UCLA Olga Radko Endowed Math Circle

ORMC Meetings Archive • Fall 2007–Spring 2025

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For the current schedule, visit the Circle Calendar

2007–2008 2008–2009 2009–2010 2010–2011 2011–2012 2012–2013 2013–2014 2014–2015 2015–2016 2016–2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2019–2020 2020–2021 2021–2022 2022–2023 2023–2024 2024–2025
Summer 2024 quarter // Filter groups by:
6/30/2024

Students will see how axioms and basic theorems of Euclidean geometry work, or do not work, on a sphere.

Handouts: Lecture notes (part 1) | Problem set 1

Students will study lesson 9 from the course book. This is the first lesson from a 2-lesson Intro to Topology mini-course.

Students will study lesson 9 from the course book. This is the first lesson from a 2-lesson Intro to Topology mini-course.

Students will study the famous ciphers of the past: the Polybius cipher, Caesar cipher, pigpen cipher, etc.

Students will study the famous ciphers of the past: the Polybius cipher, Caesar cipher, pigpen cipher, etc.

Students will study lessons 1 and 2 from the course book.

Students will study lessons 1 and 2 from the course book.

Students will get an introduction to Python and the Turtle module.

Handouts: Intro to Python

Students will learn the basics of Python and get familiar with the turtle module.

Handouts:
7/7/2024

Students will continue studying spherical geometry.

Handouts: Problem set 1

Students will explore anagrams, the pigpen cipher, and the rail fence cipher. At the end of class, we'll recap the material from the first two classes and, if time permits, take a quiz.

Students will continue their study of ciphers: anagrams, pigpen ciphers, and rail fence ciphers.

Going over homework, quiz 1, and starting chapter 3 which is partitions and subtraction.

Going over homework, quiz 1, and starting chapter 3 which is partitions and subtraction.

Students will continue the python packet from last time, now covering the turtle module.

Handouts: Extra Practice Problems

Students will finish last week's packet if they haven't already, gaining an understanding of all the basics of Python as well as the Turtle module. Students will also get more involved, hands-on practice.

Handouts:
7/14/2024

Students will start proving some fundamental theorems of spherical geometry.

Handouts: Problem set 2 | Lecture notes (spherical geometry)

Students will work with instructors on packets from Math Kangaroo, an international math competition for children grades 1-12.

Students will be introduced to the concept of polygons, 2D and 3D objects, and projections.

Quiz 2, lesson 4 from the book, and maybe starting lesson 5 if time permits.

Quiz 2, lesson 4 from the book, and maybe starting lesson 5 if time permits.

Students begin an introduction to fractals.

Handouts: Fractals 1

Students will gain a basic introduction to fractals and their properties.

Handouts:
7/21/2024
Handouts: Lecture notes (spherical geometry) | Problem set 2

Students will work on Chapter 8 and explore more solids with blocks. If time permits, we'll also start chapter 9.

Students will continue their study of polygons, 2D and 3D objects, and projections with more complex examples.

This week, we will go over the homework which is about the number line, learn about the relationship between digits and numbers, and take quiz 3.

This week, we will go over the homework which is about the number line, learn about the relationship between digits and numbers, and take quiz 3.

Students continue with the same packet

Students will continue working on the fractals packet with a couple modifications.

7/28/2024

Students will take quiz three on chapters 7-9. Afterward, we will work on chapter 10, Knights and Liars, and begin chapter 11 if time permits.

Students will be introduced to the "knights and knaves" puzzles as a fun introduction to logic.

We will go over homework from chapter 5, complete Quiz #3, and then the lesson will be on Young Diagrams.

We will go over homework from chapter 5, complete Quiz #3, and then the lesson will be on Young Diagrams.

Students will get an introduction to classic logic puzzles.

Handouts: Logic Puzzles

Students will work on some fun logic puzzles

Handouts:
8/4/2024

Students will begin a study of induction.

Students will work through chapters 12 and 13 in the book with instructors, covering topics like the truth function, "or" operation, and "and" gates.

Students will continue their study of logic with the truth function. If time permits, we will study the 'and' and 'or' operations.

Utilizing methods from previous classes; the number line and the lit windows game, students will delve into significantly harder subtraction problems. Then, complete quiz 4.

Utilizing methods from previous classes; the number line and the lit windows game, students will delve into significantly harder subtraction problems. Then, complete quiz 4.

Students will get an introduction to induction.

Handouts: Induction Packet

Students will learn about the basics of weak induction.

Handouts:
8/11/2024

Students will learn about double negations with their instructors and then take a quiz covering chapters 10-14. With remaining time, we will move on and start chapter 15, exploring line land, a one-dimensional world.

Students will study a slightly more rigorous form of logic in the form of logic gates: and, not, and or gates.

Students will complete Quiz 4 if they have not completed it yet and then learn how even and odd numbers relate to young diagrams.

Students will complete Quiz 4 if they have not completed it yet and then learn how even and odd numbers relate to young diagrams.

Students continue the induction packet started last week, focusing on piano axioms.

Students will continue working on the packet from last week.

8/18/2024

Students will work through an AMC 8 problem set with instructors.

Students will work through an AMC 8 problem set with instructors.

In this class students will go over the homework from chapter 8, complete quiz 5, and with the remaining time either do challenge problems or make up quizzes from when they were absent.

In this class students will go over the homework from chapter 8, complete quiz 5, and with the remaining time either do challenge problems or make up quizzes from when they were absent.

Students will learn about the Gini Index and how to apply it.

Handouts: Gini Index Packet

Students will learn about economics and the Gini Index

8/25/2024
Handouts: Lecture notes and problems.

Students will participate in a review game with the other Beginners 2 class!

Students will compete against the Beginners 2A class to solve as many problems as they can.

For our last class, we will study the final chapter and do a brief review of the whole book.

For our last class, we will study the final chapter and do a brief review of the whole book.

Students will take part in a competition

Fall 2024 quarter // Filter groups by:
9/29/2024
Handouts:
Handouts:

Students will study applications of probability theory to decision making, hiring problems in particular.

Handouts: Handout | Solutions

Students will study applications of probability theory to decision making, hiring problems in particular.

Handouts: Handout | Solutions

Students will study polynomials with real and integer coefficient.

Handouts:

Students will take AMC 10 and 12 tests from a year past for 75 min., then discuss solutions to harder problems.

Students will take an AMC 8 test from a year past, followed by a guided discussion of the harder problems in the test.

Students will study lesson one from the coursebook.

Students will study lesson one from the coursebook.

Students will study lesson one from the coursebook.

Students will review chapter 10 from the coursebook.

Students will review chapter 10 from the coursebook.

Students will review chapters 10 and 11 from the coursebook.

Students will study the first chapter of Shen's book, Geometry in Problems.

Students will study the first chapter of Shen's book, Geometry in Problems.

Handouts: Collatz Conjecture

Students learn about iterated functions and one of the hardest unsolved math problems. This worksheet is also an introduction to what kinds of problems professional mathematicians like to think about.

Handouts: Worksheet

We will start the quarter by solving math problems that are not centered around any particular theme.

Handouts: Handout
10/6/2024
Handouts:

Students will get an introduction to Graph Theory, including the famous Königsberg Bridge problem and outlining what makes a graph planar or not.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions

Students will explore deeper properties of functions having the form F(x)=(ax+b)/(cx+d).

Handouts: Handout

We will go over chapter 2, do the brief lesson 3, and have quiz 1.

We will go over chapter 2, do the brief lesson 3, and have quiz 1.

We will be going over Chapter 3 and then take Quiz 1.

We will go through chapter 13 and potentially also 14.

We will finish Chapter 11 and begin Chapter 12.

Students will study chapters 12 and possibly 13 of the course book.

Students will continue in the Geometry in Problems book with problems relating to angles.

Students will continue in the Geometry in Problems book with problems relating to angles.

Handouts: Intro to Python #1 | Intro to Python #2

A comprehensive introduction to Python programming using the online compiler "Trinket.io." Further exploration of the drawing board module "Turtle" and the quantitative module "Math".

Handouts:

Students will solve problems around the famous Arithmetic Mean - Geometric Mean inequality.

Handouts: Handout
10/13/2024

Students will use the game to study finite projective geometry.

Handouts:

Students will use the game to study finite projective geometry.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions

Students will continue studying the topic they started on 9/29.

Handouts:

Students will work in groups to complete problems from 2 distinct AMC 10 exams.

Students will briefly review their homework on chapter 3, learn about Roman numerals (chapter 4), and if time permits start chapter 5.

Students will briefly review their homework on chapter 3, learn about Roman numerals (chapter 4), and if time permits start chapter 5.

We will review Chapter 4 from the homework and start Chapters 5 and 6.

Chapter 15 and 16

We will review the material on composite and simple statements and then cover Chapter 12

Chapters 14, 15, and Quiz 4

Students will wrap up the discussion on angles before starting a study of triangles in chapter 3 of the book.

Students will wrap up the discussion on angles before starting a study of triangles in chapter 3 of the book.

Handouts: Recursive Functions and Fractals

Students learned about recursive functions in Python and how to apply them to draw fractals.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout
10/20/2024

Students will construct the famous number e and study its properties.

Handouts:

Students will construct the famous number e and study its properties.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts:

In class we will go over chapter 5 (which is the homework), introduce larger symbols for roman numerals, and then the students will do practice problems.

In class we will go over chapter 5 (which is the homework), introduce larger symbols for roman numerals, and then the students will do practice problems.

We will be reviewing Chapter 6 from the homework and start working on Chapter 7.

Chapter 17, quiz 4, chapter 18, and maybe chapter 19

We will finish our discussion of logic and circuits, and then begin our next major topic -- Flatland and 1D/2D/3D geometry.

Students will study chapters 16 and 17 of the course book.

Students will continue studying the triangle inequality and solving problems around it.

Students will continue studying the triangle inequality and solving problems around it, along with doing a review of all the material covered so far.

Handouts:

This week, we reviewed recursive functions and fractals. We looked at several new examples of recursive functions from mathematics. We also took another look at one of the more challenging problems from last week involving the Koch snowflake.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout
10/27/2024
Handouts:

Students will learn about Lambda calculus and derive some basic arithmetic operations.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions

For handout, see https://circles.math.ucla.edu/circles/lib/data/Handout-2826-2424.pdf

Handouts:

Students will learn how to convert effectively from digits to roman numerals and solve problems. If time permits, we will start chapter 8.

Students will learn how to convert effectively from digits to roman numerals and solve problems. If time permits, we will start chapter 8.

We will go over Chapter 8 and do Quiz 2.

Chapter 19,20,21

After a short quiz on our work on liars and knights and logic circuits, we will begin our study of geometry and dimension.

Students will work through chapters 18 and 19

Students will wrap up the congruent figures chapter before moving onto examining the triangle congruence test.

Students will wrap up the congruent figures chapter before moving onto examining the triangle congruence test.

Handouts: Powers and Logs #1

Students learned about properties of exponentiation (powers) and were introduced to logarithms. We also covered applications to carbon dating and to finance.

Handouts:

One of the Olympiads instructors, Nikita Gladkov, has recently disproved an important combinatorial hypothesis, known as the bunkbed conjecture. He has made a handout where his work is broken into problems, giving students a chance to rediscover the result.

Handouts: Handout | Solutions
11/3/2024
Handouts:

This class's packet covered the basics of the p-adic number system and how it works. The error regarding values for letters in bases greater than 10 is resolved.

Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions

In this week, we will rediscover cross ratios, anharmonic group, and j-invariants using what we have learned about fractional linear transforms.

Handouts: Handout

Don't forget to do your homework!

Students will go over their homework, take quiz 2, and then study chapter 8.

Students will go over their homework, take quiz 2, and then study chapter 8.

We will review material covered last week and work on Chapter 9.

Chapters 21,22,23

We will study Chapter 16 (Flatland), and start to think about what kinds of 2D cuts can be made through 3D objects.

Students will work through chapters 20, 21, 22 and quiz 6

Students will continue exploring applications of the triangle congruence test. If there is leftover time they will begin looking at isosceles triangles.

Students will wrap-up with problems applying Triangle Congruence Test before moving onto studying isosceles triangles.

Handouts: Powers and Logs, continued.

Students learned more about properties of logarithms. Specifically, students were introduced to the change of base formula.

Handouts:

A generating function is a clothesline on which we hang up a sequence of numbers for display. We will learn to do combinatorics with the help of algebra.

Handouts: Handout
11/10/2024
11/17/2024

Students will take a deeper than before look at the symmetric group.

Handouts:

Students will take a deeper than before look at the symmetric group.

Handouts:
Handouts: Solutions | LaTeX Source | Handout
Handouts: Solutions | LaTeX Source | Handout
Handouts:

Students will go over chapter 9 (which was their homework) and then move on to chapter 8, which expands this cutting concept to more complex shapes.

Students will go over chapter 9 (which was their homework) and then move on to chapter 8, which expands this cutting concept to more complex shapes.

We will review chapter 9 and begin chapter 10 as well.

We will finish up our discussion of Flatland, covering Chapter 17 and a quiz on Flatland and Lineland topics. Students will then work together to make storyboards for animations on Life in Flatland. Finally we will start on Chapter 18 -- Forward and Backward reasoning using functions.

Students will wrap up the study of isosceles triangles before going onto the next chapter, which focuses on circles.

Students will wrap up the study of isosceles triangles before going onto the next chapter, which focuses on circles.

Probability and Monte-Carlo simulations.

Handouts: handout

Probability and Monte-Carlo simulations.

Handouts:
11/24/2024
Handouts:
Handouts:
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts: Handout | Solutions
Handouts:

Students will take quiz 3 and then learn about topology in chapter 11, please have the chapter 10 completed prior.

Students will take quiz 3 and then learn about topology in chapter 11, please have the chapter 10 completed prior.

chapter 24,25

Students will work on forwards and backwards functions, with groups being pulled out to work on creating and filming their Flatland stories.

Students will wrap-up their study of circles before moving on to Chapter 9 (Parallel Lines). If they have additional time, they'll return to Chapter 8, which focuses on constructions.

Students will wrap-up their study of circles before moving on to Chapter 9 (Parallel Lines). If they have additional time, they'll return to Chapter 8, which focuses on constructions.

Expected value.

Handouts: handout

Expected value.

Handouts: handout

We will solve problems in geometry of varying difficulty

Handouts: Handout
12/8/2024

We explore how financial markets combine and influence each other, especially through the role of arbitrage - the process of finding and taking advantage of price differences across markets. We describe how markets share striking similarities to thermodynamic systems. This perspective helps us see how the process of combining markets can lead to a "market entropy," a measure of lost liquidity when markets aggregate quantifying price uncertainty. Finally, we examine how this theory unifies two perspectives of a market: one as an exchange mechanism and the other as a venue for interaction among traders. The talk is aimed at a general audience.

We explore how financial markets combine and influence each other, especially through the role of arbitrage - the process of finding and taking advantage of price differences across markets. We describe how markets share striking similarities to thermodynamic systems. This perspective helps us see how the process of combining markets can lead to a "market entropy," a measure of lost liquidity when markets aggregate quantifying price uncertainty. Finally, we examine how this theory unifies two perspectives of a market: one as an exchange mechanism and the other as a venue for interaction among traders. The talk is aimed at a general audience.

We explore how financial markets combine and influence each other, especially through the role of arbitrage - the process of finding and taking advantage of price differences across markets. We describe how markets share striking similarities to thermodynamic systems. This perspective helps us see how the process of combining markets can lead to a "market entropy," a measure of lost liquidity when markets aggregate quantifying price uncertainty. Finally, we examine how this theory unifies two perspectives of a market: one as an exchange mechanism and the other as a venue for interaction among traders. The talk is aimed at a general audience.

We explore how financial markets combine and influence each other, especially through the role of arbitrage - the process of finding and taking advantage of price differences across markets. We describe how markets share striking similarities to thermodynamic systems. This perspective helps us see how the process of combining markets can lead to a "market entropy," a measure of lost liquidity when markets aggregate quantifying price uncertainty. Finally, we examine how this theory unifies two perspectives of a market: one as an exchange mechanism and the other as a venue for interaction among traders. The talk is aimed at a general audience.

We explore how financial markets combine and influence each other, especially through the role of arbitrage - the process of finding and taking advantage of price differences across markets. We describe how markets share striking similarities to thermodynamic systems. This perspective helps us see how the process of combining markets can lead to a "market entropy," a measure of lost liquidity when markets aggregate quantifying price uncertainty. Finally, we examine how this theory unifies two perspectives of a market: one as an exchange mechanism and the other as a venue for interaction among traders. The talk is aimed at a general audience.

We will have a special event, named My Favorite Math Competition Problem, to honor Tiger (Qiao) Zhang winning gold medal at the International Math Olympiad in 2024. Four speakers will each present their favorite math competition problem, including a solution and necessary mathematical background.

We will have a special event, named My Favorite Math Competition Problem, to honor Tiger (Qiao) Zhang winning gold medal at the International Math Olympiad in 2024. Four speakers will each present their favorite math competition problem, including a solution and necessary mathematical background.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will play a board game involving shapes, partitions, and divisibility.

Students will review a little bit of Chapter 9 before playing an end-of-year game.

Students will do a little review of Chapter 9 before doing our final game.

Students will play a board game similar to Monopoly, but requiring some probabilistic computations to play efficiently.

Students will play a board game similar to Monopoly, but requiring some probabilistic computations to play efficiently.

We will have a special event, named My Favorite Math Competition Problem, to honor Tiger (Qiao) Zhang winning gold medal at the International Math Olympiad in 2024. Four speakers will each present their favorite math competition problem, including a solution and necessary mathematical background.

Winter 2025 quarter // Filter groups by:
1/12/2025

Students will learn various ways of checking whether an integer is prime.

Handouts:

Students will learn various ways of checking whether an integer is prime.

Handouts: Student's Packet
Handouts:
Handouts: Generating Functions Handout
Handouts:

For this online class, students will learn the basics of chessboards.

For this online class, students will learn the basics of chessboards.

Chapters 26,27

Hello all,

I hope that everyone is safe and doing OK during these difficult and tragic times.

As you have heard from Dr. Gleizer, math circle will be remote on Sunday. It is hoped that we will be able to return to in person classes a week from Sunday.

The Zoom link for our class is:

https://ucla.zoom.us/j/93292199283?pwd=VyR0LOL6wN034yhfXyEhyvCvuJodJf.1

I will run through Zoom etiquette at the beginning of class. I have taught two separate Zoom math circles, so I have some strategies for keeping our class interesting. I understand that some children (my own included) have had enough Zoom teaching for one life time, and I will understand if inclination or circumstances prevent families from participating in our Zoom class.

For class, children will need:

A blank cube

A piece of paper large enough to contain a net of the cube

Scissors

Their workbook

To show me and the TAs their working:

Either a markerboard and wipeable markers (students who bought transparent sheet protectors for the dot party could use them again, with a plain sheet of paper inside)

or:a stack of scratch papers with a Sharpie or other marker to write on with.

Stay safe,

Marcus.

Students will finish up Chapter 9, parallel lines, before moving on to the shape-specific chapters beginning with right triangles.

Students will finish up Chapter 9, parallel lines, before moving on to the shape-specific chapters beginning with right triangles.

Handouts:

We finished up our fractals unit. We considered what the "dimension" of a shape really means geometrically, and used this to compute the surprisingly non-integral dimension of the Koch curve.

Handouts:

We will solve some problems that illustrate the philosophy of looking for narrow places

Handouts: Handout
1/19/2025

Students will continue studying number theory and primality tests.

Handouts:

Students will continue studying number theory and primality tests.

Handouts:
Handouts:
Handouts:
Handouts:

This class will be taught on zoom, please refer to the email for the link.

This class will be taught on zoom, please refer to the email for the link.

28,29, zoom

We will do a short review of paths on a cube and Egyptian multiplication. Then we will discuss binary arithmetic. In BNP1 we learned how to add and subtract binary numbers. Now we will learn to multiply them.

Students will review a few problems from Chapter 9 before continuing with the chapters focused on shapes.

Financial returns.

Handouts:

Financial returns.

Handouts:

We will learn to restore a polynomial by its values. The class will take place in zoom: https://ucla.zoom.us/j/99674950379?pwd=lbyNmXuH8rK9ZhEBIbqwAABmAUk5Tz.1

Handouts: Handout
1/26/2025

Students will solve problems from International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) and North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition (NACLO), arranged in approximate order of difficulty.

Handouts:

Students will solve problems from International Linguistics Olympiad (IOL) and North American Computational Linguistics Open Competition (NACLO), arranged in approximate order of difficulty.

Handouts:
Handouts:
Handouts:

We will talk about various counting problems about permutations.

Handouts: Handout

This week's class will be in person, we will cover chapter 14 which is a recap and students will take a quiz.

This week's class will be in person, we will cover chapter 14 which is a recap and students will take a quiz.

Ch 30,31

We will learn how to multiply binary numbers (lesson 23). We will have a short quiz based on nets and 3D shapes

Chapter 27

Students will start on Chapter 10, the first chapter focusing on a specific shape.

Students will finish up Chapter 11 before starting Chapter 12, the final chapter on shapes, discussing rhombi, rectangles and squares. If they have additional time they will start Chapter 13, using graph paper to prove various constructions.

Standard deviation, volatility, and risk.

Handouts:

Today, students learned about standard deviation and volatility of investments. Several real world examples of volatility were discussed.

Handouts:
2/2/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: Probability Part 1
Handouts: Instructor copy | Student copy
Handouts: Instructor copy | Student copy
Handouts:

This Sunday, students will think about addition through the abacus in order to conceptualize our decimal system versus other counting systems.

This Sunday, students will think about addition through the abacus in order to conceptualize our decimal system versus other counting systems.

Ch 31,32

We review nets and reverse functions, and then consider the division algorithm (lesson 24).

Chapters 27 and 28

Students will work on Chapter 11, Parallelograms, and if left extra time will start on the final chapter on shapes (covering parallelograms, rectangles and rhombi).

Students will continue working on the final chapter on shapes, Chapter 12, before moving on to working on constructions and proof on graph paper.

Handouts: Random walks | FinLiteracy_5

For the first hour, we discussed random walks and their use in certain probability problems. For the second hour, we used Python to predict investment returns based on historical data.

Handouts: |
Handouts: Handout
2/9/2025
Handouts: random walks | Probability, part 2
Handouts: Probability, part 2 | random walks
Handouts: student | instructor
Handouts: student | instructor

We will discuss some more advanced aspects of permutations.

Handouts: Handout

Students will practice solving problems from the recent AIME.

We will do Quiz 6 over (it will be a different quiz, but covering the same topics), then discuss Euclid's algorithm. In the last half of the class we will start to get ready for the Math Kangaroo.

Students will finish up chapter 12, the final in the series on shapes, before moving on to chapter 13, covering constructions and proofs using graph paper.

Handouts: handout

This week, students studied the mathematics of torque and levers. We applied the principles to some geometry problems.

Handouts: handout

We continue the same handout

Handouts: Handout
2/16/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: Lines and Planes in 3D
Handouts: slide rules |
Handouts: | slide rules
Handouts: handout

We will continue preparing for the math kangaroo.

We will continue preparing for the math kangaroo.

Practice test for the upcoming math kangaroo competition

After reviewing the challenge problems, students will do another MK practice test. Then we will skip over Chapter 25, and start on Chapter 26 (clock arithmetic). No special materials are needed. Next class will be our last opportunity to record Flatland stories. (I will be editing them into a single video to watch after class on 2/23). Encourage your child to bring their story board if they are one of the small number of students who has not yet recorded their Flatland story.

Students will continue working on (or start) Chapter 13, covering constructions, and if there is leftover time they'll move on to Chapter 14.

Handouts: handout

Students wrote their own Python programs to analyze financial data of major tech companies.

Handouts:

We will learn the definition and basic uses of squares modulo primes

Handouts: Handout
2/23/2025
Handouts:
Handouts: Lines and Planes in Euclidean 3D, Continued
Handouts: Handout
Handouts: Handout
Handouts: Handout

We will go over the graded math kangaroo tests and discuss tips and tricks.

We will go over the graded math kangaroo tests and discuss tips and tricks.

We will go back to Modular arithmetic to review the concept

We will discuss modulo arithmetic (lesson 25). We will end the class with the World Premiere of our Flatland Stories movie, created in class by the students. Parents are welcome to the screening which will be at 2.55pm.

Math Kangaroo and Chapter 29

Students will return to triangles with Chapter 14, a chapter focused on equilateral triangles, before moving on to Chapter 15 if they finish early.

Handouts: handout

Students reviewed center of masses of 2D, 3D, and even 4D shapes. Students were also introduced to vectors.

Handouts:

We will solve problems by looking at asymptotic behaviour of sequences

3/2/2025

The lesson will prepare students for the 3/9 guest lecture by Prof. Lara Dolecek.

Handouts: Gods, Demons, and Mortals | Error-Correcting Codes | Gods, Demons, and Mortals Solution | Error-Correcting Codes Solution

The class will prepare students for the 3/9 guest lecture by Prof. Lara Dolecek.

Handouts: Gods, Demons, and Mortals | Error-Correcting Codes | Gods, Demons, and Mortals Solution | Error-Correcting Codes Solution

The class will prepare students for the 3/9 guest lecture by Prof. Lara Dolecek.

Handouts: Error Correcting Codes Handout | Error Correcting Codes Solutions | Logic Puzzles Handout | Logic Puzzles Solutions

The class will prepare students for the 3/9 guest lecture by Prof. Lara Dolecek.

Handouts: Error Correcting Codes Handout | Error Correcting Codes Solutions | Logic Puzzles Handout | Logic Puzzles Solutions

The class will prepare students for the 3/9 guest lecture by Prof. Lara Dolecek.

Handouts: Error-correcting codes | Error-correcting codes, sols | Logic puzzles | Logic puzzles, sols

Ch31,32

We will do a quiz on Egyptian multiplication and binary multiplication, and then study angles and time (Chapter 27).

Chapters 29 and 30

All students will finish Chapter 15, on the mid segment of a triangle, and those that finish early will start on Chapter 16, covering the Intercept Theorem.

Students will continue studying the second Geometry of Masses packet. If time permits, they will start studying the third one.

Handouts: handout

Students will continue studying the second Geometry of Masses packet. If time permits, they will start studying the third one.

Handouts:

We will solve some basic and advanced functional equations -- a topic frequent in advanced math olympiads

Handouts: Handout
3/9/2025

Deletion-error correcting codes, construction and modern applications.

Deletion-error correcting codes, construction and modern applications.

Deletion-error correcting codes, construction and modern applications.

Deletion-error correcting codes, construction and modern applications.

Deletion-error correcting codes, construction and modern applications.

Students will be quizzed on the abacus and continue solving complex problems such as multiplication with the abacus.

Students will be quizzed on the abacus and continue solving complex problems such as multiplication with the abacus.

TBD

We will finish Lesson 27 and start Lesson 28, continuing to think about the connections between measurements of angles, time and circular number lines.

Finishing Chapter 30 and working through 31.

The last class of the quarter! We will have a lecture about the mathematics surrounding sudoku followed by problem solving.

Handouts: Handout | Slides
Spring 2025 quarter // Filter groups by:
4/6/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts:
Handouts: handout | solutions
Handouts: handout | solutions
Handouts: handout

Students will review the chapter 17 homework, then study chapter 18.

Students will review the chapter 17 homework, then study chapter 18.

ch33,34

We will learn how to find out where you are on Earth using an accurate clock.

Students will either start or continue their work with Chapter 16.

Students will start studying basics of statistics, namely how to use a sample mean and SD to estimate these for the population.

Handouts:

Students will start studying basics of statistics, namely how to use a sample mean and SD to estimate these for the population.

Handouts:

We will study the curves of degree 2 and 3 and their natural habitat -- projective plane

Handouts: Handout | Source
4/13/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: Introduction to Inequalities
Handouts: Handout | Solutions | LaTeX Source
Handouts: Handout | Solutions | LaTeX Source

Students will study the game of Nim and other two-player impartial combinatorial games.

Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout

Students will review the lesson 18 homework and start studying lesson 19.

Students will review the lesson 18 homework and start studying lesson 19.

Chapter 34

We will revisit latitude and longitude. How can a person know where they are on the Earth?

A few students will first finish chapter 16 on the Intercept Theorem, and everyone else will continue where they left off in chapters 17 & 18.

Handouts: handout

Today, students studied basic linear algebra, including parameterization of lines. Students also investigated how to recast a few basic "geometry of mass" ideas in terms of vectors and coordinates.

Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout
4/20/2025

We are continuing the packet from last Sunday, 4/13.

Handouts: Student Packet | Instructor Packet | Student Warm-Up | Instructor Warm-Up
Handouts: Student Packet | Instructor Packet | Student Warm-Up | Instructor Warm-Up

We will dive deeper in the theory of nim games!

Handouts: Handout

In class, we will go over chapter 19 homework and then start on chapter 20.

In class, we will go over chapter 19 homework and then start on chapter 20.

quiz 9 and chapter 35

Chapters 33 and 34

Students will finish those two chapters before moving on to reflections.

Handouts: handout

Today, students were introduced to the Stock Market Game, which is a simulated stock market where they can try out different financial strategies. We also introduced new concepts like the rule of 72.

Handouts: handout

We will discuss the calendars, the mathematics behind them and the Easter (Sturmian) words

Handouts: Handout
4/27/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: SSD Handout
Handouts: Handout | Notes
Handouts: Handout | Notes
Handouts: Handout

We will go over chapter 20 and move on to chapter 21.

We will go over chapter 20 and move on to chapter 21.

Chapter 35

We return to questions of modulo arithmetic.

Chapter 34

Students will wrap up Chapter 18 before moving on to 19 and 20, both of which cover various reflections and symmetries.

Handouts: handout

Students finished the rest of last week's packet and started on this one. This packet goes more in detail to how a portfolio's value is computed. It also introduced "dollar cost averaging", which is an investment strategy that helps minimize risk.

Handouts: handout

All the problems in the worksheet can be solved by the result, which is due to Philip Hall and is often called Hall’s Marriage Theorem

Handouts: Handout
5/4/2025
Handouts: handout | solutions
Handouts: Options in Finance - Packet
Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout

The final week on symmetric functions, with applications to random permutations.

Handouts: Handout

Students will go over homework from chapter 21 and learn about the choice tree in chapter 22. The quiz will be the next class.

Students will go over homework from chapter 21 and learn about the choice tree in chapter 22. The quiz will be the next class.

In the first half of the class we will study cryptarithms and then transition to thinking about divisibility rules in the second half of class.

Chapter 34

Students will continue where they left off, either in the reflections chapters (19/20) or starting on inscribed shapes and area (21).

Handouts:

Students continued with the third geometry of masses packet. Note that this version of the packet has a few extra problems at the end for students who had finished the packet last time. At the end of class, students continued with the stock market game.

Handouts:

We continue the previous topic

Handouts: Handout
5/11/2025
Handouts: handout | sols
Handouts: Boolean Algebra, Part 1 | sols
Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout

We discuss numerical semigroups and the celebrated Sylvester's theorem (aka Chicken McNugget Theorem).

Handouts: Handout

Students will do quiz 6 and then chapter 23.

Students will do quiz 6 and then chapter 23.

We will do a quiz on finite field arithmetic, and then discuss cryptarithms.

Students will continue with the chapter on inscribed angles (Ch21) and continue on to other sections if they have time.

Handouts: handout

Students reviewed some basics about the area of 2 dimensional shapes. Students then learned about a new way of computing area for lattice polygons.

Handouts:
Handouts: handout
5/18/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: Boolean Algebra, Part 2 Packet
Handouts: handout | sols
Handouts: handout | sols
Handouts: handout

Students will go over the homework from chapter 23 and then start chapter 24.

Students will go over the homework from chapter 23 and then start chapter 24.

Students will work with their teammate to create problems on their assigned topic.

We will use our new understanding of finite field arithmetic to explore divisibility rules: you may already know how to easily tell if a number is divisible by 3 or 9. Can you easily tell if it is a 11 fact? Or a 7 fact?

Students will finish up studying inscribed angles and move on to inscribed shapes.

Handouts: handout

Students learned about rigid symmetries of polygons and Cayley graphs.

Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout
5/25/2025
6/1/2025
Handouts: handout
Handouts: handout | Prob. 4 Sol.
Handouts: handout

Students will review what they learned from odd and even numbers part, which they should finish for homework. Then we will go into more challenging problems in chapter 25.

Students will review what they learned from odd and even numbers part, which they should finish for homework. Then we will go into more challenging problems in chapter 25.

We will finish our discussion of divisability rules (Chapter 32 and supplementary materials)

Students will continue with whatever chapter they left off with (21, 22 or 24) and make as much progress as they can.

Students continued in the packet on symmetries of polygons and Cayley graphs.

Handouts:
Handouts: handout
6/8/2025

For the last class, we will do a fun partner competition called dominoes that reviews the material from this year. Please complete chapter 25 this week for homework.

For the last class, we will do a fun partner competition called dominoes that reviews the material from this year. Please complete chapter 25 this week for homework.

We will prepare for our Math Fair, which will be held at the end of the class (2.45-3pm). Please bring markers to decorate your math posters.

Students will review material learned throughout the quarter in the end-of-quarter game.

Students played the games "Sprouts" and "Brussels Sprouts". These are basic games that can be played on any piece of paper or whiteboard, but they have many surprising mathematical properties. You can read more about them at the link here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprouts_(game)