Ideas on Celebrating National Year of Mathematics, 2012
1. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar:
2.864 × 1030 kg – the maximum mass of a
white dwarf star before it collapses to form a
black hole or a neutron star.
celebrates
2012: National Year of
Mathematics
Srinivas Ramanujan 1887-1920
G.N. Ramachandran’s plot: geometry of mathematical analysis, number theory,
proteins – the building blocks of life infinite series & continued fractions
2. Promoting the importance of
mathematics:
1. Posters and give-aways (immediate and later in the
year) – unsolved maths problems, lives of
mathematicians, world map showing which
civilisation/country made what math contributions,
maths is everywhere theme, mathematicians are
the new rockstars –( time magazine), math careers
2. Activities and quizzes (from the start of the new
academic year) – can be in the nature of Math trails,
Math camps
3. Non-school campaign – public posters, events etc.
4. Legacy – long-term art (e.g. sculpture), ‘yearbook’,
Young World Collector’s choice
4. Posters
∗ Initial celebratory poster (large vinyl)
∗ ‘Engagement Poster’ for the rest of the year –
something for kids (and teachers!) to stare at and
ponder over for a long period of time. Possible large
(vinyl) poster showing a large collection of problems
with smaller A3 information/answer posters around
the school.
∗ Principal’s poster – designed to hang in their office to
show support for National Mathematics Year
5. Two Jars Puzzle – Given a 5 litre jar, a 3 litre jar and an unlimited
supply of water, how do you measure out 4 litres exactly?
Partitions – You could use Cuisenaire rods to help
with this problem. The number 3 can be broken up
into positive numbers in four different ways:
1 + 1 + 1 or 1 + 2 or 2 + 1 or 3
Or maybe you think 1 + 2 and 2 + 1 are the same, so
there are really only 3 ways to break up the number.
Decide which you like better and see if there is a
general pattern for different numbers.
2012: National Year of Mathematics
Rabbit Puzzle – A rabbit falls into a dry well 30 m deep. When she attempts to
climb out , she finds that after going up 3 m, she slips back 2 m. Frustrated, she
stops for the day and resumes the next morning – with the same result. How
many days does it take to get out of the well.
Buddhist Monk Puzzle – One morning , exactly at sunrise, a Buddhist monk
leaves his temple and begins to climb a tall mountain. The narrow path, no more
than 2 or 3 feet wide, spiralled around the mountain to a glittering temple at the
summit. The monk ascended the path at varying rates of speed, stopping many
times along the way to rest and eat the dried fruit he carried. He reached the
temple shortly before sunset. After several days of fasting, he began his journey
back along the same path, starting at sunrise and again walking at variable
speeds with many pauses along the way, finally arriving at the lower temple just
before sunset. Prove that there is a spot on the path that the monk will occupy
on both trips at exactly the same time of day.
7. If anything were possible…
∗ An advance party spends a week (5 days) touring
schools in a given city doing enrichment/art/sculpture/
science/quiz activities
∗ During the week, publicity and media opportunities
are exploited
∗ On the Saturday, in a central location, the HM!
Roadshow (e.g. HM! MathFair) takes place including
quiz finals, sculpture/art competitions and stalls with
competitive mathematical games etc.
10. Activities (HB & SS)
∗ Math Modelling – ‘Know Math and you can do
anything’ (Class 6 and others)
∗ Paper Presentation – ‘Maths is Everywhere’,
‘Important Mathematical Discoveries’ etc. (Class 8)
∗ Debate (Class 10)
∗ Design a Math game
∗ Geometric Rangoli
11. Implementation
(Again – if anything were possible)
∗ Arm children with the ability to complete the various
activities on the previous slide through workshops
and ASEP-style activities in schools
∗ At the end of school sessions, introduce the
roadshow and it’s various competitions and activities
∗ Schools and students use the knowledge and
inspiration gained in the HM! activity classes to
produce material to enter/take part.
∗ Everyone turns up on a Saturday to model, present,
debate, create and participate in enriching maths.
12. For example
Activities that could be modelled and discussed in school
∗ Marshmallows and spaghetti pasta – who
can build the tallest tower (properties of
3D shapes)
∗ Escher tessellations – start small, end
huge!
∗ Paper and card weaving (Geometric and
numerical patterns)
∗ Rising tide challenge – have 4 x 6-foot
(strong) wooden poles, 4 x 3-foot (strong)
wooden poles, and a strong rope. As a
team of four, [older] children have to
escape the rising tide (of around 1 foot!)
using just these materials in the minimum
time possible.
13. For example
A sculpture competition that leaves a legacy
∗ Create a sculpture “2012 National
Mathematics Year – It lives in you” [Or
another cheesy but highly memorable
slogan here]
∗ Award points for mathematical reference,
artistic merit, nationalistic reference
(Indian mathematicians, people, culture
etc.)
∗ Have famous person tour schools to judge
∗ Or…get schools to being entries to
roadshow
∗ Give schools a plaque (with prominent
HM! logo) to mount next to their sculpture
which [hopefully] stays for a few years.
15. Public Posters
2012:
atics
National Year of Mathem
jar and an unlimited
Given a 5 litre jar, a 3 litre
measure out 4
supply of water, how do you
litres exactly ?
3 லடடர ஜாட மறறம
ஒர 5 லடடர கடைை, ஒர
ெகாடககபபடட, நீஙகள
நீர ைரமபறற ைிநிேோக
கணககிட?
சாிோக 4 லடடர எபபட
2012:
National Year of Mathematics
Given a 5 litre jar, a 3 litre jar and an
unlimited supply of water, how do you
measure out 4 litres exactly?
ஒர 5 லடடர கடைை, ஒர 3 லடடர ஜாட மறறம
நீர ைரமபறற ைிநிேோக ெகாடககபபடட, நீஙகள
சாிோக 4 லடடர எபபட கணககிட?
17. Leaving things behind
∗ Sculpture and art projects for permanent display
∗ Posters in principals’ offices etc.
∗ Young World Collector’s Choice
∗ Yearbook
18. The 2012 National Mathematics Yearbook
∗ Schools contribute a double-page each (can submit
more if they wish)
∗ Content including photos, articles, work by students,
editorials by teachers
∗ Prestigious to have your work/school in the book
∗ Editorials by HM! – product promotion etc.
∗ Books sent to schools to sit on coffee tables for the
next 5 years!
19. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar:
2.864 × 1030 kg – the maximum mass of a
white dwarf star before it collapses to form a
black hole or a neutron star.
celebrates
2012: National Year of
Mathematics
Srinivas Ramanujan 1887-1920
G.N. Ramachandran’s plot: geometry of mathematical analysis, number theory,
proteins – the building blocks of life infinite series & continued fractions
