Jamshedpur: If the mention of mathematics evokes fear and anxiety in you, it's likely that you suffer from maths phobia, a common phenomenon among students.

At a time most educational institutions choose to turn a blind eye to the problem, DAV Public School in Bistupur is walking the extra mile to ensure that the kids enjoy their statistics, geometry and algebra.

The school on Saturday organised a maths fest where around 200 students from Classes I-VIII took part.

From calculating speed and distance with the help of a toy train to making a robot that draws the perfect circle, students displayed their creativity through various models.

"I have used a motor and built it in such a way that it draws a circle automatically whenever it's switched on. I have used ice-cream sticks, rubber bands and sketch pens to make the model. This is useful for architects or anyone who's into drawing," Class VII student Akarshan Choudhary said.

A group of students showcased a model on Pythagoras theorem that enabled them to calculate the height of the building.

Younger children built a smart math city with the help of cardinal, odd and even numbers to understand the concepts better.

For a fancy dress competition, kids came dressed as Brahmagupta, Indian American mathematician Raj Chandra Bose, Shakuntala Devi, who earned the sobriquet of human computer in the 1980s, British mathematician Mary Cartwright and Greek mathematicians Hypatia and Archimedes.

"Students often suffer from maths phobia because they don't understand the concepts. While working on their models, they researched a lot over the internet and YouTube to get ideas. These helped them a lot to grasp the concepts better. They won't forget them easily," teacher Swarnali Chakraborty said.

Children too had a fun time. "When teachers guide you outside the four walls of the classroom, it's fun. I was apprehensive of the subject but if we keep doing such fun activities, we will overcome that fear," Class V student Snigdha Jha said.