'Maths is Just Like Playing a Game': 10-Year-Old Whizz from Altrincham Scores Top Grade 9 in GCSE Maths Skip to main content

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The Pathologising of Passion: Why Deep Interest Trumps The Culture of Resentment

If you have ever lost hours diving into the meticulous history of ancient coinage, the complex mechanics of quantum computing, or the precise taxonomy of deep-sea fungi, congratulations. By the standards of modern psychological classification, you display qualities that may be classified as, "divergent". Your deep, focused pursuit of expertise—your, "special interest"—is often viewed through a diagnostic lens, typically associated with the autistic experience. But let us pause and consider the absurdity of this cultural framing. When did the passionate pursuit of knowledge, the deep dive into complexity, become something that required a clinical explanation? The truth is, if checking things out and learning about things is deemed so divergent, it is at least demonstrably better than its opposite: the deep, corrosive resentment aimed at things that are intelligently established. The Divergent Engine of Expertise A special interest is not merely a hobby; it is ...

'Maths is Just Like Playing a Game': 10-Year-Old Whizz from Altrincham Scores Top Grade 9 in GCSE Maths

Altrincham, Greater Manchester – While teenagers across the country nervously opened their GCSE results on Thursday, one primary school pupil had a particularly special reason to celebrate. Ten-year-old Chun Nok Eric Li, from Altrincham, achieved a remarkable Grade 9—the highest possible mark—in his higher-level mathematics exam.

Eric, who sat the challenging paper back in June, has stunned family and educators with his exceptional talent. For him, complex equations and algebraic problems are less of a chore and more of a passion. According to his family, the young prodigy often says that, "maths is just like playing a game".


His incredible success is the result of dedicated effort and a strong support system. Eric prepared for the exam with the help of his mother, Emilie, as well as tutors. He also embraced modern learning tools, frequently using educational apps and YouTube to master the advanced concepts typically taught to students five or six years his senior.

Upon discovering he had earned the top grade, Eric expressed his gratitude to those who helped him reach this milestone. He extended heartfelt thanks to his mother and to every teacher who has supported him on his academic journey so far.

Achieving a Grade 9 is a significant accomplishment for any student, placing them in the top percentile nationally. For a 10-year-old to reach this standard is an extraordinary feat, marking him as one of the country's brightest young minds. Congratulations to Eric on a truly outstanding achievement.

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