Of the 21 nations participating in all phases of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), American high school seniors did better than only two countries: South Africa and Cyprus.

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The global rankings are the result of two studies - the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS).

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Dame Julia Higgins, who chairs the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education, said all students should study maths until the age of 18.

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Overall English pupils achieved scores in line with the international average for maths in the 2003 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), with the top 10% of pupils' results comparable with those from some high achieving East Asian countries.

BBC: Top maths pupils 'fail to keep up with world's best'

He would go on to study mathematics and physics at the University of Melbourne.

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And yet, this was the age that revived Aristotle, built upon Indian mathematics, developed the scientific method, and brought about the beginnings of serious study into medicine, chemistry, optics, and most of the other sciences.

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