Trail of the month: Helsinki Tour

Through the Trail of the Month of May, we get to know a European capital from a slightly different angle. We’re talking about Finland’s largest city, Helsinki, where Nina Salminen, a local mathematics, chemistry and physics teacher, created the Helsinki Tour trail, which is available in the MCM app by using the code 129638 and on the MathCityMap web portal here.

On this extensive mathematical walking trail we get to know the city and its sights in connection with six mathematical tasks based on intermediate level topics. Starting at the Sibelius Monument, the trail covers a total distance of 2.9 km, passing the Olympic Stadium, the Parliament Building and the famous Temppeliaukio Church, which was carved directly into a rock.

In a short interview Nina Salminen tells us how she got to know MathCityMap and gives us some background information about her trail:

How did you come across the MathCityMap project?

My Italian colleague Giovanna Zito from Brindisi asked me to join an Erasmus+ project, where a MathCityMap trail is being planned with students in each of the five countries participating in the project. I found out about the MathCityMap project and made one trail with my students near our school, Munkkiniemi School. This spring we went further and planned two trails in the center of Helsinki.

Please describe your Mathtrail.

Along the trail you will see points of interest in Helsinki and at the same time solve short math problems. For each task, you will get to know one of Helsinki’s attractions. Thus, the route also serves as a tourist tour in our capital. Math problems are suitable not only for students but also for anyone who wants to recall the basics of mathematics or enjoy problem solving.

How do you use MCM and why?

MCM trail brings good variation for math lessons. A trip outside breaks up the monotony of the school day. Showing math in different contexts is also a good way to reach students who, for one reason or another, don’t like math and don’t think they’re good at it.

We can also get around the trails on theme days or when there are foreign guests at our school. The trail makes it easy to introduce our hometown. The Finnish mobility of the Erasmus+ project will take place in May and all 50 students from five different countries will take the MCM trail.

Describe your favorite task of the trail. How can it be solved and what can students learn from it?

My students have come up with ideas for the tasks and were so excited about planning them that I consider everyone a favorite. The tasks differ from each other and many of them require knowledge of geometry. In addition to connect math with real life, students get to know their hometown. They also learn to work together as a group when solving tasks and navigating from one task to another.