Welcome to the TAMU Math Circle!

The Texas A&M Math Circle is an outreach activity that brings 5th - 12th grade students into direct contact with mathematical professionals in an informal setting to work on fun and interesting topics in mathematics. The goal is to help students become passionate about math.  Our instructors range from professors and graduate students at Texas A&M to experts from industry, all of whom are eager to share with students their passion for mathematics and its applications.

This year's meetings:

For the Spring 2025 semester, we will have Saturday meetings on 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 3/1, 3/22, 3/29, 4/12, 4/26, and 5/3.

• There are two types of sessions being offered:

            1:00 - 3:00 Discovery Activity

            3:00 - 4:00 Problem Solving

• Each is offered at three levels:

            Beginner (for those on Pre-Algebra and below)

            Intermediate (for those on Algebra 1 and Geometry)

            Advanced (for those on Algebra 2 and above)

• All 6 groups are meeting in person with the exception of the Advanced Problem Solving group, which will be meeting in a hybrid form, both in-person and on-line via Zoom. For information on attending the Advanced Problem Solving group via Zoom, please contact Dr. Kun Wang <kwang@tamu.edu>.

• The in-person events will take place on the first floor of the Blocker building. Drop-off and pick-up will be in Room 128.

Program for This Week:

March 22, 2025

Discovery Learning: Beginner Group (in Pre-Algebra and below)

Speaker: Rozlyn Graham, Texas A&M University

Title: Chomp the Graph

Abstract: Chomp the Graph is a two-player strategy game played on graphs of various shapes and sizes. Players take turns choosing and removing a vertex (along with all edges that depend on it) or an edge. The game continues until only one vertex remains, and the player who takes the last vertex wins! Students will work together to discover winning strategies in different circumstances. This activity helps develop strategic thinking and introduces ideas of Graph Theory.

Discovery Learning: Intermediate Group (in Algebra I or above)

Speaker: Abishek Hariharan, Texas A&M University

Title: The Game of NIM

Abstract: The game of Nim is a two-player game that starts with a pile of chips. On each player's turn, they can remove some number of chips from the pile. The winner is the player who removes the last chip. We will find the best strategies for winning and play more difficult variations of this game.

Discovery Learning: Advanced Group (in Algebra II or above)

Speaker: William Taylor, Texas A&M University

Title: Colored Loops

Abstract: In this activity we will use arrows to create colorful loops that cycle back to the starting arrow. Based on the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival activity, Colored Loops, this activity will secretly explore modular arithmetic and cyclic groups.

Problem-Solving: Beginner Group 

Topics: Art of Problem Solving-PreAlgebra

Instructors: Dr. Kun Wang (Texas A&M), Dr. Xin Liu  (Texas A&M), Dr. Runjie Hu (Texas A&M), Rozlyn Graham (Texas A&M)

Problem-Solving: Intermediate Group

Topics: Art of Problem Solving-Intermediate Algebra

Instructors: Dr. Zhizhang Xie (Texas A&M),  Xiaoyu Su (Texas A&M), Jake Song (Texas A&M)

Problem-Solving: Advanced Group 

Topics: Pigeonhole Principle, Recursive sequences and functions, Recursion (counting problems), Trigonometry, Complex Numbers, State Diagrams, Conditional Probability, and more

Instructors: Dr. Samson Zhou (Texas A&M), Dr. Qiaochu Ma(Texas A&M), Abishek Hariharan (Texas A&M), and Andrew Yu (Harvard University)

Please visit our Registration page to register your student(s).