Resources on Maths.org

motivate

Motivate...

 

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Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:39:46 +0000 motivateadmin 1 at http://motivate.maths.org/content Read more.

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Controlling cockroach chaos

Catching sight of a cockroach tends to make us behave chaotically, what with the running and screaming and throwing of shoes. But it appears that chaos might actually explain how we, and the cockroach itself, behave.

An interdisciplinary team of scientists from Germany have created a robotic cockroach that autonomously behaves in a way reminiscent of a real cockraoch. The robot independently changes gait depending on the surface it is walking on, avoids obstacles and can even extricate its leg from a hole or run away from predators. Recreating lifelike behaviour is not new, but this robot reproduces a huge range of behaviours and quickly reacts to new situations and switch between them. And the secret to its success is controlled chaos in its robotic brain.

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Maths student poster competition just launched!

If you're a maths student and feel like enthusing the next generation with your favourite bit of maths, then why not take part in the Further Mathematics Support Programme (FMSP) and Rolls–Royce plc third national poster competition.

Undergraduate or PGCE mathematics students are invited to design a poster, individually or as a group, which conveys the essence of a mathematical topic that has been covered at university by the designer(s). The poster should be targeted at school and college students studying AS or A level mathematics. Two winners will be chosen and receive £100 each, and their designs will be printed and sent out to over 2000 schools and colleges. The closing date is the 31st of March 2010. See the FMSP website for previous winners.

If this sounds interesting, then here are the rules. The poster should be mathematically accurate, attractively laid out, capable of enriching a course in AS or A level mathematics, and likely to attract school/college students to take mathematics (or mathematics-related subjects) at university. You can design your poster in any readily available software. Ideally, the page layout should be set to 59.4cm × 42.0cm, using either landscape or portrait format. The university's logo should appear in the top left corner and there should be a space 7cm high x 5cm wide in the top right corner for the FMSP logo. The bottom 2cm of the poster should be left blank. All images should be at least 300dpi.

Entries, as well as any questions about the competition, should be emailed to Richard Browne at RichardBrowne@furthermaths.org.uk. The email must include the name(s) and full contact details of the designer(s). The poster design should be attached to the e-mail, in the form of an editable file. The FMSP reserves the right to edit the winning designs before printing.

Happy designing!

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mmp

Global Warming and the Melting of the Arctic Ice

Date: 
Wednesday, 24 February 2010 - 5:00pm - 6:00pm

The Arctic sea ice has been retreating and thinning for many decades under the influence of global warming, but in the summer 2007 the extent made a huge step downwards which led some scientists to predict that the summer ice would be gone in 5 years (since modified to 20-30). This is a massive change with huge implications for the climate, and it seems to be brought about mainly by the thinning, which allows the summer melt to get rid of the ice altogether.

Level: 
General public
Level additional information: 
Suggested age range 15+
Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:55:47 +0000 ke246 118 at http://mmp.maths.org Read more.

nrich

Stage 1::[Article] Blog It

Members of the NRICH team are beginning to write blogs and this very short article is designed to put the reasoning behind this move in context. Read more.

nrich

Stage 1::[problem*] Jig Shapes

Can you each work out what shape you have part of on your card? What will the rest of it look like? Read more.

mmp

Hands-On Maths Fair (Cambridge Science Festival)

Date: 
Saturday, 13 March 2010 - 12:00pm - 4:00pm

Hands-on games and puzzles. Pit your wits against the Soma cube, tangrams, Auntie's Tea Cups or giant dominoes, and sharpen your strategic reasoning skills!

Part of the Cambridge Science Festival. No pre-booking necessary - drop in between 12 noon and 4pm.

Find the Pitt Building on the University's online map.

 

Level additional information: 
Ages 5+
Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:31:58 +0000 jemh4 120 at http://mmp.maths.org Read more.

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