What Kind of Math is in a Math Circle?
Our students cover dynamic math concepts that engage them to find creative angles for problem-solving. Our sessions are ever-evolving, but some topics covered are…
Graph Theory
“Can you walk and cross all of the bridges once without going over any bridge twice?”
This content is advanced, but, in practice, it’s hands on. Draw a picture and try to figure out the puzzle–that experience becomes the basis for a rich mathematical conversation.
Number Theory
15 cookie jars are labeled 1 to 15, and the number on
the outside gives the number of cookies inside.
On a ‘turn’ you can take the same number
of cookies out of any number of jars that you like –
but you have to take exactly that number
(you can’t take 5 cookies from a jar
that has only 3 cookies!)
What’s the fewest number of turns
it takes to empty the jars?
The Pigeon Hole Principle
“Must there exist two people on earth with the same number of hairs on their head?”
Math circle students learn that the questions that seem impossible to resolve can have simple explanations, and, more importantly, the related thinking can be applied to many other problems!