Math Circles

Math Circles are for students with long attention spans who enjoy engaging in mathematical conversation. Students will learn to collaborate with others while developing and defending their mathematical ideas. Our pedagogy is based on the approach used in the Boston Math Circle.

Math Circles are programs for students who love math and want a challenge. Students should have long attention spans and should be eager to have a discussion about mathematical ideas with like-minded peers.

If you are interested in joining a Math Circle, please contact the Riverbend Community Math Center.

Spring 2019

This semester Riverbend Community Math Center is offering Math Circles starting the week of January 24th. We will form additional Math Circles if we have at least five students in a given age range. The two groups listed below have already formed.

The Galois Math Circle

Typical Age: 4 to 6 years old
Time: Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. on the dates listed below

• February 6, 13, 20, 27
• March 6, 13, 20, 27
• April 10, 17, 24
• May 1, 8, 15, 22

This semester, we will explore number lines and number circles. We will jump on numbers, play strategy games, and solve possible and impossible puzzles.

Named for Evariste Galois (1811–1832)

We meet at the Beacon Resource Center at 4210 Lincoln Way West, in South Bend near the airport.

The Germain Math Circle

Typical Age: 7 to 11 years old
Time: Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below

• January 24, 31
• February 14, 21, 28
• March 7, 14, 21, 28
• April 11, 18, 25
• May 2, 9, 16, 23

This semester, we are exploring ideas relating to fractions and the geometry of origami. Students will learn to look for patterns and explain why they happen.

Named for Sophie Germain (1776–1831)

We meet at the Harris Branch Public Library at 51446 Elm Rd, Granger, IN 46530.

Content From Past Math Circles

Exploding and Collapsing Boxes

We have heard of base ten, base two, and base sixteen, but is it possible to make sense of base three halves?

Three-sided Cylindrical Dice

How can we construct a fair three-sided cylindrical die?

For example, a "short" cylinder will almost always land on one of the ends and rarely on the side. A tall cylinder will almost always land on its side and rarely on an end. How should we construct the die so that if we label the ends with "1" and "2" and the side with "3" each number will have an equal chance of coming up?

Emptying the Atlantic Ocean with a Thimble

How many thimbles of water would it take to empty the Atlantic Ocean?

Extension of James Tanton's Intersection Math Problem

We extended James Tanton's Intersection Math Problem counting the intersections of a bipartite graph to a tripartite graph.

This work placed into the public domain by the Riverbend Community Math Center.