Participants of PIM at the closing event of the 2024/2025 course. Photo: Laura M. Iraola/ICMAT

From today, 19 September, 150 students aged between 12 and 18 will once again meet every Friday of the school year to enjoy mathematics at the Little Institute of Mathematics (Pequeño Instituto de Matemáticas, PIM) of ICMAT. From 17:30 to 20:00, at the Institute’s premises, the activity focuses on tackling, collaboratively, challenging mathematical problems that require more than simply applying a formula.

The project, free of charge for participants, began in the 2022-2023 academic year with the aim of providing an environment in which young people passionate about mathematics could develop their interest in the discipline by solving problems different from those usually presented in the classroom. “These are exercises that reflect the challenges STEM professionals face in real life and show the diverse and multifaceted nature of mathematics,” explain the organisers. To face these challenges, students share ideas with each other and also with the teaching team, which consists mostly of mathematics researchers from the ICMAT and the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM), as well as former students of previous editions of the PIM.

Another of the most notable aspects of the PIM is its human value: it is a space to connect people who share the same passion for mathematics.

The initiative is supported by the Department of Mathematics of the UAM and the Royal Spanish Mathematical Society (RSME).

Free registration open throughout the course

Registration for the PIM is free and open on a permanent basis. It is carried out through the project website and requires taking a prior test. This is not an entrance exam, but rather a way to assess interest in mathematics and reasoning skills.

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Note: This is an automatic translation. Some nuances may differ from the original Spanish version.