With activities for the whole family, FestMat starts on Thursday (5)

02/09/2024

Robot soccer, a bicycle with a square wheel, games, an escape room, observation of the Sun and a virtual tour of Ancient Egypt are some of the attractions at the National Mathematics Festival (FestMat) 2024, which starts this Thursday (5) in Rio de Janeiro. Promoted by the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA), the free event aims to bring mathematics closer to the general public through fun and entertaining activities.

FestMat will take place from September 5 to 7 at Marina da Glória, on the Aterro do Flamengo. The first day (5) is exclusive to previously registered public and private schools. The event is open to the public on Friday afternoon (6) and Saturday (7). Those interested should obtain their tickets free of charge on the event’s website. “The National Mathematics Festival is an important instrument for IMPA to engage directly with society as a whole, disseminating mathematics that creates, innovates and delights. It’s fun with mathematics for the whole family,” said Marcelo Viana, the institute’s director-general.

More than 32,000 people took part in the first two editions of FestMat, in 2017 and 2022. With activities for all ages, the Festival is now in its third edition, with innovation at the heart of its program, and is now consolidated in Rio de Janeiro’s calendar and held every two years.

Robot soccer will be presented by the robotics team from IME (Military Engineering Institute), RoboIME. The matches promise to excite the public at Marina da Glória. For those who prefer to gaze into space, the Rio Planetarium will offer the experience of observing the Sun through a telescope.

A success at the first two editions of the Festival, the square wheel bicycle is back! The attraction is the result of a partnership with the Federation of Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) SESI, which in this edition will also bring the Firjan SESI Matemática mobile unit with other activities.

With the theme “Mathematics is Innovation”, FestMat will have a Games Arena, Afroreggae, robotics and immersive experiences. Visgraf (IMPA’s Computer Graphics Laboratory) will transport participants to Ancient Egypt on a virtual tour of Neferhotep’s tomb. The project was created in partnership with Lapid (National Museum), BioDesign (PUC-Rio) and INT. The Pi Center (IMPA’s Center for Projects and Innovation) will have an immersive space to present the solutions developed with artificial intelligence.

The main stage will host lectures, round tables and presentations. The Matemágico Show includes magic, tricks, puzzles and the history of mathematics. The play “Numbers and Life”, by Coletivo Comum, proposes associations between common adolescent behaviors, such as existential concerns, the use of digital technologies and social rebellion, with mathematical questions and games. Check out the full program here.

About IMPA

Founded in 1952, IMPA is an internationally renowned center for mathematical research and postgraduate studies, with doctoral, master’s and professional master’s degrees. In 2024, the Institute inaugurated its first undergraduate program, IMPA Tech. IMPA is the organizer of the Brazilian Public School Mathematical Olympiad (OBMEP), the largest scientific Olympiad in the world in terms of number of participants.

Service: National Math Festival

Date: September 5, 6 and 7
Location: Marina da Glória
Address: Av. Infante Dom Henrique, S/N – Glória, Rio de Janeiro

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