Programme
Programme
09:15 – 10:00 How much does it cost – or did it cost – to complete the Panini sticker album for the 2026 World Cup?
The maths and its pitfalls behind the sticker albums...
We’ve just witnessed the biggest World Cup to date, with 48 participating teams. Accordingly, Panini’s sticker album also reached a record total of 980 stickers.
As a pupil, but also as a parent, you might wonder how much it costs to fill an album like this. We’ll look at how we can approach this question mathematically and
establish exactly why the last sticker is the most expensive. We’ll also demonstrate that this playful task plays a role in practical examples beyond the school playground.
10.15 – 11.20 Maths competition
A team-based maths competition for groups of 2–4 pupils. The best teams will be awarded certificates and prizes. The competition consists of
problems that test a range of mathematical skills, particularly logical thinking and reasoning. The groups may adopt different solution strategies
, e.g. solving the problems together or dividing them up amongst themselves. Calculators are permitted.
Why not have a go at solving the following problem (from a previous competition)?
An ant is sitting right next to an open, round biscuit tin with a height of H = 8 cm and circumference U = 60 cm. Help it find the shortest route to the last remaining biscuit crumb, which is situated opposite it at half the height,
(a) if the crumb is on the outside of the tin,
(b) if it is on the inside,
(c) Would it help her if you placed the straw on top of the tin?
10.15 – 11.20 Workshop: ‘How games shape our everyday lives’
People have been playing games ever since the dawn of humanity. By the term ‘games’, we mean not only classic games such as chess or backgammon, but more generally all
situations in which two parties are in conflict and seek to maximise their own gain. By analysing such games, game theory provides answers to important
questions of everyday life. How do I behave in groups? How do prices form in a free market, and why do political parties with differing
views? The aim of the workshop is to explore these questions through a series of game-based exercises.
Noah Körner, Henri Gerigk
11.30 – 12.30 Mathematics in higher education and the workplace – mathematicians share their experiences
We are joined by three former maths students. All three are now established in their careers and will look back on their time at university and discuss how they apply the skills they learnt in their current roles. Questions from the audience are very welcome.
12.30 – 1.30 pm Lunch break
Here you will find the current menu for the canteen in Wechloy.
Please note that only cash payments are accepted in the canteen.
13:30 – 14:15 "Graphs, Matrices and Data"
What do social networks, road maps and large datasets have in common? Many of their structures can be described using graphs – mathematical objects consisting of
nodes and edges. We will also learn about matrices as arrays of numbers and see how they can be used to perform calculations and describe graphs. Finally,
we will look at how these can be used to identify structures and clusters in complex data.
14:15 – 14:30 Closing ceremony with prize-giving
At the joint farewell event in the main lecture theatre, the competition’s top teams will also be honoured with certificates and prizes.
09:30 – 14:05 Escape room
A group of four to six pupils spend 30 minutes solving puzzles, picking locks and finding a treasure.
To take part, please complete the registration form (after the holidays) for one of the time slots
- 09:30 – 10:00
- 10:15 – 10:45
- 10:55 – 11:25
- 11:40 – 12:10
- 13:35 – 14:05
Throughout: Student body information stand
The information stand in the foyer, which serves as the central point of contact, is run by the Mathematics student body. Here, you can ask questions about both Mathematics Day and your degree programme.
