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topology posts

Connection conniption! Activity

by David Shaw, 24 February 2022 | 1 comments

A tecup with 3 houses drawn on it. there are 3 different whiteboard markers inside the cup

Do you have a favourite mug? This is my favourite. Not only does it hold my hot chocolate, it has a wicked tricky puzzle on it!

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Winning at maths News

by David Shaw, 23 August 2018 | 0 comments

A gold disc or medal with a bearded man's portrait.

Time to celebrate! For only the second time ever, an Australian has won the most famous prize in mathematics – the Fields Medal. Let’s take a moment to celebrate the achievements of the winner, Akshay Venkatesh.

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Hanging by a thread Activity

by David Shaw, 27 November 2017 | 0 comments

a picture hanging from two pins

You’ll find yourself going a little loopy with this puzzle, but it’s worth unravelling the secret.

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Super strong pencil Activity

by David Shaw, 4 January 2017 | 0 comments

Someone is wrapping a yellow string around a pencil.

In this trick, you’ll wrap a shoelace around a pencil and a strip of cardboard. The string seems to pass straight through both, tearing the cardboard, but leaving the pencil untouched!

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Clever counting keeps fusion firing News

by David Shaw, 14 August 2014 | 2 comments

A twisty pink loop is contined within shiny rings.

The Australian National University recently renovated their fusion reactor. This magnetic marvel harnesses immense pressures and temperatures to replicate the reactions that power our Sun. And there’s a lot of maths that helps to keep the reactions going! A fusion donut Fusion reactors use hydrogen as fuel. Under intense heat and pressure, the electrons leave…

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Torus maze Activity

by David Shaw, 12 August 2014 | 0 comments

Someone has drawn a line to a square marked finish.

You’ve seen mazes on paper, you may even have explored big mazes on foot. But this maze has a geometric twist – it’s on the surface of a donut. This is a torus maze!

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Möbius zipper Activity

by David Shaw, 12 March 2013 | 0 comments

You may have heard of a mysterious mathematical shape with only one side called the Mobius strip. You can make your own, with a zipper, needle and thread!

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