Maths Week at Work
Maths Week at Work is a series of videos where Maths graduates explain how they use Maths everyday and challenge the public with a puzzle related to their job.
This series consists of five episodes. In each of them a maths graduate explains how maths is used in their job, and then challenge us with a puzzle related to their job. A solution to each puzzle is also presented.
Though the resources were produced in the occasion of Maths Week, they can be used any time of the year, and over several weeks.
Although the videos are in principle aimed at S1-S4 students, the puzzles do not require much background knowledge, hence they might be suitable for younger or older students as well.
The document below describes the project and gives some tips on how to use it in the classroom:
Episode 1: Dr Richard Archibald (Video Game Programmer)
Interview and Puzzle
- Video: Day 1- Video 1: Interview and Puzzle
- This is the first episode of our series of videos: Maths Week at Work. Francesca tries to convince her friend Hanna that Maths is beautiful and very useful. Then Dr Richard Archibald, a video game programmer, talks about how he uses Maths, and then presents a puzzle related to his job.
Solution to the Puzzle
- Video: Day 1- Video 2: Solution to the Puzzle
- Maths Week at Work-Day 1-Video 2
Episode 2: Caitlin Stronach (Actuary)
Interview and Puzzle
- Video: Day 2- Video 1: Interview and Puzzle
- This is the second episode of the series. Caitlin Stronach, an actuary, describes how she uses Maths and then she challenges us with a puzzle, where we will pretend to be actuaries ourselves.
Solution to the Puzzle
- Video: Day 2- Video 2 Solution to the Puzzle
- Caitlin gives some answers to the question she has posed.
Episode 3: Dr Steven O'Hagan (Deputy Director of the UK Mathematics Trust)
Interview and Puzzle
- Video: Day 3- Video 1 Interview and Puzzle
- Third episode of our series of videos: "Maths Week at Work". Dr Steven O'Hagan, deputy director of the UK Mathematics Trust, shares his experience of studying Maths, then he challenges us with a puzzle.
Solution to the Puzzle
- Video: Day 3- Video 2 Solution to the Puzzle
- This is the second part of the third episode of our series "Maths Week at Work". Steven presents a solution to his puzzle.
Episode 4: Tessa Hayman (Transport planner)
Interview and Puzzle
- Video: Day 4- Video 1 Interview and Puzzle
- This is the fourth episode of the series.Tessa Hayman, a transport planner tells us how she uses Maths in her job. Then she challenges us with a puzzle related to her job.
Solution to the Puzzle
- Video: Day 4- Video 2 Solution to the Puzzle
- Fourth episode of the series "Maths Week at Work", second part. Tessa presents a solution to her puzzle.
Episode 5: Dr Francesca Iezzi (Coordinator of Maths Outreach at the University of Edinburgh)
Interview and Puzzle
- Video: Day 5- Video 1 Interview and Puzzle
- This is the fifth episode of the series "Maths Week at Work". We are almost reaching the end of the series. In this video Dr Francesca Iezzi, the coordinator of Maths Outreach at the University of Edinburgh, talks about her job, and then presents a puzzle.
Solution to the Puzzle and Conclusion
- Video: Day 5 video 2 Solution to the Puzzle
- Fifth episode of the series "Maths Week at Work", second part. Francesca presents a solution to her puzzle.
The videos were produced by Francesca Iezzi and Aarol films.
Get in touch
If you have got any questions, comments or suggestions, or you need any extra support, please contact Francesca Iezzi (francesca.iezzi@ed.ac.uk).
Give us your feedback
We would really appreciate if you could let us know how the series worked in your classroom, and we would welcome any suggestions for improvement. Please get in touch to give us your feedback or fill in this survey. This would be precious help when it comes to evaluating this project, looking for funding, and designing similar projects in the future.