Starting in Fall 2011, there will be three levels of the Marin Math Circle. The Elementary Group is recommended for students in grades 3 and 4. The Intermediate Group is recommended for students in grades 5-8, and the Advanced Group is recommended for students in grades 9-12 and advanced middle school students who are comfortable using algebra. The Marin Math Circle is intended for students who are good at math and like solving challenging problems.

What does it cost to join the Marin Math Circle?

There is no required fee. The program is funded by grants and donations from parents and community members. We suggest a donation of $100 - $150 per student per semester, to help cover the cost of course materials and speaker honoraria. Larger and smaller donations are also welcome.

Can I join now?

You can join any time, as long as there is room. To register fill out the online registration form. Once your registration is received, you should get a confirmation by phone or email within a week or two. If we are already at our maximum number of students when you register, then you'll be put on a wait list until there is room. We can accommodate a maximum of 25 students in the Elementary Group and a maximum of 40 in the Intermediate and Advanced Groups.

When and where does the Math Circle meet?

Sessions are on Wednesday evenings during the school year. Starting January 11, 2012, the Elementary Group meets from 6:30 - 7:20 pm, the Intermediate Group meets from 6:45 - 8:15 pm, and the Advanced Group meets from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. The schedule lists meeting dates and breaks.

All sessions are held on the campus of Dominican University of California, located at 50 Acacia Ave. in San Rafael. The Elementary Group meets in Alemany Library Room 207, the Intermediate Group in Guzman Hall Room 302 (tentative), and the Advanced Group in Guzman Hall Room 301 (tentative). See the campus map to locate campus buildings.

Where is the best place to park?

Free parking is available in the parking lot of the Conlan Recreation Center at the corner of Acacia Avenue and Grand Avenue. See the campus map to locate the parking lot and campus buildings.

What do I need to bring?

Students in the Intermediate and Advanced Groups should bring a pencil and paper to every session. Graph paper and colored pencils are often useful as well. The first time you attend, please bring a waiver form signed by your parents. Students in the Elementary Group should bring a small pencil case with a few pencils, markers or colored pencils, an eraser, a glue stick, and scissors with rounded edges. In addition, Eementary Group students should bring a quad notebook, which is a notebook containing pages of graph paper instead of lined paper.

What if I have to miss a meeting?

You may be able to find handouts from the session you missed by following links on the schedule. Because enrollment in the Elementary Circle is limited to 25 students, students in the Elementary Circle who miss more than three sessions in a semester may be asked to give up their spots for students on the waiting list.

How do I sign up to bring snack?

We ask parents of students in the Intermediate and Advanced Circles to take turns bringing snack. Please volunteer by putting your name down on the snack calendar. Popular snacks include fruit, crackers, or cookies. Anything that is not messy is fine. Beverages are not needed since there are water fountains in the building. There is no snack break for the Elementary Circle.

How do I get on the email list?

You can join the Marin Math Circle yahoo group, or you can email linda (at) marinmathcircle (dot) org and ask to be added in.

I didn't understand everything at the last session. Should I keep coming?

Definitely! The material presented at the meetings is often non-traditional and challenging ... sometimes even for mathematicians! If you understand even 50% of what goes on, that's actually a lot. If you keep attending, you'll find that your problem solving skills improve, you'll start recognizing themes between sessions, and you'll understand more and more of what goes on.

Can adults attend?

Parents are welcome to sit in the back in the Intermediate and Advanced Groups. Local teachers are always welcome to observe. The Elementary Group uses a few "room parents" to help with administrative details, discipline, and one-on-one math instruction. If you would like to help out as a room parent, please contact mmc.elementary (at) gmail.com . Parents who are not room parents should not plan to stay for class in the Elementary Group, since too many parents can be distracting.

What are the benefits of attending a math circle?

Math circles expose students to challenging problems, including famous problems pondered by some of history's great mathematicians and logicians. Unlike the problems found in most school math classes, the problems posed in math circle involve deep thinking, creativity, and problems solving techniques that students develop over time. Another important component of math circle is the chance to articulate solutions verbally and in writing and to learn how to write mathematical proofs. In addition, math circle is a place for students to meet area mathematicians and other students with like minds and interests.

What is the Advanced Circle like?

The best way to find out is to attend a session. Of course, every session is different, since speakers and topics change every week or two, so it's even better to attend several sessions! In the meantime, you might get some idea of the flavor of a session by looking at handouts from previous sessions on the schedule, or by reading the notes from a session held in September, 2011.

How are the Intermediate and Advanced Circles different from Mathcounts and Mathletes?

Mathcounts and Mathletes are programs that center on competitive, timed contests. Problem solving at the Math Circle is collaborative -- you'll be working on problems together with your friends. Instead of solving a bunch of unrelated problems, Math Circle lets you explore new mathematical topics in depth. For example, one session may be entirely about 4 dimensional geometry. Another session may be about game theory. Sessions are led by mathematicians, with leaders changing every session or two.