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The University of Southampton
Southampton Education School

Mathematics teachers try codebreaking

Published: 18 June 2018
Home-made enigma machine
The results of the in-class project.

Tom Briggs, the Learning Manager at Bletchley Park delivered an original and fascinating session to 35 local and trainee mathematics teachers on the subject of coding.  The engaging and informative session hosted at the University on 14th June 2018, gave the attendees an opportunity to experience what it was like to be a codebreaker. The session covered various types of cryptography ranging from Morse code, Caesar ciphers and Affine shifts.

An audience of teachers


Teachers used empty Pringles tubes, scissors and glue to make their own Enigma machine and code secret messages. The session was well received, the teachers relished the opportunity learn a new skill and developed some great ideas to take back to their own classrooms to get young people in the area to think creatively about mathematics and codebreaking.

Tom Briggs with the real Enigma machine



The real-life Enigma machine that was used at Bletchley Park, most notably during WW2 and also used by Benedict Cumberbatch, the famous actor who played Alan Turing in The Imitation Game was on display at the event.

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