MATHEMATICS is essential to everyone's lives —this is the collective view of participants from 24 schools who took part in the 2012 national maths quiz Calcul8 this week.
The young participants from 12 primary and secondary schools took part in the final round of the competition at the Fiji National University's UniStudio this week.
The schools included Tabucola Valibar Sangam Primary School in Labasa.
Fiji Mathematics Association president Narendra Prasad said all participants, although keen on English and reading storybooks as well as other subjects, agreed maths was a vital subject.
He spoke of how Tabucola Valibar Sangam Primary School prefect Jessica Raj wanted to go into pharmacy, and how Komal Naidu wanted to be a doctor.
"People need to be able to handle mathematics in everyday life for many different things. They can't be carrying around computers or calculators to work out their change from a bus fare," he said.
The Maths Association and FNU mathematicians put together 352 questions over several months for both primary and secondary level rounds that not only tested the students' IQ but also problem solving ability, speed and accuracy.
"These participants will make good role models for their schools and will be our future mathematicians," Mr Prasad said.
Calcul8 will be televised on Fiji One from February next year, on Mondays at 8pm over 32 episodes.