Math Circle: The Mathematics of Social Change

Curriculum

Many social, political, and environmental issues have underlying mathematical concepts that can affect outcomes. For instance, elections can depend on voting methods: the candidate who wins a plurality may not be favored by the majority. In this course, we’ll explore and evaluate many voting systems. We’ll also delve into the mathematics of gerrymandering, student loan debt, environmental disasters, and human trafficking. This course is inspired Emily Riehl’s work on the mathematics of social choice. Underlying mathematical concepts include algebra, statistics, functions, combinatorics, voting theory, logic, and financial mathematics.

Ages 13+
Thursdays, 3:30-5:00pm, Cope House
1/9-2/27 (8 weeks, 12 hours of instruction)
$240