Calling all budding math buffs!

“I’m so grateful to Concordia for hosting and nurturing kids with an interest in math,” says Vadim Tsypin, a retired software developer with a math degree and a gifted daughter.

Allison Tsypin participated in the Montreal Math Circle last fall and quickly signed up for the 2017 sessions. This means she’ll continue spending her Sunday mornings exploring logic problems, Dirichlet's principle and geometry, among other things.

Hosted by Concordia, in a joint project with l'Institut des sciences mathématiques (ISM), the Montreal Math Circle is a self-funded, independent enrichment program for young students — grades three to eight — interested in solving math problems at their school level.

Alina Stancu, associate professor in Concordia’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics and ISM director, facilitates the program, which is run by PhD candidate Ildiko Pelczer.

Following on the success of the pilot program held last year, the 2017 sessions start on Sunday January 15, and run until May 28.

“Math Circle breaks out of the traditional teacher-student model, with more informal collaboration and brainstorming,” Tsypin says. His daughter wasn’t the only student who enjoyed herself and wanted to return to Montreal Math Circle.

“We have many returning students because they find camaraderie and have fun,” says Pelczer.

How it works

Math Circle divides students into three groups according to age and grade. On average, there are 10 kids per age group — half are girls, in the younger sections.

They work individually and collectively on the same problems during the 90-minute, Sunday-morning sessions led by Pelczer.

“There’s a need for this kind of thing in Montreal,” says Pelczer, who started doing four-hour mathematical Olympiads in Romania in grade seven. “It shows that math is creative and the students have the freedom to be inventive. And we work on the kind of contest questions that you don’t usually see in school.”

Four-prong outreach

Montreal Math Circle is just one of four math outreach initiatives by Concordia. Another is the Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest, a 21-year-old worldwide math competition that debuted in Canada in 2001. Anna Sierpinska, a Concordia professor who specializes in math education, initiated hosting the contest at Concordia in 2012. Since then, she has remained involved, and the contest’s hosting is organized by Pelczer and department administrator Jane Venettacci.

The registration deadline for the next Kangaroo contest is March 12, 2017, for the March 26 event. Over 200 students are expected.

“Engaging the Montreal community in mathematics and statistics is important to us, whether hosting or participating in mathematical competitions for elementary to high-school children, or sponsoring mathematical competitions and student-related activities,” says Nadia Hardy, associate professor of mathematics and vice-provost of Faculty Relations.

“We are dedicated to continuing our involvement, and finding new ways of increasing our outreach.”

Tournament of Towns

Concordia’s third and newest outreach initiative is the international mathematics competition called Tournament of Towns. It’s a problem-solving contest for students up to the age of 18 that began in Russia in the late 1970s.

“More than 120 cities participate, from more than 25 countries,” says Stancu. “The main goal of this tournament is to provide an opportunity for a large number of students to participate in a competition with worldwide standards. Some problems can be very challenging, yet they require creative use of simple tools rather than advanced mathematical knowledge.”

The next tournament is scheduled for February 26, 2017 for grades 7 to 10, and March 12 for grades 11 to 12. It will be held on the Sir George Williams Campus. To register, email each student’s name and school grade to montrealmathclub@gmail.com by February 19.

Formula of Unity

The fourth outreach initiative is the International Mathematical Olympiad Formula of Unity/The Third Millennium for students from grades six to 12. Organized by the Saint Petersburg State University and the Euler Foundation, it was first held in the 2013-14 academic year. It typically gathers more than 6,000 students from 15 countries.

In Montreal, the tournament is facilitated by Concordia’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics and l'Institut des sciences mathématiques (ISM). 

It takes place in two rounds. The second round — which invites students who received the best results in the first round — will be held in late February. Check the website for the exact date.

Exponential growth?

“Right now, we are creating a vibrant math community, which is very important to all, and we hope to add to our activities a one or two-week summer camp,” says Stancu. “The challenge will be getting the right logistics support with things like payroll, legal issues, general administration. The enthusiasm from the kids is already there.”

Find out more about the Montreal Math Circle, or register your child for the next session, which runs from January 15 until February 19. You can also email montrealmathclub@gmail.com for more information.

The next Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest takes place on March 26, 2017. Register your child by March 12.

The next Tournament of Towns contest is February 26. To register, email each student’s name and school grade to montrealmathclub@gmail.com by February 19.