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The Loughborough University Maths Masterclasses started in Autumn 2005 under the initiative of Professor A.P.Veselov with the support of the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Widening Participation office.
These classes were aimed initially at pupils in years 8 and 9 from local schools and have since been extended to year 10 and 11 pupils.
They take place about five times a term (Autumn and Spring terms), on Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. till 12.30 p.m.
Several members of staff of the Maths Department as well as PhD students and undergraduates are involved in running the classes. Each session usually starts with a short lesson given by a staff member on a topic complementary to the school syllabus. During the lesson the pupils have an opportunity to interact with each other as well as with the lecturer and the assistants.
The core part of the session is the problem solving activity called the “Maths Battle,” which is a simplified version of the Russian “Матбой”. The pupils are given ten problems to solve on their own for about an hour (see a sample list). Then they are split into two teams and given some time in different rooms to discuss their solutions and the strategy of the battle. They also choose a captain. The battle begins with the “Duel” in which the two captains are presented with a small puzzle to solve. The winning captain starts the battle which consists of challenging the opposite team to solve a particular problem. The details of the rules can be found here.
The classes take place in the Sir David Davies building of Loughborough University (see here for details of how to find us).
For more information about the Maths Battles contact Professor Alexander Veselov in the Maths Department. |
