Classes and Workshops:
Publicity and involvement:
More about us:
for high school students:
Math Circle Saturday Workshops
January 2008 - March 2008
From January to March, come to campus to do math with friends, undergrads, and graduate students. Last year, we explored chaos and combinatorics, tilings and number theory, and linear programming and probability. This year we will explore the exciting topics of knot theory, different perspectives of geometry and the mathematics behind a variety of games!
Our former students have said of our program:
- "Excellent! Probably the only thing that could get me on my feet so early on a Saturday!"
- "A very fun experience!"
- "Before this, I had no idea there was so much to math."
Application Process
Applicants will be accepted on a first-come first-serve basis. We will accept the first fifty applicants. Once the applications close, we will update this website.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Classes
"Math Circle makes math more enjoyable and interesting to all who participate. It changed the way I looked at and felt about math and Math Circle isn't just doing problems out of a book. It is people who teach and actually like math."
The classes for Math Circle 2008 are:- Knot Theory, taught by Marion Moore
- Perspective in Geometry, taught by Tom Denton
- Math through Games, taught by Yvonne Lai
Class descriptions:
(The following are Math Circle 2008 class descriptions.)
Knot Theory
Marion Moore
Did you ever think you would take a class where a piece of yarn was your primary learning tool? Well, here's your chance! In this class we will explore the math of knots. We will see what different kinds of knots are possible, figure out how to show whether two knots are the same and we will even build human knots! In this class you will take objects and concepts that are familiar to you (yarn), find patterns (knots) and think critically about those objects, all the while developing mathematical intuition and skills. If you're only interested in the same old math, this may KNOT be the class for you...
Geometrical Perspectives: New Angles on Geometry
Tom Denton
Geometry has played a fundamental role in mankind's ability to understand his world since ancient times. According to legend, those entering Plato's Academy were warned by an inscription, "Let no man ignorant of geometry enter here." In ancient India, scholars used geometry to track the motions of the stars, and attempt to foretell the future. In modern times, we have developed radical new ideas of geometry to understand the shape of our universe, though we've mainly given up on using the stars to tell our personal fortunes. In this class, we will survey some of the biggest developments in geometry through the ages, especially those not usually covered in high school geometry classes. Some particular topics will include:
- Projective geometry, which was developed in the Reniassance, and can be thought of as the geometry of art.
- Hyperbolic geometry, the most fundamental non-Euclidean geometry.
- The geometry of special relativity, a 20th century invention which describes the relationship of time and space in our universe.
Math through Games
Yvonne Lai
In this class, we'll develop mathematics through exploratory games. Along the way, we'll encounter firefly blinking activity, funny political scenarios from the E.U., and honeycomb tilings on the surface of a donut.
Here is a teaser problem (from Martin Gardner): Suppose you have a 27 x 1 chocolate bar. What is the minimum number of cuts it takes to split it into 27 pieces if you can cut more than one row at a time? What is you have a 3 x 3 x 3 "bar" of chocolate? Surprisingly, the answers differ. We'll discuss the mathematics behind these questions, try some other puzzles, and maybe even eat some chocolate!
Expectations
Our mission is to have fun doing great math.
To quote the Boston Math Circle: ``While the courses are mathematically rigorous, the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. We want our students to feel free to express their ideas, to suggest their own approaches, and to make mistakes. We work in a spirit of friendship, cooperation, and enjoyment of one another.''
We expect students to maintain an atmosphere of respect and cooperation. Any students found severely disrupting such an atmosphere will not be allowed to return to the program.
2008 Schedule
Key:| (Location) | |||
| KT | : | Knot Theory | MSB 2112 |
| Geo | : | Perspectives in Geometry | MSB 2112 |
| Game | : | Math through games | MSB 2112 |
| Special Events | : | Don't miss them! | variable |
| Jan. 12 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | Game | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | KT |
| Jan. 19 | 9:30-10:20 | Game |
| 10:35-11:25 | KT | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 |
Lucas Sabalka
Graph Theory |
| Jan. 26 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | KT | |
| 11:20-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Chris Berg
Discrete Math |
| Feb. 2 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | KT | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Aaron
Rosenberg
Graph Theory |
| Feb. 9 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | Game | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Robert Guy
Mathematical Biology |
| Feb. 16 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | KT | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Robert
Gutierrez
|
| Feb. 23 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | Special Class | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Joseph Biello
Applied Mathematics |
| Mar. 1 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | Game | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | KT |
| Mar. 8 | 9:30-10:20 | Geo |
| 10:35-11:25 | Game | |
| 11:25-11:40 | break | |
| 11:40-12:30 | Jason Bandlow |
| Mar. 15 | All Session Puzzlemania (MSB 1147) |