The 2025 Problem Solving Competition was held on Thursday, April 24th (to accommodate the change in NAPLAN dates).
The date of the 2026 competition will be announced early in Term 3. Schools will be able to register for the competition through QAMT.
About the Competition
The annual UQ/QAMT Problem Solving Competition is open to all students of secondary schools in Queensland. The entry fee is only $5 and there are plenty of prizes for the winners! Students enter through their schools.
There are three competition papers, one each for Years 7 and 8, Years 9 and 10, and Years 11 and 12. All of the papers are are two hours long. The papers consist of questions which require an answer but working should also be shown. The problems do not usually require any greater knowledge than that possessed by good students but will need a certain amount of ingenuity and thought for their solution. You will need your own paper (10 sheets should be sufficient). Non-CAS calculators may be used.
Winners will be announced in Term 2. Prizes and certificates will be awarded by the judges.
Past Competitions
Below you will find a selection of papers from previous competitions along with solutions (where available).
If you find a mistake in the solutions then please email m.bulmer@uq.edu.au.
National Mathematics Summer School
The Year 11 results are taken heavily into consideration in the choice of Queensland students to be offered places in the National Mathematics Summer School, held in Canberra each January.
Sponsors
The Competition is organised by QAMT and the UQ School of Mathematics & Physics.
2025 Competition Results
Winners and commendations are listed alphabetically by given name within each prize group.
Starting in 2024, high commendations are awarded to students in the top 10% of their year level. Commendations (not listed here) are awarded to students in the top 20% of their year level.