Dalhousie University’s Math Circles #1

Wednesday, September 22, was Dalhousie University’s first Math Circles event of the school year. On the heels of our federal election on September 20, the theme was very relevant: “How to Count Votes.” The seminar was designed by Dr. Asmita Sodhi, a mathematics professor at Dalhousie University and an excellent presenter. While the topic seemed practical and simplistic at first – just ask people who or what they want to vote for, count the votes and see which option won – Dr. Sodhi took a deep dive into the voting process and demonstrated that there are lots of other ways of voting and counting votes. Voting systems and paradoxes were explored as students were challenged to think critically about the process. Time flew by as our students worked collaboratively to solve problems, enjoying the camaraderie of like-minded friends. Hats off to students William Larder ‘26, Ken Hojo ‘27, Atsushi Ito ‘27, Yasu Hojo ’25, and Brin Kershaw (Eric's son) who attended virtually and figured out many of the problems posed. Special thanks are extended to Eric Kershaw for supervising the first Zoom event.

 

Dalhousie University Math Circles seminars explore a different topic each month and appeal to students from Grades 6 to 12. We look forward to attending these events throughout the year. What a great way to enhance our math experience!