February Math Circle Meeting
Saturday, February
2 p.m.
Fayetteville Public Library
Counting squares and triangles
Speaker: Edmund Harriss
As you count and draw you might find shapes. Squares and triangles can both come up. The square when we multiply a number by itself and the triangle when we add 1, then 2, then 3, then 4 to get 1, 3, 6, 10…
Are these two families of numbers related? Can we find an easy way to add all the numbers up to 100 without doing all the work? What about 1000? You really don’t want to do that by hand!
•••
Don’t forget to bring a notebook and your solutions to the Challenge Questions found below.
Create your very own visual encyclopedia of numbers:
Find your math notebook! Your first assignment is to draw a bunch of pictures for your numbers. Draw as many different pictures as you can. Bring it to the next math circle to show off!
How many different rectangles can you make for each of the numbers you drew?
Which numbers only have one rectangle?
Make a list of as many square and triangle numbers and you can. (These pictures would be great in your encyclopedia!)
Are there any patterns you can find?
How much bigger is a square or triangle number from the previous number? Can you find the pattern?
3. What are some other “shape families” of numbers that you can find? Do they have patterns? Write them down in your notebook and bring them to the next session!
Recent Comments