only straws, packaging for a Christmas cupcake and a tetrahedral kite made from straws and tissues.

The school signed up to the event as part of a number of initiatives to enthuse students about the need for maths, including weekly maths challenges and a peer mentoring programme.

Karen Watson, head of maths at Education Village, said: “The school supports this scheme because it allows for an opportunity for exploration of maths which is not confined to the classroom and encourages creativity and challenge.

“It develops the processes in mathematics - making and monitoring decisions, communicating mathematically and reasoning.”

The success of the scheme with younger pupils at the school, means that it will now be rolled out among older year groups.