Riverbend Math Circles at Notre Dame
COVID-19 Update: Math Circles will take place online this semester.
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.
- For more information contact us
Email: |  |
Telephone: | (574) 222-1515 |
Spring 2021
This semester Riverbend Community Math Center is offering Math Circles
for five different age ranges
The Birman Math Circle
Typical Ages: 4--6 years old
Time: Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- February 16, 23
- March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
- April 6, 13, 20
Named for Joan Birman (1927–)
The Galois Math Circle
Typical Ages: 6--9 years old
Time: Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- February 18, 25
- March 4, 11, 18, 25
- April 1, 8, 15, 22
Named for Evariste Galois (1811–1832)
The Germain Math Circle
Typical Ages: 9--12 years old
Time: Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- February 16, 23
- March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
- April 6, 13, 20
Named for Sophie Germain (1776–1831)
The Wiles Math Circle
Typical Ages: 12--14 years old
Time: Tuesdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- February 16, 23
- March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
- April 6, 13, 20
Named for Andrew Wiles (1953–)
The Euler Math Circle
Typical Ages: 11--18 years old
Time: Sundays from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- February 14, 21, 28
- March 7, 14, 21, 28
- April 11, 18, 25
Named for Leonhard Euler (1707–1783)
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.