In the viral YouTube hit of Christmas 2015, Katie Steckles demonstrates some of the most mathematically satisfying ways you can wrap your Christmas presents.
Aperiodvent, Day 15: Mathematical Present Wrapping video
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Aperiodvent, Day 14: Dodecahedron star lantern
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If you manage to dismiss all the ads, the blog Happiness is Homemade has a post which shows you how to make a cool dodecahedral star lantern out of paper (and glue, and you’ll need a light source too if you want it to actually function as a lantern).
This post is part of the Aperiodical’s 2018 Aperiodvent Calendar.
Aperiodvent, Day 13: Fold-and-Cut Christmas Tree
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The fold and cut theorem, which states that, after sufficient folding, any shape made of straight lines can be cut out of a piece of paper in one cut, is probably the most crafts-friendly result in all of maths. Inspired by The Aperiodical’s very own Katie Steckles’ video on the subject, Sam Hartburn has created a handy PDF with instructions for folding and cutting a festive Christmas tree shape.
This post is part of the Aperiodical’s 2018 Aperiodvent Calendar.
Registration for 2019 Alan Turing Cryptography Competition and MathsBombe is open
The Alan Turing Cryptography Competition, now in its 7th year, is an online competition run by the University of Manchester School of Mathematics, for school students up to year 11 or equivalent. Cryptographic puzzles are released every couple of weeks and teams of up to four compete to solve the puzzles, with prizes for the fastest and other randomly selected correct entries. Registrations are open now, and the competition starts on 28th January 2019.
For sixth form pupils, there is also MathsBombe – an online competition, with two mathematical puzzles released every fortnight. The puzzles are not directly related to the A-Level syllabus but will require students to use their problem-solving skills.
Further information
Aperiodvent, Day 12: Fractal Christmas Trees
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If you’re looking for a fun hands-on project that’s mathematical and Christmassy, look no further than Think Maths‘ classic Fractal Christmas trees – building a Sierpinski tetrahedron tree, Menger Sponge base and Koch Snowflake star.
Aperiodvent, Day 11: MathsJam Shout
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Today is the regular monthly MathsJam date for people to meet in pubs and do maths all over the world (some are meeting next week instead – check MathsJam.com to find your nearest). Their internal puzzle sharing sheet is snowflake themed this month, and is shared online so you can join in from home.
This post is part of the Aperiodical’s 2018 Aperiodvent Calendar.
Aperiodvent, Day 10: Dimensional Analysis and Turkeys
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Before he entered Aperiodical’s Big Internet Math-Off, contestant Jim Propp wrote this lovely blog post about dimensional analysis back in February, using it to predict how well Michael Jordan would be able to play basketball on the moon and how long it would take to roast a large bird. Make use of it when you’re planning Christmas dinner!
This post is part of the Aperiodical’s 2018 Aperiodvent Calendar.