Reimagining Mathematics Through SMCS-IBA Logic Camp

July 28-31, 2025: The School of Mathematics and Computer Science (SMCS) organized a four-day professional development initiative for teachers. Designed to help educators rediscover mathematics through the lens of logical reasoning, the camp shifted focus from formulas and memorization to the deeper structures and relationships that form the foundation of mathematical thought.

Throughout the camp, Teachers engaged in a wide variety of interactive, logic-based puzzles and games. These included cryptarithms, the Game of Giotto, Lewis Carroll puzzles, cryptograms, the “language of watermelons,” the jittery soldier’s problem, the black and red card problem, the five cups problem, and the Konigsberg bridges problem. Each activity served as an entry point to explore key logical concepts such as "if-then" reasoning and proof by contradiction, while also introducing powerful critical techniques involving invariants, parity, and the pigeonhole principle.

The camp was led by Dr. Danish Ali, Program Director for MS and PhD Mathematics at IBA Karachi, with support from MS Mathematics student Rabia Sagheer. Their thoughtful and engaging facilitation helped participants experience mathematics as both intellectually rich and practically applicable.

By the end of the program, teachers left inspired and equipped with practical strategies to incorporate logic-driven, exploratory learning in their classrooms. The camp demonstrated how mathematics, when taught through reasoning and creativity, can be both accessible and deeply meaningful for students.