The University of Valencia (UV) has restarted the mathematical routes from today until May with the students of the IES Santiago Grisolía of Callosa de Segura (Alicante). These are didactic and informative activities that use the heritage of Valencia to teach mathematics and trigonometry and in which more than 3,000 students will participate during this academic year. In a few days, the registration for this activity of the Scientific Culture-UV Unit for the 2021-2022 academic year has been covered, in which 80 sessions will be held with the participation of 56 centres.
The mathematical routes are aimed at students from third year of ESO to Baccalaureate and consist of scientific itineraries where the environment of the city of Valencia is used. The activity was halted in March 2020 as a result of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thus, today, the students of the IES Santiago Grisolía of Callosa de Segura have done the itinerary From the Serranos Towers to the Botanical Garden, where it has been possible to measure the height of the Torres de Serranos, orientation exercises have been done from this heritage element with plane and compass, or the geometric elements present in the facade of the towers have been identified, among others. A mirror and clinometer (a tool for measuring the angle, in degrees, of vertical elements) have also been used. The route has included a visit to the Serranos Towers, the Palau de la Generalitat, the Virgen de los Desamparados Square, the Queen’s Square, the Quart towers or the Botanical Garden.
Each group of students, consisting of about ten students with a monitor, has a backpack that contains the material needed to perform the chosen route (magnifying glass, compass, calculator, the aforementioned clinometer or rope). In addition, for each itinerary a didactic notebook is designed that contains different activities that can be used in class, once the activity is finished.
The registration for this activity of the Scientific Culture Unit for the entire 2021-2022 academic year has been filled in a few days and the centres that continue to register are doing so for 2022-2023. In this course, 80 sessions are planned and 56 centres will participate.
The Mathematical Routes through the city of Valencia is an activity promoted by the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit of the University of Valencia, in collaboration with the Mathematical Education Society of the Valencian Community Al-Khwârizmî, which began in 2003.
The mathematical routes are an action of the Plan of Activities of the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit that has obtained a grant of €22.000 in the announcement of grants for the promotion of the scientific, technological and innovation culture of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology and the Ministry of Science and Innovation. This Plan of scientific dissemination activities will be deployed throughout the academic year until June 2022. In addition to the mathematics routes there are also actions such as conferences, science workshops, courses, guided tours, science bars or mornings.
