Martina is no ordinary mermaid, she’s super clever, curious, and absolutely fascinated by machines and dinosaurs! One day, while exploring her favorite corner of the ocean, she discovered something glowing deep in the dark depths. As she swam closer, mysterious shapes and repeating patterns began to appear... and then, out of nowhere, a huge magical creature emerged!
What is this strange creature? What’s the glowing object? And what do all these patterns mean?
Join Martina on an exciting underwater journey filled with mysteries, math puzzles, and magical discoveries. Let’s explore together and uncover the secrets hidden beneath the waves!
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
In this circle, we will look for paths through a grid of squares. What seems a simple challenge at first can quickly become baffling, as mysterious restrictions on these paths seem to appear. Join us as we grapple with the seemingly-impossible, and learn fundamental mathematical skills along the way!
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Can count up to 25
(2) Knows about even and odd numbers
The Flying Forest is a magical place where nothing works quite the way you’d expect. No one had ever stepped foot there....until Jolie arrived. Jolie is a curious (and a bit clumsy) treasure hunter who loves discovering odd things like shiny quartz or rusty gears during her hikes.
One day, she stumbled upon a mysterious golden necklace with a tiny wing-shaped pendant. The moment she put it on, she was transported to another dimension! Now, the only way home is to uncover the secret hidden deep in the heart of the Flying Forest.
Join us in this exciting math circle journey filled with puzzles, patterns, and strange forest logic. Help Jolie solve the mysteries and find her way back.
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
We will explore the difference between “I don’t see how to solve this puzzle” and “No one can solve this puzzle — here’s why.” Can we actually prove that a puzzle is impossible to solve — that no matter how clever someone is or what approach they take, they won't find a solution? Is it possible to prove the impossible?
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Has proven something
(2) Has not proven something geometric with parity
Have you ever tried walking carefully on the tile floor of a shopping mall, plopping one foot down on a tile and your other foot on the next? Or maybe you walked diagonally, following the colored tiles, while skipping the white tiles as you shift from side to side.
In this circle we will step through The Door of Imagination into Wonderland, where we become pieces on a vast floor of tiles. We will explore path possibilities as we weave our unique paths on checkered plains, opening up questions geometrical, graphical, and statistical. Come and see!
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
In this circle, we'll stretch our minds into higher dimensions: how do the shapes there work, and what can we say about them? Join us as we make the unimaginable manageable!
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
We can create systems to get from one place to another using one way streets. Are there times when this is easier to do than others? Times when it cannot be done? In this circle, we will discover what pathways can be created and which cannot, and more importantly, why that is.
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Understands the concept of even and odd numbers
(2) Has not explored much graph theory (especially Eulerian Paths)
In this circle, we'll use one of math's favorite shapes — the triangle — to dive deep into the world of geometry. Circles and squares have centers, sure! But what about triangles?
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
We can identify properties of a cube by looking at it, making a net of its shape, or making cuts in it to see what we find. How could we determine the properties of a 4-dimensional cube? What about an n-dimensional one? In this circle, we will explore properties of cubes beyond our visual comprehension. What might we find?
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Understands properties of 2D and 3D shapes (vertices, faces, lines)
(2) Has not explored this in depth with a hypercube
Have you ever thought about what the basic arithmetic operations really are? Is there a reason why addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are the most common operations that we use? What if we invented new operations? And what if these operations could work on objects that aren't even numbers? Join us as we discover an abstract world of the algebra and arithmetic we thought we already knew!
Note - Circle Prerequisites: Has completed Algebra 1 or equivalent
Let's say a teacher wants to divide their students into small groups for each class, and wants the groups to be different every time. How long can they teach their course for before they have to re-use groups? This question, and the expansive world of combinatorial explorations it leads to, will be the focus of our circle. It'll be an exciting dive into a fascinating and creative subject area!
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Solid multiplication skills
(2) Does not have extensive experience with combinatorics
Martina, a clumsy mermaid with a deep love for math mysteries, dives into the enchanting depths of The Sea Star Shore. One day, while exploring the deepest parts of the Shore, she discovers a chest inlaid with intricate symbols. The chest is said to hold the secrets of the ocean, but to unlock it, Martina must solve a series of challenges. Will you join Martina on this quest to decode the mysteries of the ocean?
Note: This is an all-girls circle. There are no prerequisites for this circle.
This is a follow-on circle from last semester's Calculus from Scratch. Join us to uncover some even more powerful techniques in calculus, and to delve into even more new territory! What we cover will depend on where we leave off in the previous circle, but we may be exploring the behavior of functions as they approach infinity, calculating the volumes of crazy 3D shapes, and more!
Note - Circle Prerequisites: Completion of Calculus from Scratch
Let's say we have a finite number of points (at least two) in the plane and they're not all in a line. Is it possible to arrange them so that you can't draw a line that passes through only two of the points? How (or, why not)? Join us as we tackle this and other difficult geometry challenges!
Note - Circle Prerequisites:
(1) Completion of pre-algebra
(2) Familiarity with solving algebraic equations and simplifying fraction expressions with variables
Barry, a brave and clever capybara with a love for math mysteries, embarks on an exciting journey to The Island. Barry likes puzzles that involve connecting spaces, such as finding paths through mazes, solving bridge-crossing challenges, and uncovering hidden patterns in graphs. One day, while exploring a dense forest, Barry stumbles upon an ancient map that leads to a cave called The Chaos Cave. Will you join Barry in solving this spatial puzzle and uncovering the secrets of the ancient map?
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
Godzilla: Destroyer of cities or misunderstood architect? Godzilla has a unique hobby: demolishing buildings and creatively reconstructing them like Legos. This "smash and rebuild" cycle repeats over and over.
This circle will delve into the long-term effects of Godzilla's "renovation projects" with a mathematical lens to study and ultimately predict the fascinating patterns that emerge from Godzilla's seemingly chaotic endeavors. Through this exploration, we'll gain insights into the surprising order that can arise from chaotic events and discover the elegance of mathematics in modeling even the most fantastical scenarios.
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
Dash is a curious explorer who has always been captivated by the mysteries of the Amazon. One day, while exploring the great rainforest, Dash stumbles upon a peculiar stone covered in geometric patterns and cryptic diagrams that look like a maze, which hint at the existence of a hidden temple deep within the jungle. Dash must solve puzzles involving tessellations, symmetry, and angles in order to uncover the path to the temple. Will you join Dash on this journey to unlock the secrets of The Hidden Temple?
Note: There are no prerequisites for this circle.
