The Kangaroo, a multiple-choice maths challenge, is reportedly the world's most widely-taken primary and secondary school test, with over seven million children participating in approximately 120 countries. The challenge aims to promote the enjoyment of mathematics and test problem-solving skills.
First held in France in 1991, the Kangaroo was inspired by an Australian maths challenge. Participation has grown globally since around 2000, with Brazil having the highest number of pupils taking part (1.8 million), followed by Germany (900,000), and France and Poland (both 300,000).
In the UK, around 21,000 individuals participated this year, a number comparable to Mexico and Serbia. This relatively low figure is attributed to the UK's existing system of national mathematical challenges run by the UK Mathematics Trust (UKMT). However, the UKMT now incorporates three levels of Kangaroo, and participation is expected to increase. The Kangaroo Maths Trust, a UK-based charity established earlier this year, is also supporting the movement.
The challenge is divided into six age levels, from lower primary to sixth form. Questions are set by the Association Kangourou Sans Frontières (AKSF) and typically administered on the third Thursday in March, lasting about an hour.