The University of Florida Math Circle is a free service to the Gainesville community that offers fun math activities for kids. The faculty and student-run group meets weekly and focuses on the enjoyment and exploration of mathematical ideas. The main math circle is aimed at grades 6-12 and meets every Saturday from 10 AM until noon. Every few weeks, a separate session for elementary-age students is held from 9 AM to 10 AM at the same location.
Spring 2024 Meeting Times and Locations
Math Circle meets in room 225 of Little Hall on the UF campus. Parking is free – scroll down for more information.
Main Circle (aimed at grades 6-12)
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Meets every Saturday from 10 AM to 12 PM
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January 13 – first meeting of spring semester
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March 9, 16th – no meetings (Spring Break)
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April 20th – last session for spring semester
Elementary Circle (aimed at grades K-5)
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Meets from 9 AM to 10 AM on January 20th, February 10th, March 2nd, and March 30th.
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April 20th – combined session for all ages from 10 AM to 12 PM
Registration
Registration and consent forms will be available for parents to fill out the first time their children attend in a given academic year. Or you can fill out the registration and consent forms out ahead of time and either bring or scan and email them to circle@math.ufl.edu. [registration form and consent form]
Parking
Free parking is available on Saturdays in the lot on the north side of Little Hall. The lot is accessible from Union Road and has a gate which will open automatically.
There is usually ample parking, but if there is a special event nearby the lot may be full. Garage IV at the intersection of Newell Drive and Museum Road is the next closest parking area that is free to the public.
On days with home football games, there is a lot of activity on campus: in practice, there appears to be ample parking at 10am when the math circle begins which fills up by the end of the meeting.
Contact Us
To get in touch, please email circle@math.ufl.edu or drop by a meeting. Current organizers include Dana Bartosova, Jeremy Booher, Youngmin Park, and Sergei Pilyugin.
What is a Math Circle
We’re part of the Math Circles Network. They describe math circles as “communities focused on the enjoyment of mathematical problem solving. Meetings are lively, interactive, and often ‘funstrating’: challenging, but in a highly rewarding way!” A math circle focuses on mathematical discovery and problem solving and offers enrichment beyond the usual school curriculum. It is not tailored towards preparing for math contests, although math contests test similar skills. You can get a feel for the kind of activities which take place by looking through this archive of activities or looking at previous semesters on the calendar.