New club for maths-curious pupils in St Andrews

Match Circles aim to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills. The students are engaged in working independently on mathematical problems which require proof construction and logical reasoning as opposed to mechanical application of memorised formulas. Each week, they are given a set of problems based around themes that range from recognisable geometry to the more advanced topics like Game and Graph Theories. Lying outside of the school curriculum all these topics are accessible to all puzzle-loving children independently of their educational background.

While managed by the charity, the Circle will be run by students of mathematics from the University of St Andrews. We Solve Problems’ trustee and co-founder Dr. Vassili Philipov believes this is another great function of the Circle. He said: “Along with providing the opportunity for the children of the area, the Circle provides a way for local university students to gain really valuable experience and money while they study.”

Along with the traditional Maths Circle, the programme involves a debate competition called ‘Maths Battles’. During which, students of the Circle form teams to compete in solving a fixed set of problems. The friendly competition encourages participants to work with others and fosters their ability to verbally explain, and defend, their solutions. When a region has enough Maths Circles, some Battles can be held between different locations competing against each other. Dr. Ignat Fialkovskiy the general manager of the charity said: “Ultimately we aim that one day the Maths Battles will be held across the UK and develop into its own league.”

Maths Circle at King's College London, 2024

We Solve Problems has been in operation since 2017, with its first Circle at University College London. Since then, it has opened at 10 other locations across England and Wales, including Pembroke and Keble College at the universities in Cambridge and Oxford respectively. The newest Circle at St Andrews University will deliver the same experience in Scotland for the first time.

The formula of a Maths Circle, creating a community between professional mathematicians to young students, originates from the early 20th century. Dr. Philipov said: “We think the Circles are ideal for the math-curious students who want a free and accessible community to develop their skills and talk about their interests.”