Seminar

2012

2011

Date: Tuesday, 20 December 2011, Time: 10:00 am    

Outreach activities of Mathematics Olympiad Cell at HBCSE
Prof. B. J. Venkatachala

HBCSE

Abstract: Apart from catering to the elite students through its Olympiad activities, Mathematics Olympiads (MO) Cell of HBCSE is also helping the masses, in its own way, by its outreach activities. Members of MO Cell are involved in different teacher training programmes, student awareness programmes, writing books, in the development of curriculum and writing textbooks addressed to high school students. A  discussion of these activities will be the aim of this talk.

Date: Tuesday, 20 December 2011, Time: 11:30 am   

Mathematical Olympiads
Prof. C. R. Pranesachar

HBCSE

Abstract: Mathematical Olympiads/ contests have a fairly long history. In Hungary they were started for high school students in 1895. The Putnam competitions (conducted in the US and Canada) began in 1938 and the International Mathematical Olympiads (IMO) in 1959. More than 100 countries participate in the IMO now. What makes the IMOs different from Olympiads in other subjects? How is it relevant to teaching? Do research and Olympiads go together? Are solving problems and learning core mathematics linked to each other? Is the activity an elitist one? Although there are differing views there is certainly joy in cracking nonroutine problems. The satisfaction one gets in solving a challenging problem on one's own is immense and this is not just a rhetoric! The speaker would like to dwell on some of these aspects.