Reposting our last email newsletter to the blog. If you’d like to sign up on our email list, click here.

January News from Math for Love

• Loss: A farewell to Sid the goat
• Birth: Tiny Polka Dot Arrives
• Julia Robinson Math Festival registration is open
• Math for Love Winter Class registration is open
• Problem of the Moment

Loss: A farewell to Sid the goat

The year 2017 began on a sad note for us. After an abrupt decline, our beloved pet goat Sid passed away on January 3. Sid was a dear friend; he slept indoors, and has accompanied us, in his storied, 12-year existence, on hikes, cross-country car rides, adventures and abundant wonderful moments.

We will miss him, and remember him.

He is survived by us, and by his companion Myshkin. I wrote a blog post several years ago considering the two of them as problem-solvers, and it feels right to call back to it now.

If you’re interested to know about what we learned from Sid as a problem solver, you can read Goat River Crossing.

I highly recommend the videos.

Birth: Tiny Polka Dot arrives

In happier news, our new game, Tiny Polka Dot, has now been delivered to almost all of our Kickstarter backers, and is available on Amazon.

Photos and reviews are starting to roll in, and it’s fantastic to see the response. We’re hoping to see Tiny Polka Dot helping 3-8 year old kids fall in love with numbers in homes and classrooms around the world.

Julia Robinson Math Festival, Feb 25

https://youtu.be/Idow6vKyaXg

Registration is open for Seattle’s 6th annual Julia Robinson Math Festival, February 25th. Get your spot now before it fills up!

Registration is open for 4th grade and up (i.e, 10 year old and up). Tickets are $10 – 15, sliding scale. Email dan@mathforlove.com for info about bringing groups.

If you’re someone who has a love of math to share, we’re looking for volunteers too!

Math for Love Classes start Jan 22 – register now!

There are still a few spots open for our Winter Math Classes, running at the PNA Sundays, Jan 22 – Feb 12:

For 1st & 2nd Graders
Mathematical Games and Puzzles
For 3rd – 5th Graders
Geometric Puzzlers

All classes take place Sundays at the Phinney Neighborhood Association.
Instructor: Paul Gafni

More info available here.

Problem of the Moment

Imagine walking in the following pattern:
1 block North
2 blocks East
3 blocks South
1 block West
2 blocks North
3 blocks East
1 block South,
and so on, repeating 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3 and N, E, S, W.

Do you ever get back to the spot you started? If so, how many blocks do you walk before you do? If not, can you prove it?

Try with other sets of numbers and directions.
What patterns do you find?