Maths for Fun

Rosalind Flinn discusses the Maths for Fun group she runs at Chester U3A

The Chester Maths for Fun group is now nearly three years old!

In a typical two-hour session, we usually look at a short topic and a longer topic, which might span two or three weeks, and have a sociable twenty-minute tea break.

I try to maintain a mix of games (often investigating winning strategies) puzzles, both spatial and numerical, dabbling in historical maths, investigating a range of topics, sometimes involving practical work, and more serious maths.

Short topics have included a range of puzzles and brain-teasers, consideration of the nature of zero and infinity, basic number sequences as preparation for later work, prime numbers, the four-colour theorem (discovered by colouring a range of diagrams and maps), Goldbachs conjecture and other, troublesome but simple, number theory problems.

We have also looked at the meaning and context of some of the most important equations of all time like E = mc2 and The Hairy Ball Theorem as presented in Rich Cochrane’s lively book The Secret Life of Equations.

‘Fun’ longer topics have included the Golden Section, the Fibonacci sequence and its appearance in nature, Pascal’s Triangle, the analysis of game strategies (Minim and Juniper Green) and some work on illusions of depth and mathematical perspective.

More serious topics, introduced by popular request, have included Differentiation, basic Set Theory and Probability, while historical topics have included Napier’s Bones and Babylonian Mathematics.

As a former maths teacher, I have the background and skills necessary to research suitable topics and to put together a range of materials for use in the sessions: investigative guides, worksheets, activity sheets etc.

I know we are supposed to avoid a teacher/taught relationship in U3A groups but, although I lead nearly every session, I do not feel that our relationship is like that. I do have one other member who sometimes takes the lead but none of the others feel able to and I do not see any other way of doing it.

I use a variety of sources; any of Professor Stewart’s books are a great source of ideas as is 50 Maths Ideas You Really Need to Know by Tony Crilly, and on most likely topics there is a wide range of material on the internet that you can download and edit. The U3A has a licence so you can scan or photocopy material from books. If you are thinking of starting a group you will need to build up a range of appropriate books for reference and as sources - just have a good browse every time you go near a bookshop.

It involves quite a lot of work but running a Maths for Fun group is great fun!