Math Circles

[Grantmom]

Hello all,

I thought that I heard about math circles here on this board.  (Maybe not, though I have no idea where I heard about them if not here!)  So I was just looking at this link, and there is nothing on this site.  You try to find a math circle, there are none.  You click on the interactive map to find a circle, there are none.  You click on Summer Programs, and it says, you have found the old summer programs page, the new one is here (with a new link) but then that link is a dead page.  It's all very strange.  Are math circles a thing?  I thought this was actually a real, legitimate thing.  Was I wrong?

 

Many thanks for any info you have on math circles.

 

 

[Arcadia]

The National Association of Math Circles locator seems to be down. 

I'm just posting the links of the math circles so that you can get an idea of what math circles are about.  If you click on the San Diego website, they have a nice explanation which I quote below and you can also see the photo of the 2013 Google Science Fair and 2013 Siemens Competition winner.

 

"The purpose of SDMC is not only to excel at mathematics, but to develop a broad and deep understanding of how to solve problems. The thought processes developed at the SDMC will help students in any logical endeavor, be it mathematics, science, business, law, etc. Our goal is to teach students how to think creatively and effectively.

SDMC is challenging by design. We believe that students who can solve most of the problems they see are not being challenged enough. We provide hard problems and teach strategies for solving them. In time avid students stretch their problem solving skills while growing in their knowledge of mathematics outside of standard school curricula."

 

Stanford U http://math.stanford.edu/circle/

Berkeley (UCB)  http://mathcircle.berkeley.edu/

San Jose (SJSU) http://www.sanjosemathcircle.org/

San Diego (UCSD) http://www.sdmathcircle.org/

 

Boston http://www.themathcircle.org/

 

If you want to find a nearby Math Circle, google your location and math circle might be faster. 

 

[quark]

Math circles are definitely legit. The mathcircles.org site (is that the link you were referring to?) might be under maintenance.

You can google using your state or city name. E.g. if you are in WI, try searching for "math circle wisconsin".

 

Here's a good page for the kind of activities math circles specialize in. Depending on the circle, you might have elementary, intermediate and advanced levels.

http://www.geometer.org/mathcircles/