Schedule

During the Fall 2024 semester, we will have the math circle meetings on Saturdays, 3-5pm, broken down into two sessions:

  • Saturday 3-4pm: middle school session (intended for middle school students and advanced elementary school students)
  • Saturday 4-5pm: high school session (intended for high school students and advanced middle school students)

Note: Any student is welcome to attend any session. The descriptions are only guidelines.

DateTimeSpeakerTopicMentors
Sep 28, 20243pmBrandon SweetingToothpick Tricks
Sep 28, 20244pmAlan ChangAM-GM inequality
Oct 5, 20243pmBrandon SweetingCryptic Cards
Oct 5, 20244pmHao ZhuangConvexity of functions
Oct 12, 20243pm
Oct 12, 20244pm

Descriptions

Sep 28, 2024

Toothpick Tricks: In this activity, students use toothpicks to explore geometry by forming squares within a grid. They begin by counting squares of different sizes and then solve puzzles, like removing two toothpicks to leave exactly two squares without loose ends. They will also explore variations, such as moving toothpicks to form images, encouraging critical thinking and the development of spatial reasoning skills.

AM-GM inequality: We will investigate the relationship between the arithmetic and geometric means, and use this to prove inequalities and study optimization problems.

Oct 5, 2024

Cryptic Cards: In this game of deduction, one player chooses a secret rule (e.g., “only black cards” or “black cards must be even”). The rest of the group tries to figure out the rule by playing cards one at a time, with the rule-setter telling them whether each card follows the rule. As students gather more clues, they can narrow down the possibilities. The rules start simple and become more challenging, promoting strategic thinking and logical reasoning. (Note: please bring a deck of cards if you have one.)

Convexity of functions: Concave up or down, that is a straightforward observation but indicating surprising quantitative relations.