Contributors
Editors
Students:
Gus King (Y12)
Sage Lingam (Y12)
Teacher:
Mrs Angela Kotsiras
Writers
Ethan Zhu (Y8)
Jerry Hao(Y10)
Ashton Kau (Y8)
Gus King (Y12)
Scott Jin (Y8)
Shayan Karim (Y10)
From The Editors
Welcome to the 13th edition of The Trinity Inquirer! In this issue, we delve into a variety of topics that showcase the diverse talents and interests of our student body.
In our News section, Ethan Zhu explores the rise and recent challenges of Marvel films under Disney's leadership outline in the article "Falling Off." Moving to Opinion, Ashton Kau shares a personal narrative on the "Challenges and Advantages of Immigration," providing a unique perspective on moving from Hong Kong to Melbourne. Additionally, Gus King explores the need for age limits in politics in "Rethinking Age Limits in Politics: Time for Reform?".
Jerry Hao captivates us with "A Chemical Analysis of Water" in the Science section, shedding light on the unique properties of this essential substance. Our Interview section features insights from the leaders of the Trading Club, revealing the strategies and experiences behind their successful operations.
For those looking to challenge themselves, we present upcoming competitions in "Challenge Yourself," including details on the Australian Informatics Olympiad and the Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Space Challenge. Finally, do not miss our Puzzles section for a bit of fun and brain exercise.
We hope you enjoy this edition and find inspiration in the stories and information shared. As always, we welcome your feedback and contributions for future issues.
Happy reading!
Gus King and Sage Lingam Editors
Contents:
NEWS
Falling Off
An analysis of Marvel's recent box office performance and critical reception. By Ethan Zhu (Year 8)
OPINION
Challenges and Advantages of Immigration
A personal account of the challenges and benefits of moving from Hong Kong to Australia. By Ashton Kau (Year 8)
Rethinking Age Limits in Politics: Time for Reform?
Explores the need for age limits in politics to balance experience with new perspectives for more dynamic governance.
By Gus King (Year 12)
SCIENCE
A Chemical Analysis of Water
Pages 2-4
Pages 5-6
Pages 7-8
Exploring the unique properties of water and its importance for life on Earth. By Jerry Hao (Year 10)
Pages 9-10
INTERVIEW
Club Interview: Trading Club
Insights from a leader of the trading club on their activities and experiences. By Scott Jin (Year 8)
PUZZLES
A selection of challenging puzzles for students to solve.
COMPETITIONS & CHALLENGES
Challenge Yourself
Page 11-12
Pages 13
Information on various academic and extracurricular competitions available for students. Page
Falling Off
An analysis of Marvel's recent box office performance and critical reception.
By Ethan Zhu (Year 8)
If you look at the biggest box office bombs of 2023, you'll find that a significant portion, likely more than half—are Disney films. A “box office bomb” is a movie that fails to regain its production and marketing costs through ticket sales at the cinemas, leading to significant financial losses. In simpler words, it failed to make big bucks. 2023, which was meant to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary, ironically became the most financially challenging year in its -history instead, culminating in a whopping $1.4 billion loss in its content and streaming segments. This grim downturn highlights a critical flaw in Disney’s current strategy: an over-reliance on high-budget and unoriginal content that no longer resonates with today’s audiences. While delving into every single one of Disney's recent failures would be excessive, I believe focusing on the evolution of Disney's Marvelrelated films throughout the years effectively sums up their struggles.
The Rise of Marvel Under Disney Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009 for approximately $4 billion, aiming to expand its portfolio with Marvel's extensive list of iconic superheroes such as Spider-Man, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, X-Men, etc. This strategic acquisition integrated Marvel's comic book universe under Disney's entertainment ecosystem, laying the groundwork for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Under Disney's leadership, Marvel flourished, producing a string of high-quality blockbusters that redefined superhero storytelling. Now, although I would not call myself the biggest Marvel fan, I have seen enough of their best works to appreciate them for what they are. The peak period of Marvel's success under Disney is embodied by the Infinity Saga, a narrative arc spanning 23 interconnected films. This saga revolves around the pursuit and protection of the powerful Infinity Stones, culminating in the epic battle against the cosmic warlord Thanos.
Some of the most known and critically acclaimed entries in the Infinity Saga include:
• Iron Man (2008) - IMDb: 7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
• The Avengers (2012) - IMDb: 8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) -IMDb: 8/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017) - IMDb: 7.9/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018) -IMDb: 8.4/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
• Black Panther (2018) - IMDb: 7.3/10, Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
(additionally won 3 Oscars and became the first superhero film ever to be nominated for Best Picture of the Year at the Oscars/Academy Awards)
Note: IMDb (Internet Movie Database) provides film and TV ratings based on user reviews, while Rotten Tomatoes gathers critics' reviews to deliver a percentage score indicating the proportion of positive reviews.
The Infinity Saga reached its climax and conclusion with the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, which grossed $2.8 billion globally and solidified its place as the second highest-grossing film of all time. This epic conclusion not only wrapped up major story lines but also marked a peak in both financial success and cultural impact for the MCU and Disney
Continued on next page...
Image 1: Marvel is a major player in the film industry.
Falling Off
Post-Endgame Challenges
In the aftermath of the Infinity Saga, Marvel faced criticism for relying on a formulaic and unoriginal approach in their sequels. Many major characters, such as Iron Man and Captain America, saw their storylines come to a close in Avengers: Endgame, necessitating a creative pivot to introduce new characters and narrative arcs. Despite these challenges, Marvel explored new characters like Shang-Chi and The Eternals, expanding the MCU's diversity and depth. Nevertheless, most of the major films released post-Endgame have not met the high standards set by earlier entries.
As seen evidently from the low reviews, films such as The Eternals (2021) – [IMDb: 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes 47%], Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) – [IMDb 6.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 63%], and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) – [IMDb: 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 73%] received mixed reviews, indicating a struggle to match the emotional and narrative impact of their predecessors.
The lack of originality in these films, with recycled plots and predictable storylines, failed to captivate audiences in the same way Marvel’s earlier films did.
Success Amidst Struggles
Despite that, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – [IMDb: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 93%] stands out as a prime example of Marvel's potential to craft compelling content postEndgame. The film's success was largely driven by its creative use of the multiverse concept, bridging different Spider-Man universes. By reintroducing iconic actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire from earlier Spider-Man films alongside current Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, the film tapped into nostalgia while offering a fresh storyline twist. This, paired with a fine screenplay balancing witty humour, relatable Gen-Z pop culture references, and deeper messages, resulted in a film that paid homage to Spider-Man's legacy while pushing modern superhero cinema boundaries. The film's success ($1.92 billion) and critical acclaim allowed Marvel to demonstrate their capability and potential to innovate and still captivate audiences with their films.
Image 2: Ruth Carter wins the 2019 Best Costume Design Oscar for Black Panther
Image 3: Movie poster of the 2021 Marvel film The Eternals
Falling Off
Financial Performance
In 2023 however, Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe faced greater challenges that severely impacted its financial stability. Despite films like Eternals, Multiverse of Madness, and Thor: Love and Thunder achieving adequate box office success, The Marvels (2023) emerged as the year’s most significant box office failure, losing Disney $237 million. Being a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel, which earned $1.1 billion, expectations were high. Yet, The Marvels only gathered $206 million globally, far below its combined $455 million in production and marketing costs. The film’s poor performance and critical reception were attributed to a disorganized plot and weak character development, making it both Marvel Studios' lowest-earning theatrical release ever as well as one of their lowestrated films, with an atrocious IMDb rating of 5.5 and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 62%.
Another major Marvel film released in 2023 was AntMan and the Wasp: Quantumania, which experienced better box office earnings, grossing $476 million against a budget of $193 million, though these earnings were lower than the previous two Ant-Man films. However, this financial success couldn’t mask the film’s poor CGI and weak storyline. The film received negative reviews from critics and fans alike, holding a Rotten Tomatoes score of 48% and an IMDb rating of 6.1. Visual effects artists reported being overworked and under-resourced, with funds diverted to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever instead, leading to shortcuts and incomplete work in Quantumania. 90% of its scenes were set against CGI backdrops but rushed post-production and editorial cuts resulted in a sloppy and unimpressive final product.
Criticisms and Potential Solutions
These issues with The Marvels and Quantumania encapsulate the problems with most Marvel films in recent years: a reliance on high budgets without delivering coherent plots, meaningful character development, or high-quality visual effects. These outcomes reflect a broader trend of diminishing returns and declining audience satisfaction within the MCU.
They need to evolve beyond their tried-andtested formulas to recapture the critical acclaim and audience engagement of their earlier films. This evolution involves taking creative risks and prioritizing quality over quantity, something many other movie studios have already adopted. Despite their problems, Marvel Studios, under Disney's ownership, has demonstrated their potential to still be able to make high-quality films postEndgame, with Spider-Man: No Way Home standing out as a prime example. However, these successes have been inconsistent, and for the most part, rare. Unfortunately, the overall trend in 2023 showed a disappointing deviation from Marvel’s capability to still produce good movies.
Conclusion
Marvel must harness their potential more consistently to reverse the current downturn and realign with their earlier successes, underscoring the need for more creative risktaking and efficient production practices to regain leadership and market share in the film industry. Additionally, the industry as a whole should prioritise innovation and originality, something that seems to be declining in recent years. Even movie sequels, when approached with fresh perspectives, creativity and originality, can still achieve both critical acclaim and box office success.
By pushing creative boundaries and avoiding repetitive formulas, studios can produce content that connects more deeply with audiences and fans, ensuring long-term success and sustained leadership in the industry. Such leadership means consistently being at the forefront of innovation, setting trends, maintaining a strong audience base, and adapting to changing market dynamics, thus upholding continued influence and dominance in the ever-evolving industry.
Challenges and Advantages of Immigration
Opinion
A personal account of the challenges and benefits of moving from Hong Kong to Australia.
By Ashton Kau (Year 8)
Introduction
As everyone knows, immigration is a significant life event that comes not only with numerous challenges, but also benefits. Having immigrated from Hong Kong to Australia in December 2020, I want to share my experience. You might be wondering, how difficult is it to move? What are the challenges? etc. etc. In this article, I will answer those questions for you.
Reasons for Immigration
People often choose to move to another country because they seek something they cannot find in their home country—whether it's to escape from war and/or political instability, better job opportunities, improved prospects for their children, or simply just to pursue a better and preferred lifestyle.
Challenges of Immigration
Moving can pose tough challenges, one of the main challenges being to adapt to a new culture. When I moved from Hong Kong to Melbourne, I struggled to understand the daily routines and norms. For instance, in PE classes, students here were much more athletic than what I was used to, which initially made me feel out of place. Additionally, I had concerns about learning because I had to skip a grade upon moving. Having spent most of Grade 3 in COVID lockdown in Hong Kong, I was worried I would not be able to meet the academic expectations of transitioning directly into Year 5. However, once I began attending classes, I quickly discovered how straightforward everything was and how much less academic rigor was expected from the students. This allowed me to settle easily into school life without experiencing too much stress. Another significant hurdle was social integration, as leaving behind everything and everyone I knew in Hong Kong was especially hard for me as a 10-yearold. Initially, my family was my only source of comfort.
It took time to form new friendships, particularly with those from different backgrounds, and to feel a sense of belonging in this new community.
Lastly, as mentioned above, it was difficult to establish a sense of belonging in the new community. Balancing my Hong Kong heritage with my emerging Australian identity was complex. I often felt torn between these two cultures and struggled to feel fully connected to either. This identity conflict prompted deep reflection as I tried to understand and reconcile both cultures. Eventually, I came to realise that I had moved on from Hong Kong and embraced my identity as a resident of Melbourne. Even now, I still occasionally reflect on my personal identity, aiming to understand myself better and fully embrace the Australian culture while also cherishing my roots as a boy born in Hong Kong.
Advantages of Immigration
Now, those were the challenges I faced, but what did I gain from them? Let me tell you. First and foremost, the educational opportunities in Melbourne were a significant benefit. Although I mentioned earlier that school and learning in Melbourne seemed less academically demanding compared to Hong Kong's, that didn’t mean I hadn’t learnt anything. In Hong Kong, the education system was heavily focused on exams, requiring me to complete at least three to four pieces of homework daily.
Image 1: Learning environments can greatly differ across countries.
Challenges and Advantages of Immigration
Upon this tremendous workload, I still had to do revision for multiple quizzes each week. Also, at the end of the semester, I would have to prepare for two sets of exams (which started from Grade 1!). This intense pressure made me dislike school in Hong Kong. However, here in Melbourne, the emphasis is more on creativity, critical thinking, and independent learning.
This change not only broadened my academic horizons, but also made going to school much more enjoyable.
Another notable aspect is the diverse culture in Australia. As I adjust to the lifestyle here and embrace the Australian culture, I have also been able to explore the cultural diversity Melbourne has to offer. This experience has broadened my perspective, deepened my cultural sensitivity towards other cultures, and enriched my social life. It has allowed me to engage respectfully in various traditions and customs, contributing positively to my overall immersion in diverse cultural experiences.
Lastly, immigrating at a young age significantly enhanced my personal growth and adaptability. Overcoming the challenges of adjusting to a new environment, including navigating a different education system and forming new friendships, have helped me develop problem-solving skills and emotional resilience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, immigrating from Hong Kong to Australia at the age of 10 brought a mix of challenges and advantages. This journey has greatly enriched my life in multiple ways, offering educational opportunities, cultural exposure, and personal growth. Alongside these benefits, it also posed challenges such as cultural adjustment, social integration, and identity conflicts. Reflecting on this experience has made me realise that the advantages of this change far outweighed the challenges of relocation, allowing me to develop academically, broaden my cultural perspective, and enhance my resilience and adaptability. Thus, my personal journey highlights how immigration can positively transform an individual. The obstacles I have encountered along the way, serve as stepping stones to personal growth and a deeper global understanding, making this demanding journey both rewarding and enriching.
Image 3: A typical classroom set up.
Image 4: The scenic Melbourne CBD.
Image 5: Immigration has both benefits and challenges.
Rethinking Age Limits in Politics: Time for Reform?
Opinion
Explores the need for age limits in politics to balance experience with new perspectives for more dynamic governance.
By Gus King (Year 12)
Through recent controversy seen in the American federal election, a historic question has been put back into the spotlight: whether politicians around the world should have a required age of retirement. Throughout recorded history and in all countries, there have been rules regarding the qualities required to be a head of state. In many democratic countries including Australia, the UK, Germany, France, Japan and Canada, the legal age minimum for politics is 18 years old. Another baseline minimum is 25 and 30 years old which is upheld in the US for the house of Representatives and the Senate respectively and in India with their equivalent Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
And while there may be minimum age limits, such limits often seem irrelevant due to the total demographical domination of elderly people in government. This can be blatantly seen in a study published by the Pew Research Center; the largest share of global leaders today (34%) is in their 60s while 19% are in their 70s and 5% in their 80s. This domination seen in modern politics has often been called Gerontocracy, a form of governance where a disproportionate amount of power is held by the elderly, often due to their accumulated experience, wisdom, influence and or longstanding positions within political structures.
And while some participation of the elderly in politics can promote stability, maturity and a respect for tradition and values in politics, it's important to note that these benefits are contingent on actual effective leadership, something that is unfortunately not easily found among the historically geriatric specimens observed in documented Gerontocracies.
Gerontocratic systems have frequently occurred throughout history, often leading to dangerous and unstable outcomes. A staple characteristic can be how older leaders resist adopting new ideas, technologies, or policies that challenge established norms or threaten their positions of power. This seems a common theme in gerontocracies, the anxiety felt by the leader that they will be usurped by younger generations, this fear often leading to a persecution against youth in politics.
This has been seen during the Brezhnev era or the "era of stagnation” of the Soviet Union (1964-1982), where many of the top leaders of government were elderly including chairman Leonid Brezhnev who was in his 70s and 80s during his tenure. This era led to large amount of social unrest due to conservative approach leading to economic stagnation. Many youth activists and reformists were often persecuted and sidelined for their calls for modernization. This has too been seen through Robert Mugabe, who ruled Zimbabwe into his 90s, where political opposition, dominated by young activists, was severely and brutally repressed.
Image 2: Mitch McConnell - an American politican
Image 1: Joe Biden the 46th President of the United States
Rethinking Age Limits in Politics: Time for Reform?
In a gerontocratic system, there also comes risks that a small group of older individuals or elites can consolidate power and perpetuate their influence over an extended period. This can lead to oligarchical tendencies and reduce opportunities for broader participation and democratic accountability. This consolidation has been shown directly to impede the natural turnover of leadership roles, hindering opportunities for younger and potentially more diverse leaders to contribute fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to societal challenges. Such has been seen in the Roman Senate, which was composed of older, wealthy men who held significant political power in a lifelong position. This led to a system where the decisions and policies of Rome were heavily influenced by elder statesmen who had accrued wealth and experience over their lifetimes. Such extremism in politics may not often be seen in the modern world, but this theme of “lifelong” tenure seems to be sustained in a few modern democracies.
Most recently seen in American politics, senators, including Dianne Feinstein, Storm Thurmond, Robert Bryd and Chuck Grassley, having either died in office (Feinstein age 90, Thurmond age 100 and Bryd age 92) or still currently serving (Grassley, age 88), have come under intense scrutiny as major perpetrators of the American endemic of Gerontocracy. Senators in the United States have an average serve length of 11.5 years, while having the oldest average age of 64.3 years old in US politics. This coupled with the two current American electoral candidates being 78 and 81 has led the youth in the US to look for a way to force this Gerontocracy to transfer some power from the old to the rest. If you want to put all of these statistics into perspective, the Australian average age for senators is 51. Luckily enough for us, the youth, the future; the political world is aware of this phenomenon in politics and has attempted to diminish it through pushes for youth representation as seen in Sweden and term limits that exist in many major democracies. However as has been the cycle for thousands of years, we the youth must push for representation in politics, measure the views of the geriatric, whose current presence in politics is upturning reputable democracy.
Image 4: Young people have been seeking more empowerment in politics.
Image 3: The Roman's faced similar issues to what we face today.
A Chemical Analysis of Water
Science
Exploring the unique properties of water and its importance for life on Earth.
By Jerry Hao (Year 10)
To most, water is a rather unremarkable substance. Sure, it is essential for life on Earth and a crucial limited resource in the world, but nothing about the water itself makes it interesting. I would hazard a guess that ‘water’ is not on your list of cool things to be excited about. While it is easy to come to these conclusions given the prevalence of water in our lives, it may surprise you to know that water is chemically an incredibly unique substance.
The Basics
In case you have not heard of a widely popular beverage - water, with the chemical formula H₂O , consists of two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen atom. It is commonly consumed by all living organisms to keep them alive.
Electronegativity
In a covalent bond, electrons are shared between atoms to form a chemical bond. Electronegativity is a measure of how strongly atoms attract bonding electrons when they are taking part in a chemical bond. Think of the more electronegative atom as the cooler student in your class – the one who is more people (electron) want to be around. The atom with the higher electronegativity attracts the bonding electrons more strongly, as a result, these electrons will spend more time near that atom compared to others in the compound.
In a water molecule, oxygen is much more electronegative than hydrogen. This means that oxygen pulls the shared electrons in the H₂O molecule closer to itself, creating high electron density and thus a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and a low electron density and thus a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms. This makes the O-H bond in water a polar bond and thus makes water a polar molecule with a partially negatively charge side and a partially positively charged side.
Hydrogen Bonds
The polarity of water molecules leads to the formation of intramolecular forces – namely dipole-dipole forces and hydrogen bonding. Dipoledipole forces are weak attractions between the slightly positive hydrogen atoms of one water molecule and the slightly negative oxygen atoms of another.
Due to the large difference in electronegativity between O and H, these dipole-dipole forces have a special name – hydrogen bonding, as these bonds can only form when the polar bond is formed by a hydrogen atom and a nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine atom. This is partly the reason why water is so unique – it’s ability to form hydrogen bonds, an ability possessed by a very limited number of molecules, and none of which are as abundant as water. While each hydrogen bond is relatively weak, collectively they give water some of its most important properties.
Image 1: Electronegativity in atoms.
Image 2: Diagram of hydrogen bonds.
A Chemical Analysis of Water
Water’s Unique Properties
The first unique property of water is its strong cohesion and adhesion. Water molecules stick together (cohesion) due to hydrogen bonding. This is why water forms droplets as all the water molecules in the droplet hold onto each other through hydrogen bonds. Water also sticks to other substances (adhesion), mostly substances that are polar as the polar water molecules attract other molecules with slight charges, which is why it can travel up plant roots and stems in a process called capillary action.
Another property of water is its high specific heat capacity, meaning it can absorb a lot of heat before its temperature rises. Specific heat capacity is defined as the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of a set amount substance by a set temperature, usually Joules per Gram per Degree Celsius. This property arises as the strong hydrogen bonds between water molecules prevent each other from vibrating, thus a large amount of energy is needed to raise its temperature. Water’s specific heat capacity is one that is ridiculously high compared to other substances, as shown below.
Unlike most substances, water expands when it freezes. This is because hydrogen bonds arrange water molecules in a crystalline structure that is less dense than liquid water. As a result, ice floats on water, providing an insulating layer that protects aquatic life in cold climates.
If water was to become denser or to shrink as it freezes, aquatic life in cold areas would cease to exist as each layer of surface ice sinks until the entire body of water is frozen, killing all marine creatures.
Water is often called the "universal solvent" because it can dissolve a wide variety of substances. This is again thanks to its high polarity. When substance dissolve, its ions dissociate, and new attractions will be formed between the solvent molecules and the dissociated ions. Water’s high polarity makes it able to dissolve a wide array of substances due to its ability to form strong intramolecular forces.
This property is crucial for biological processes, as it allows nutrients and waste products to be transported within organisms.
Hydrogen sulfide as a potential substitute
There is potential for life based on hydrogen sulfide (H₂S ) instead of water. Hydrogen sulfide has some similarities to water. Both molecules are polar, however, hydrogen sulfide cannot form hydrogen bonds and thus it possess many of water’s properties but to a drastically lesser extent.
It is much more difficult to sustain life when the anomalous properties of water are not present. For example, the specific heat capacity of hydrogen sulfide is less that half that of water, making organisms less able to stabilise body temperature and make a hydrogen sulfide based ecosystem highly unstable.
Conclusion
Water is truly a chemically unique and fascinating substance. Its special properties, driven by electronegativity and hydrogen bonding, make it essential for life on Earth. From regulating temperatures to allowing biochemical reactions, water's role cannot be overstated. While alternative are being explored, for the time being, it seems there is no substitute for addicting beverage of water. So next time you take a sip of water, I hope you can stop to remember just how extraordinary this simple substance really is.
Image 5: Hydogen sulfide vs water molecule
Image 3: Molecule bonding in water vs ice
Club Interview: Trading Club
Introduction: The Trading Club has taken the school by storm. Scott Jin (Year 8) caught with one of the club's founders, Shayan Karim, to discuss the club's operation.
Q. What experience do you have trading Shayan?
Shayan Karim: I have three years of experience in day trading technical analysis.
Q.What is your Profit/Loss ratio Shayan?
Shayan Karim: Win Ratio – 70.14%
Total Trades – 67
Winning Trades – 47
Losing Trades – 20
Q.What trading tools or platforms will the Trading Club use and why?
Shayan Karim: The club uses Trading View for technical analysis and simulated trading.
Q. Can you explain what type of trading the trading club focuses on?
Shayan Karim: Day Trading: the form of trading that involves making multiple trades per day on short time frames. This is what the club will mostly be teaching because it involves more technical analysis and indicator use, allowing students to use the content they have learned more frequently and practice more.
Q. What resources or educational materials do you recommend for beginners in trading?
Shayan Karim: There is a lot of trial and error involved in trading, which is why we are using simulation accounts to allow students to make these errors, learning resources for trading can be found in many places, I learned through YouTube and reading multiple books on trading. In the first club session in Term 3, I will share these resources with the club.
Q. How do you approach risk management?
Shayan Karim: Risk Management is a crucial part of trading. This is one of the first things I will teach the club. I normally use a 2:1 risk-to-reward ratio which means I am risking one amount of money to make double the amount. This allows me to have a lower P/L ratio but still be profitable because I use risk management. Additionally, diversifying my portfolio on long-term assets allows me to mitigate risk as my portfolio.
Image 1: The Trading Club's portfolio.
Image 2: A graph of the potential loss of trading.
Club Interview: Trading Club
Q.What are your thoughts on automated trading/ algorithmic trading?
Shayan Karim: I personally have an engineering and computer science interest. I think that algorithmic trading has many advantages but to train an algorithm to anticipate all the different states of the market will take years of programming and generational training. So, while I am enthusiastic about algorithmic trading, it is still not a viable replacement for standard trading.
Q: What do you have planned for the club next semester?
Shayan Karim: We have decided to run a trading competition. Students will be able to use simulated accounts and trade for their team. Each team member's profit at the end of the term will be added together and compared to the other teams. The winning team will win a pizza lunch, second place will win soft drinks and third place will get lollies.
Q.What does the club trade?
Shayan Karim: The club trades stocks and forex.
Q. What qualities or skills do you think are essential for a successful trader?
Shayan Karim: A successful trader must: •
What Makes Muscles Grow?
We have over 600 muscles in our bodies that help bind us together, hold us up, and help us move. Your muscles also need your constant attention, because the way you treat them on a daily basis determines whether they will wither or grow. Jeffrey Siegel illustrates how a good mix of sleep, nutrition and exercise keep your muscles as big and strong as possible
Be Fearless: Having too much fear can allow you to miss one trading opportunity
Not be consumed by greed: on the other hand, too much greed can allow traders to make trades that are not supported by data. Know when to trade: Don’t look at the charts all day. Know when to trade and when not to. A balanced trading lifestyle is a sign of success.
Q. How do you handle periods of significant market volatility?
Shayan Karim: Market volatility can be a sign of opportunity or a sign to not trade. Leveraged trading for example would be dangerous during volatile markets as stop losses can be hit within seconds. On the other hand, volatile markets can allow people to “scalp” the market, meaning making small amounts of money on the price movements of volatile markets.
Conclusion: The Trading Club provides a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about finance and investment in a supportive environment. We encourage all students with an interest in trading to join and take advantage of the resources and opportunities available.
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tM1LFFxeKg
Puzzles
INSTRUCTIONS
1. All the numbers from 1 to n must be used exactly once in each row and column, where n is the number of rows/columns.
2. The numbers in each bolded 'cage' must add, subtract, multiply or divide to the provided number in the top left. The operation to be used is also given next to the number in the top left. Good luck!
All puzzles from: https:// www.kenkenpuzzle.com/game
Solutions on back page.
Challenge Yourself
Competitions & Challenges
National Computing Science School (NCSS) Challenge
Source: https://groklearning.com/challenge/
Calling all coders! Dive into the NCSS Challenge and supercharge your coding skills. This is your chance to tackle real-world problems, learn new techniques, and join a community of passionate learners. Whether you are a newbie or a seasoned pro, this challenge will push your limits and boost your confidence.
For more information about this 5-week program starting July 29th, visit: https://groklearning.com/challenge/
Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO)
Source: AMT (https:// www.amt.edu.au/aimo)
Are you passionate about coding and problem-solving? The Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIO) is your chance to showcase your programming prowess on a national stage! Tackle four unique problems of varying difficulty,
test your skills, and stand out as one of the top young programmers in Australia.
Exceptional performers will receive invitations for special mentoring and exclusive events to further their programming careers.
For more information, visit https:// www.amt.edu.au/aio
The Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Space Challenge
Source: AVA https://avachallenge.org/
If you enjoy robotics and are interested in participating in an exciting space challenge where you tackle real-world space problems, the Australian Virtual Astronaut (AVA) Space Challenge is for you! You can enter individually or as a team of 4.
This 9-step STEM design sprint is based on challenges faced by NASA’s Artemis Mission and the Australian space industry. A key aspect is the AROSE Lunar Rover Challenge, part of the Australian Government’s Moon to Mars Trailblazer Program.
For more information, visit https://avachallenge.org/
Source: AMT (https:// www.amt.edu.au/aimo)
Do you love solving maths problems and looking for a new challenge? Participate in the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO), a competition for enthusiastic maths students in Years 7 to 10.
The AIMO features unique
problems designed by leading educators to stretch your problem-solving skills. High achievers may even earn invitations to the Australian Maths Trust’s highperformance programs. Give it a go and see how far you can go!
For more information, visit https://www.amt.edu.au/ aimo
GET INVOLVED!
If you would like to be involved in any of the above competitions, please email Mrs Angela Kotsiras at KotsirasA@trinity.vic.edu.au, to assist you with registration, resources and mentors.
Australian Intermediate Maths Olympiad (AIMO)
Puzzle Solutions
Want to Write for the Inquirer?
We’d love this magazine to truly reflect the thoughts and ponderings of the inquiring minds of students across the school, and the depth of intellectual and cultural life here at Trinity. With this in mind, we are keen to accept Op-Eds, letters, freelance pitches/articles or even feature story content suggestions from any and all students. (That means you!)
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, please reach out to us at 616605@trinity.vic.edu.au (Sage Lingam) or 630011@trinity.vic.edu.au (Gus King).
References
Falling Off:
Image 1: https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Marvel-Disney-10years.jpg?
q=50&fit=crop&w=1100&h=618&dpr=1.5
Image 2: https://media.wired.com/photos/5c74080eb235600ed923918c/master/ w_1400,c_limit/ Monitor_Oscars_RuthCarter-1127216637.jpg
Image 3: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/ MV5BMTExZmVjY2ItYTAzYi00MDdlLWFlOWItNTJhMDRjMzQ5ZGY0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODIyOTEyMz Y@._V1_FMjpg_UX100 0_.jpg
Image 4: https://images.thedirect.com/media/article_full/spider-man-no-way-home-art-collection.jpg? imgeng=/cmpr_60/w_1280
Gerontocracy in Modern Day Politics:
Image 1: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91EFLLjIRaL._AC_SL1500_.jpg Image 2: https://fivethirtyeight.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/aging-pols_4x3.jpeg?w=916 Image 3:https:// eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Forum-Romanum-reconstruction-TheRoman-Forum-A-Reconstruction-and-Architectural-Guide-Cambridge-University-Press-768x770.png
Image 4:https://www.ipu.org/sites/default/files/styles/max_1920x1920/public/ young_mps-850.jpg?itok=NU3bGTqb
Challenges and Advantages of Immigration:
Image 1: https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.eoBVyD-GwWH11MjYkAEM7gHaE8? w=1024&h=683&rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain Image 2: https:// st4.depositphotos.com/16706896/22363/i/450/depositphotos_223630784-stock-photo-tokyo-japanoct-2018-crowd.jpg
Image 3: https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/101764250-171596044.jpg? v=1532564465
Image 4: https://a.travel-assets.com/findyours-php/viewfinder/images/res70/477000/477277Melbourne-Cbd.jpg Image 5: https://teakdoor.com/images/imported/2020/10/297.jpg
A Chemical Analysis of Water:
Image 1:Used with permission of Jerry Hao Image 2: https://isaacscienceblog.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/micro_31316561524195.jpg Image 3: https://cdn4.explainthatstuff.com/water-anomalous-expansion.png
Image 4: https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.d1551b51ceeab8c1329efdb474819cdd? rik=VSMMEWpn5UHoLQ&riu=http%3a%2f%2facf-file.echemi.com%2ffileManage%2fupload%2fcommunity %2f20220410%2fmainqimg-50c970e3785189ad75e6ee8b3eaf6b26-lq&ehk=U0KgdVao3V5TWjMFa% 2bkVXLeDDRIX2u4rpPkGCxjtHA4% 3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0
Image 6: https://water.lsbu.ac.uk/water/images/h2oh2s2.gif
Club Interview: Trading Club: All images used with the permission of Shayan Karim.
