Summer course on GPS Mathematics for high school students

Milan – Leonardo Campus | 2026 June 22–26

Geolocation is a technology we use every day, often without even realizing it.

From car navigation systems to mapping and fitness apps, from logistics to maritime rescue, the ability to determine the position of an object or a person in space plays a fundamental role in everyday life as well as in scientific and technological fields.

The Summer School The Mathematics of GPS is designed for students in the final three years of upper secondary school. The program offers a hands-on laboratory experience that combines mathematics and programming, developed by participants working in groups.

A game to understand how a mathematical model is created

The program begins with the educational game “Treasure Hunt”, implemented through an app that presents a very complex problem: finding a submerged object based on experimental data.

This context serves as the starting point for a mathematical modeling path in which participants will learn how to describe and interpret real-world situations using mathematical tools.

From a mathematical content perspective, the work will focus on the ellipse in canonical form and on parametric curves. These concepts will first be introduced and explored in a practical way and will later be examined in greater theoretical depth.

An applied deep dive into geolocation will make it possible to discover how the mathematical concepts used in the “Treasure Hunt” game relate closely to the principles that enable modern localization technologies, such as GPS systems.

App Development with MIT App Inventor

At the same time, participants will be guided in the use of MIT App Inventor (https://appinventor.mit.edu/), an educational block-based programming platform that allows users to create applications in an intuitive way.

At the end of the Summer School, the final output will consist of:

• a customized version of the “Treasure Hunt” application;
• a project report documenting the work process, ideas, and solutions developed.

What skills you will work on

Mathematical skills

• Analyzing and building models of extra-mathematical situations.

Transversal skills

• Managing complexity, reflecting critically, and making informed decisions.
• Working in groups and communicating in a constructive and effective way.

Digital competence

• Creating digital content.
• Using digital technologies to support creativity.

Program

Monday (morning)	• Welcome and formation of working groups • Introduction to the problem of geolocating a submerged object and exploration of the scenario through the educational game “Treasure Hunt” • Mathematization of the problem and introduction to the ellipse in Cartesian form
Monday (afternoon)	• In-depth study of geolocation
Tuesday (morning)	• In-depth study of conic sections and parametric curves
Tuesday (afternoon)	• Introduction to MIT App Inventor with tutorials
Wednesday (morning)	• Development of the “Treasure Hunt” app in working groups
Wednesday (afternoon)	• Development of the “Treasure Hunt” app in working groups
Thursday (morning)	• Seminar – Development of the “Treasure Hunt” app in working groups
Thursday (afternoon)	• Writing of the project report
Friday (morning)	• Seminar – Writing of the project report
Friday (afternoon)	• Presentation of the project report