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 Global 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.

Fall 2019

This semester Riverbend Community Math Center is offering Math Circles for four different age ranges

The Galois Math Circle

Typical Age: 4 to 7 years old
Time: Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below

• September 18, 25
• October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• November 6, 13, 20
• December 4, 11

Named for Evariste Galois (1811–1832)

We meet in room 112 in the Pasquerilla Center on the Notre Dame campus.

The Germain Math Circle

Typical Age: 8 to 11 years old
Time: Tuesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below

• September 17, 24
• October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
• November 5, 12, 19
• December 3, 10

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 in room 107 in the Pasquerilla Center on the Notre Dame campus.

The Wiles Math Circle

Typical Age: 11 to 14 years old
Time: Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the dates listed below

• October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• November 6, 13, 20
• December 4, 11

Named for Andrew Wiles (1953–)

We meet in room 112 in the Pasquerilla Center on the Notre Dame campus.

The Euler Math Circle

Typical Age: 13 to 18 years old
Time: Fridays from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below

• November 15, 22
• December 6, 13

Named for Leonhard Euler (1707–1783)

We meet in the Math Department Common Room on the second floor of Hurley Hall on the Notre Dame campus.

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.