SMS Essay Competition 2010

“Application of Mathematics in Social Sciences”

  • In recent years, disciplines in Social Sciences like anthropology, economics, sociology and psychology have been making extensive use of Mathematical models that uses, for example, calculus, probability, game and network theory.
  • The main objective of this year’s competition is to allow students to explore how Mathematics can be applied in various aspects and disciplines in Social Sciences, not limited to areas mentioned above.
  • We also hope that through such a competition, students can begin to understand how inter-disciplinary research is carried out.

Category A

Express Stream (local): Secondary 1 and 2 students; Normal Stream (local): Secondary 1, 2 and 3 students; International schools: Grade 6-8 (or equivalence)

First Prize: Statistics in Secondary School Posting
Clarence Cheong
Hwa Chong Institution
Second Prize: Applications of Mathematics to Social Sciences
Goh Zhi Hwee
Hwa Chong Institution
Third Prize: Applications of Graph Theory to Town Planning
Jansen Jarret Sta Maria,
Sean Lo,
Teh Jiun Harn
Raffles Institution

Category B

Express Stream (local): Secondary 3 and 4 students; Normal Stream (local): Secondary 4 and 5 students; International schools: Grade 9-10 (or equivalence)

First Prize: Mind your retirement pocket, Jackie!
Le Vu Anh Phuong,
Nguyen Dinh Quang,
Wang Jing Xuan
Victoria Junior College
Second Prize: Reverend Thomas Malthus: Father of Modern Demography
Kenneth Loh Ding Chao
Hwa Chong Institution
Third Prize: Facial Recognition
Chew Yee Tin,
Chia Shiyu Izabella
Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Secondary)

Category C

Junior college (local): JC 1 and 2 students; IP schools (local): Year 5 and 6 students; International schools: Grade 11-12 (or equivalence)

First Prize: The Application of Game Theory and Probability in Political Studies
Zheng Rui
Hwa Chong Institution
Second Prize: Use of Mathematics in Archaeology (How mathematics is used to study life expectancies in ancient civilizations)
Chen Jinsheng,
Wang Lijun
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
Third Prize: The Application of Game Theory in Political Science
Xu Shi Meng
Victoria Junior College