Riverbend Math Circles at Notre Dame
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, complete the online registration form and come to the next class. You will also need to complete the Medical Treatment Form and Waiver linked below. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact the Riverbend Community Math Center.
Forms
Students will need to complete the forms below to join a Math Circle.- For more information contact us
Email: 
Telephone: (574) 222-1515
Spring 2020
This semester Riverbend Community Math Center is offering Math Circles for three different age ranges
The Galois Math Circle
Typical Ages: 4--7 years old
Time: Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- January 29
- February 5, 12, 19, 26
- March 4, 18, 25
- April 1, 15, 22, 29
Named for Evariste Galois (1811–1832)
We meet in rooms 107 amd 109 in the Pasquerilla Center on the Notre Dame campus.
The Germain Math Circle
Typical Ages: 8--11 years old
Time: Wednesdays from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- January 29
- February 5, 12, 19, 26
- March 4, 18, 25
- April 1, 15, 22, 29
Named for Sophie Germain (1776–1831)
We meet in room 114 in the Pasquerilla Center on the Notre Dame campus.
The Euler Math Circle
Typical Ages: 11--18 years old
Time: Fridays from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on the dates listed below
- January 24, 31
- February 7, 14, 21, 28
- March 6, 20, 27
- April 17, 24
- May 1, 8, 15
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? * November 15, 22 * December 6, 13 * November 15, 22 * December 6, 13
- 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.
