Thursday, July 17, 2025, MAPP held the event “The Sound of Math” at the Ba Ria–Vung Tau Provincial Museum & Library for schoolchildren. Right before we began, I was still worried: “Will concepts like frequency and harmony be too hard? Will the kids enjoy this?”
When more than 40 children walked in, the room came alive. We kicked off with the game “Picture Chase,” and the energy shot up as the kids played and thought at the same time. The game is simple, but to win you must observe, reason, try- make mistakes- and fix them. My favorite moment was when a stuck team suddenly had an “aha!” because they found the pattern. That feeling of spotting a pattern is exactly why I love Math.
After that, we explored the harmony between numbers and sound: the kids learned how numerical ratios can create musical notes, discovering the fun connection between mathematics and melody.
Then came the Pythagoras segment. Instead of a long talk, we let everyone try it right away: measure the string, set simple ratios, pluck, and listen to how the sounds “fit.” Theory took half a step first, then made room for hands-on experience using everyday classroom items like water bottles… The atmosphere was joyful and relaxed.
At the end, the whole class built a “Pythagoras Piano” a very simple model, but enough to show where science and art meet. This was the most exciting part: the kids got to take part directly measuring, drawing, assembling, following mathematical ratios to create handmade instruments. When I saw these pieces displayed in the Library’s Children’s Room, I finally exhaled: maybe what we hoped to share really reached them.
For me, “The Sound of Math” was not just an event. It was the moment I clearly saw how math can resonate like a melody and that if we tell the story the right way, the kids will find their own notes. I’m also deeply grateful to the teachers and staff at the Provincial Library, and to my teammates at MAPP, for making such a meaningful session possible.
