‘Maths in the City’ is set to take place in Derry bringing numeracy puzzles for all ages
Maths Week, the all-Ireland festival, is celebrating 20 years of events across Ireland. This year, the festival is bringing hands-on problem-solving puzzles to the Guildhall.
The Maths Week team will be taking their live pop-up maths exhibit to the Guildhall in Derry (11 am – 4 pm) on Saturday, October 18. Organisers for the event said everyone can pop in for a taste of the lighter side of maths puzzles, games, and challenges to engage and entertain people of all ages. It’s free and no booking is required.
A spokesperson for Maths Week said that the team works with schools, colleges, libraries, museums and community organisations to promote enjoyment of maths and numbers which form part of everyday life for everyone across society and the economy. By the end of this year’s festival, total participation over two decades will exceed five million people across the island, north and south.
They added that Maths Week has become the world’s largest maths festival, engaging hundreds of thousands of people each year. Teacher surveys show that 85% of students felt more positive about maths after taking part.
The festival aims to highlight that maths is for everyone, of all ages and abilities, as numeracy skills are part of everyday life such as budgeting, design, sport, and technology.
Eoin Gill, Director of Maths Week, said: “Maths Week was created to replace any sense of fear with curiosity and enjoyment. Over the past 20 years we have seen that when maths is made visible, playful and relevant, people thrive. Last year more than half a million people took part across the island, a clear sign of the appetite to connect with maths in new and positive ways.
“As we look ahead, maths will be central to our progress and prosperity. It drives innovation, fuels creativity and shapes the solutions to the world’s greatest challenges. The task for the next 20 years is to ensure that every child in every community can see themselves as capable of doing maths. The legacy of Maths Week will be a generation of problem solvers and innovators who see maths as part of who they are and as a key to building our shared future.”