Today I was working at the London Excel Exhibition centre at
custom house. I was working as a student ambassador; however I was representing
the IMA (Institute of Mathematics and Its Applications.
There were lots of activities which we all had to be in charge
of and showcase to our visitors. The activity which I was in charge of was
called the ‘Travelling Salesman’. My activity involved a map of 14 different
cities around the UK and a piece of string approximately 1 metre long. The aim
of the game was to fit the string across all 14 different cities, making sure
that they touch all the cities without overlapping. The city which a person can
start with is the city which they have to end up in, by the end. This game
works from starting at any one of the 14 different cities, and not just a
specific one.
In the beginning, it was difficult for me to solve the
puzzle, but as some time passed by I eventually got the hang of it and was able
to solve it. This also motivated me to help the visitors in solving the puzzle
and also asking them about how they think this game is relevant to mathematics.
Overall, the day as a whole was quite long, however it was
very enjoyable as I got to meet and speak to lots of different people. Another
thing which was quite interesting was that the activities which I was in charge
of attracted a large audience and lots of people participated. From this I have learnt that mathematics is
an extremely exciting and interesting subject, but I do also realise that it
should be presented in a creative way so as to attract a wider audience
