Math Circle Meetings
Are math circle meetings held in person?
The Colorado Math Circle offers in-person meetings on the University of Colorado Boulder campus and remote problem-solving sessions through the Afterschool Program.
What is the difference between Euler Group and Galois Group meetings?
Euler Group is for high school students currently in grades 9 to 12. Galois Group is for middle school students currently in grades 6 to 8. These meetings take place in person on the CU Boulder campus, usually on weekends.
How do you pronounce "Euler" and "Galois"?
"Oiler" and "Gal-wah". Leonhard Euler (1707–1783) and Évariste Galois (1811–1832) were mathematicians.
What are math circle meetings like?
They vary. For in-person meetings, sometimes a speaker will give a talk on a math-related topic. Past Euler Group topics have included cryptography, game theory, dynamical systems, graph theory, and machine learning. Past Galois Group topics have included number theory, geometry, and combinatorics.
Most meetings provide opportunities for collaborative problem-solving. Students are encouraged to work with other students to find answers to challenging problems. We then invite students to present solutions at the board. This is an excellent way to practice explaining mathematics to others.
When do meetings take place?
Most in-person meetings are scheduled for Sunday afternoons. See the meeting schedule. The Afterschool Program sessions take place on Zoom on Thursdays, 4:15–5:30 pm.
How does math circle math differ from school math?
We cover advanced topics that most students have never seen before. Math circle problems are harder than the math problems you do at school. It is not unusual for students to come to a meeting and discover that they don't understand what is being discussed. This is quite common, even for students who are several years ahead of their grade level in math. We do not expect students to understand all the material or be able to solve all the problems. We hope that even if the material is difficult, you will find it intriguing enough to want to learn more.
Participation
I am a 6th grader taking high school geometry. May I attend Euler Group meetings?
No, sixth graders should attend Galois Group meetings, which are designed to challenge the most advanced middle school students. They may also enroll in the Afterschool Program.
I am a 3rd grader taking 8th grade math. May I attend Galois Group meetings or the Afterschool Program?
No, please wait until you are in sixth grade.
I'm interested in attending an in-person math circle meeting. Do I need to sign up in advance?
Yes, please register by joining the mailing list before attending. All new participants must also complete the Participant Emergency Contact and Waiver Form. Either bring the form to the next meeting or upload it to Dropbox using the provided link.
Is there a math circle registration fee?
The Euler Group registration fee for high school students planning to attend the in-person Euler Group meetings is $30 for the academic year. You may attend one meeting free of charge. The fee can be waived for families needing financial assistance; just let us know.
There is no fee for middle school students attending the in-person Galois Group meetings. The Afterschool Program and AMC Competitions have separate fees.
May parents and teachers attend in-person meetings?
Yes, adults are welcome. We ask that they sit near the back of the room so that students can sit in the front.
Math Competitions
Will attending math circle meetings help me to win math contests?
The math circle uses contest problems as a fun way to learn more math. We are pleased when our students excel at contests (which many of them do) but helping students to win math contests is not our primary objective. When we train for the ARML competition each year, for example, we aim for the best results possible (of course) but the main goals are to learn more math and to work well as a team.
Which math competitions does the Colorado Math Circle participate in?
Each year we select and train 30–35 members of the Colorado ARML Team which competes in the ARML Competition in Reno, NV. Other team competitions we participate in include the ARML Power Contest and ARML Local. We also host our own team competition called Math Marathon. Each year the math circle offers the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 8, 10, 12 on the CU Boulder campus. Join our mailing list to receive announcements about these competitions.
How do I access the Members section of your website?
Miscellaneous
Who runs the math circle?
The Colorado Math Circle Co-Directors are Silva Chang and Thomas Davids. Read about their backgrounds and the history of the math circle on the About page.
How can we support the math circle?
The math circle organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation run by volunteers (including the directors) who donate their time. We rely on parent chaperones to assist with the annual trip to ARML. Program fees and donations help to cover expenses. The math circle does not receive other financial support. Tax-deductible contributions are welcome and much appreciated.