General Maths Interview Questions

see below - remember they are looking for individual ideas, there are no "right answers" to questions like these:

1. Why Oxford/Cambridge? Better class of student / absence of chavs
2. Why Maths? Cos of the respect
3. Why should we take you over the next person? Bigger jugs??
4. What would you give to Oxford/Cambridge? A large donation
5. How 'pure' do you consider maths? It is the Cliff Richard of the academic world
6. Why is there a shortage of mathematicians today? There isn’t; there’s an excess of other people!
7. What areas of maths particularly interest you? The violent bits.
8. Which is more important: representing your college or completing your maths assignments? Neither – getting wasted is more important than both
9. Is maths a universal language? Suis-je bovvered?
10. Which activities would you pursue in the college. Sexual athletics.
11. What do you outside of school for maths? Steal library books.
12. Describe quadratic equations to a non mathematician. They’re sort of big and pink and fluffy (this is a trick question – a non-mathematician won’t know whether you’re telling the truth or not)
13. Explain the development of complex numbers. Some Italian geezer was like “OK the real numbers aren’t good enough for me so I’ll invent some more and call them complex” and all the other blokes were like “Whoa! Maximum respect, you is well ard”
14. Explain what a complex no. is to a non-mathematician. Some number that is more difficult to understand than an easy number.
15. Is Maths a language? Therefore can it convey emotions? Yes, because when you go in an exam and look at the question you are like “wtf is this” and then you burst into tears.
16. Why are less people doing maths and physics and university? Cos they have better things to do with their time like the media and the religion and the drinkin.
17. Do you think it is true that the younger generation is worse at mental arithmetic? Does it matter though? Yes and no (the worse they are the less likely they are to steal my job).
18. What have you done to show you love maths? Offered to marry Carol Vorderman / Simon Singh (depending on your preference)
19. Where is Maths going in the future? It will be replaced by joint courses with media studies.
20. Can you name a theorem proved in the last 10 years? Cameron’s theorem: Tony Blair is irrational.
21. Do you have a favourite mathematician? Carol Vorderman.
22. What about one who studied at Oxford/Cambridge? Carol Vorderman.
23. What have you done which you think will prepare you for life at Oxford/Cambridge? Insulted lots of working class people in the street. Practised going “rah, rah, rah, we’re going to smash the oiks!”
24. What Maths are you doing this year? Can you explain what that involves? What topics does it cover? Some exams. Going on the net and downloading the answers. Some pure stuff and some dirty stuff.

I have a list of interview questions which i got from someone at TSR - dont remember who - but thank you! i don't exactly want to prepare answers but id like to jot down some general ideas to obvious questions.

ill post the questions and i thought people could offer suggestions...

Mathematics Topical Interview Questions

1. Why Oxford/Cambridge?
2. Why Maths?
3. Why should we take you over the next person?
4. What would you give to Oxford/Cambridge?
5. How 'pure' do you consider maths?
6. Why is there a shortage of mathematicians today?
7. What areas of maths particularly interest you?
8. Which is more important: representing your college or completing your maths assignments?
9. Is maths a universal language?
10. Which activities would you pursue in the college
11. What do you outside of school for maths?
12. Describe quadratic equations to a non mathematician.
13. Explain the development of complex numbers.
14. Explain what a complex no. is to a non-mathematician.
15. Is Maths a language? Therefore can it convey emotions?
16. Why are less people doing maths and physics and university?
17. Do you think it is true that the younger generation is worse at mental arithmetic? Does it matter though?
18. What have you done to show you love maths?
19. Where is Maths going in the future?
20. Can you name a theorem proved in the last 10 years?
21. Do you have a favourite mathematician?
22. What about one who studied at Oxford/Cambridge?
23. What have you done which you think will prepare you for life at Oxford/Cambridge?
24. What Maths are you doing this year? Can you explain what that involves? What topics does it cover?

You think Cambridge is chav free? Think again =D

depends where you come from.

If you come from a coucil estate, Cambridge will feel chav-free to you.

If you've been to a Public School since the age of 11 and live in an affluent village, then Cambridge will feel chavvy. ...cos there'll be "commoners" there or rather people who attended Comps* (not someone a Public School Boy/Girl encounters that often).

*disclaimer: I'm not suggesting that all Comps are chavs. I use the term Chav here loosely and not literally.

what's the probability that these questions come from a mock interview of some sort?

I can say it's between 0 and 1 with 100% confidence.


For the record in my interview we just went through the test that I screwed up. I "proved myself to be teachable" but just wasn't good enough and was rejected.

what test?