Year Five student uses power of maths to fight for environment
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School student Isabella McDonough is using the power of maths to save the environment, and has landed herself a national award along the way. Check out what the student did to nab the coveted title.
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A talented young maths wizz is using numbers to make a difference in the world.
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School student Isabella McDonough has received a national award for applying mathematics to a real world problem.
The budding mathematician’s project, Banning plastic bags – Can it really make a difference, took out the Year Five Australian prize as part of the Mathematical Association of Victoria’s Maths Talent Quest.
Isabella collected data and used maths to figure out how much rubbish could be saved from landfill by banning plastic bags.
She figured out that 54,550 cubic metres of rubbish could be saved.
The project took the student 10 weeks to complete and involved plenty of research.
She said her favourite subject was maths, but her dream job was to be an orthopaedic surgeon.
The gifted youngster also took out the La Trobe Young Woman in Mathematics award as part of the competition.
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The award is presented to one student whose project is considered to be the most outstanding.
Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School mathematics co-ordinator Mary Wade said it wasn’t the first time the little mathematician had scored big.
“She also won this award last year which is an amazing achievement,” she said.
The school was also awarded 19 high distinctions and distinctions as part of the math competition.