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NYC MATH FESTIVAL 2024

Saturday, July 13
10:00 am to 4:00 pm ET

(in person at Fosun Plaza)

Add a little math to your summer!  MoMath is pleased to present the Eighth
Annual NYC Math Festival, providing a full day of math fun in the sun for all
ages.  Bring your friends and the entire family to Fosun Plaza (28 Liberty St.)
and enjoy hands-on dynamic exhibits, entertaining mathematical games,
large-scale group constructions, and intriguing puzzles.  Plus, take home a
little bit of MoMath: we’ll be setting up an outpost of Additions, the shop at
MoMath, for all your summer gift needs.

This is a free, rain-or-shine event, open to the general public.
No registration is required — just come on by!


STOP BY ON JULY 13 AND CHECK OUT THIS YEAR’S FUN FESTIVITIES!

 

 

Experience hands-on mathematics!

Come explore how mathematics illuminates the patterns that shape the world
around us.

Spend a day at the NYC Math Festival and discover a side of math you’ve never
seen before: explore MoMath’s dynamic exhibits, take part in inspiring
activities, and have an experience you’ll never forget.

 

Just a sample of the fun that awaits…



Step right up to Self Reflections for a kaleidoscopic selfie of symmetrical
patterns.

Love patterns and shapes?  Twist ‘n’ Roll lets you twist shapes apart and change
how they fit together to make dramatic changes in how they roll.

Let your mathematical mind run free with DoDecArt, and discover the many
features of the dodecahedron as you create captivating dodecahedral structures.

 

 

Build up and out — with math!

See the mathematics of architectural design in action as you work together to
build the giant Leonardome, a construction with various patterns based on the
ingenious designs of Leonardo da Vinci and one of MoMath’s most popular birthday
party activities.

 

Get your hands on MM2GO, MoMath’s traveling exhibition

MoMath’s array of dynamic activities from the Math Midway 2 Go (MM2GO) traveling
exhibition will amaze you with the joy and beauty of hands-on mathematics:

Guests of all ages can enjoy a 120-foot-long trip along MoMath’s iconic Number
Line Tightrope.

Create tiling patterns called tessellations and a panorama of patterns using
brightly colored and unusual magnetic shapes with the Miles of Tiles.

Slice shapes with lasers in the Ring of Fire.

Design a roller coaster with Roller Graphicoaster!

Explore giant mazes, plant the daisy, crank up the math tunes, make the moon
magically disappear, and more… Enjoy these and other MM2GO classics.

 

Enter the drawing for a free year of admission and more!

Would you like to win a free Family Membership to MoMath?

You’ll enjoy an array of benefits, including: a year of unlimited general
admission to the National Museum of Mathematics, open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm,
seven days a week, 364 days a year; free registration for select presentations
and programs throughout the year; free access to MoMath’s extensive library of
event recordings, exclusive invitations to occasional members-only events; and a
10% discount at Additions, the shop at MoMath, which you can use right away at
the Additions outpost at the NYC Math Festival!

Simply stop by and submit your name to enter the raffle for a prize drawing.

Drawings will be held once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  You must
be present at the time of the drawing to win.

 

Celebrate Rubik’s Cube’s 50th anniversary and Ernõ Rubik’s 80th birthday!

Courtesy of the Tulipán Foundation, we invite you to a spectacular celebration
of the iconic Rubik’s Cube, a toy with deep connections to mathematics, and its
ingenious Hungarian inventor, Ernõ Rubik.  Explore the new Rubik’s Cubers toy,
enjoy the nostalgic Retro Cube with its classic design, try the eco-friendly
ReCube made from recycled materials, and compete with friends in the fast-paced
Rubik’s Race.  Watch an amazing demo of Speed Cubers at 11:30 am and 2:00 pm as
they dazzle you with their lightning-fast solving skills and incredible
precision!

 

Build a Giant Geometric Sculpture, with David Reimann


MoMath’s 2024–2025 Visiting Professor for Public Outreach, David Reimann, will
lead the construction of several large geometric structures using the 4D-Frame
building system.  Will you build a geodesic dome?  A Sierpinski tetrahedron?  A
Warka Water tower?  Come discover what you can construct!  Roll up your sleeves,
give a warm welcome to this coming year’s Visiting Professor, and jump right in;
building giant geometric sculptures is fun for all ages.

 

 

 

See Math Through Mime, with Tim and Tanya Chartier

Join international performers and mathematical mimes, Tim and Tanya Chartier,
for engaging performances as they create the illusion of a wall, play catch with
an invisible ball, and pull on a nonexistent rope in a series of fun vignettes
illustrating mathematical concepts, such as estimation, tiling, and infinity. 
Professionally trained as a mime by Marcel Marceau, Tim was MoMath’s 2022-2023
Distinguished Visiting Professor for the Public Dissemination of Mathematics and
is a professor of math and computer science at Davidson College, known for his
expertise in sports analytics and bracketology.

 

The Mathematics of Juggling, featuring John Chase


As he tosses clubs and balls in crowd-thrilling arcs, math educator and juggler
extraordinaire John Chase demonstrates how mathematics is the secret to a
juggler’s ability to anticipate the path of a ball or club in space and time.

 

 

 

 

Bubble Jamboree! with Steve Langley

Join Steve Langley — a world class, award-winning, multiple Guinness World
Record–holding “Bubbleologist” — for an exploration of the math and science of
bubbles!  Have you ever seen a cube-shaped bubble?  And what do bubbles have to
do with Newtonian physics?  Plus, you’ll even get a hands-on lesson and practice
in some of the basics of “bubbleology” and how it relates to math.  Bring the
whole family along for a new (and mathematical!) perspective on the delightful
world of bubbles.

 

 

Construct the Hyperbolic Rainbow, with Chaim Goodman-Strauss


Work together with others to assemble puzzle pieces (cut from foam playmats) to
create this frilly mathematical form found throughout nature that demonstrates
the negative curvature of hyperbolic geometry.  What is hyperbolic geometry, you
ask?  MoMath’s Outreach Mathematician, Chaim Goodman-Strauss, will show you!

 

 

Mathematical Puzzles and Games, from the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Play fascinating games, hone your problem-solving skills, and enjoy unique
mathematical activities while surrounded by the exciting festival atmosphere,
all while guided by math and learning experts, Lauren Rose and Frances Stern. 
Frances is from the Courant Institute at NYU, and Lauren is an Associate Math
Professor at Bard College.

 

The Lab for the Developing Mind at NYU

Stop by to hear more about the research conducted by The Lab for the Developing
Mind at New York University, a program directed by Dr. Moira Dillon that
investigates the origins and development of those incredible cognitive abilities
that make us human.  Primary among them is our uniquely human capacity for
mathematics!  You might have met some folks from the Lab when visiting the
Museum — the Lab has been collaborating with MoMath on research and outreach
since 2017.

 

Math and the Finch Robot, featuring Robofun

Come meet the Finch, a small robot that has lights, sounds, sensors, and
wheels.  Adults and children ages four and up will solve mathematical challenges
and learn how to program the Finch to navigate mazes, dance, draw, and more!

 

Play Games of SET, with Liz McMahon and Gary Gordon


Challenge yourself and others to an exciting game of SET, a fun and fast-paced
card game for players of all ages!  Join math professors Liz McMahon and Gary
Gordon, who literally co-wrote the book on the mathematics of SET, to learn more
about the many mathematical dimensions of this seemingly simple game!

 

Build the XL Polydron Geo Dome, a large group construction

Are you a budding architect?  Help build a giant XL Polydron Geo Dome using
squares, pentagons, and triangles.  Explore geometry, construction, and
interactive play with the newest construction pieces coming to MoMath’s
Structure Studio exhibit this fall.  Work together, build up, and climb in!

 

Hands-on Fun with Mathematical Knots, featuring Mircea Draghicescu

Discover the fascinating world of mathematical knots!  Join mathematician and
ITSPHUN creator, Mircea Draghicescu, for an day of knotty exploration as you
learn the difference between regular, everyday knots and mathematical ones;
solve some intriguing knot puzzles; weave paper strips into decorative balls;
and tie your very own kinetic knot bracelets to take home.  It’s math, it’s fun,
it’s creativity, and it’s KNOT to be missed!

 

The Monty Hall Problem, with the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics

The Monty Hall problem is a classic probability puzzle that has stumped people
for decades: you’re on a game show in which two goats and a car are hidden
behind three doors.  When you pick a door to open, the host opens a different
door, revealing a goat.  Should you switch your choice?  Or is your original
choice more likely to win the car?  Come to the SIAM booth to experience this
puzzle first-hand, and learn what to do for your best chances of winning that
car!

 

Russian School of Mathematics


Kindle your passion for math and get to know the Russian School of Mathematics,
an after-school enrichment program with a unique approach and five locations
throughout the NYC area.  Enjoy hands-on math games and fun activities that
challenge you to think logically and critically!

 

Plus, so much more!

 




 

This is a free, rain-or-shine event, open to the general public.  No
registration is required — just come on by!


_____________

Contact MoMath at 212-542-0566 or functions@momath.org with any questions.

225 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010

212-542-0566 • info@momath.org

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THOMAS LI, SKATEBOARDING IN 4 DIMENSIONS

The judges are excited to recognize the video, “Skateboarding in 4 Dimensions,”
by Thomas Li from Clarksville, MD, for its originality in making the connection
between skateboarding and rotations in three dimensions. The video is passionate
and fun, and the judges loved its playfulness. The skewering of the apple and
Thomas’s genuine enthusiasm—conveying his belief that quaternion multiplication
is cool—added to the video’s charm. This engaging and educational video stands
out for its creativity and the enthusiasm it brings to learning and applying
complex mathematical concepts.

Click here to watch Thomas’s video.

CLOSE


ARIA MAKHIJA AND OMA MAKHIJA, PRIMES CARD GAME


The judges are thrilled to recognize “PRIMES Card Game,” by Aria and Oma Makhija
from Florham Park, NJ, for its elegant and original design, presenting a
challenging yet accessible experience for players of all ages. The game involves
using four given numbers and the basic operations of arithmetic (addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division) to make a target prime number at the
center of the card, encouraging players to find multiple solutions when
possible. This engaging game can be played solo or with multiple players,
providing excellent practice in mental arithmetic and fostering an appreciation
for the properties of prime numbers. The card design is particularly
commendable, offering clear instructions and examples that enhance gameplay. The
accompanying video is both fun and informative, brimming with great energy.
PRIMES Card Game stands out not only for its simplicity but also for its ability
to engage and entertain children and adults alike.



Click here to watch their video.

CLOSE


ALEX ROSENZWEIG, “THE FACE FIELD”

While taking a course in multivariable calculus, Alex Rosenzweig became
fascinated by the concepts of gradients and vector fields.  Struck by the use of
the same word — “gradient” — in art, he composed this watercolor painting to
illustrate the mathematical meaning of gradients and vector fields in this
innovative, three-dimensional series of self-portraits.  The image charmed the
judges mathematically and pedagogically, as well as artistically.

Click here to view the painting.

CLOSE


SOHIL RATHI, MASTERING AMC 8 – RECURSION

Sohil Rathi created a comprehensive prep text for students interested in the
American Mathematics Competition. This hybrid book, featuring both text and
videos, serves as a valuable resource for aspiring competitors. In particular,
the judges were intrigued by a collection of problems about recursion formulas,
including a nifty stair-climbing problem related to the Virankha-Fibonacci
numbers. With accompanying video solutions, as well as helpful pointers and
strategies, this collection is sure to benefit students seeking to excel in the
AMC competitions.

Click here to view Sohil’s writing.

×


PARTH PATEL, ORTHOGONAL FRIENDS 

In this captivating expository paper, Parth Patel’s novel concept of on
“Orthogonal Friends” emerges from his initial misunderstanding of a calculus
lesson on orthogonal trajectories. The paper not only demonstrates a clear
understanding of the mathematical concepts but also successfully conveys the
broader point that mistakes can be remarkably fruitful, and that mathematics is
a realm of endless exploration and discovery. This paper was a joy to read!

Click here to view Parth’s paper.

×


ROHAN MEHTA, THE ATTENTION MECHANISM DEMYSTIFIED 

Rohan Mehta’s attempt to explain the mathematical underpinnings of transformers,
such as ChatGPT, demonstrates a deep understanding of advanced mathematical
concepts. Despite the complexity of the topic, Rohan’s explanations are clear
and provide intuitive understanding. The writing style showcases a remarkable
level of grace, confidence, and sophistication, leaving the judges astonished
that this work was produced by a high school student.

Click here to view Rohan’s writing.

×


ANAYA WILLABUS, COOL MATH IS COMPLEX/HAIKU’S BEAUTY IS SIMPLE/MATH MAKES POETRY 

In this remarkable exploration of communicating math concepts through the art of
haiku, Anaya Willabus offers a new way to entice people to learn about complex
mathematical topics. The inclusion of notorious unsolved problems, such as the
Collatz conjecture, adds a captivating twist. The judges were particularly
impressed by the inventiveness of this endeavor, recognizing its potential as a
gateway to bridging the gap between mathematics and poetry and enhancing the
public’s engagement with math.

Click here to view Anaya’s poetry.

×


ZOË NADAL, ZERO’S LAMENT

The judges were delighted by Zoë Nadal’s exceptional performance in the entry
“Zero’s Lament.” With witty lyrics, captivating singing, and impressive piano
playing, she conveyed the mathematical quirks of zero in a memorably original
fashion. Zoë’s musical talent and humor, combined with the video’s educational
content, add up to a uniquely entertaining experience.

Click here to watch Zoë’s performance.

×


JAEMIN KIM, BENFORD’S LAW

Immersing viewers in a whimsical cartoon fairy tale, Jaemin Kim tells a tale of
a kingdom in financial distress as a narrative device to introduce the
statistical regularity known as Benford’s law. This creative video serves as an
engaging platform to demonstrate how Benford’s law can be employed as a powerful
tool for fraud detection. The judges were struck by the clarity of the
explanation, which effectively conveyed the meaning and intuitive understanding
behind Benford’s law, and they admired the playful videography and storytelling
that brought the concept to life.

Click here to view Jaemin’s video.

×


GRIFFIN HON, PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS 

Griffin Hon’s video effectively conveys the key ideas of Principal Component
Analysis (PCA), a fundamental tool in linear algebra and data analysis. With a
spirit of invention and playfulness, Griffin reveals the hidden geometry
underlying PCA. The judges were impressed by the engaging approach taken in the
video and commend Griffin’s ability to communicate complex mathematical concepts
in an entertaining, down-to-earth fashion.

Click here to see Griffin’s video.

×


AKILAN SANKARAN, EXPLORING AND EXPLAINING THE ELEGANCE OF MATHEMATICS THROUGH
TWITTER

The judges were enthralled by Akilan Sankaran’s exceptional teaching and warm
demeanor in the writing entry entitled “Math on Twitter.” With clarity and
expertise, he presents the “éclair puzzle,” related to Fibonacci-Virankha
numbers, and uses this puzzle to illustrate problem-solving strategies more
generally. His post on Eulerian circuits offers clear graphs, historical
insights, and optional proofs.  Akilan’s skill at blending theory, history, and
education truly create an engaging and unique Twitter experience.  The judges
commend Akilan for his stellar ability to teach complex mathematical ideas with
clarity and enthusiasm, making the journey through mathematical concepts both
enjoyable and satisfying, all while fostering a dedication to an inclusive and
welcoming learning space.

Click here to view Akilan’s Twitter stream.

 

×


ISABELLE SCHWARTZ, COVID AMERICAN ANGELS

The judges were deeply moved by the emotional impact and thoughtfulness in
“COVID American Angels.” This poignant piece delves into the overwhelming
reality of the unfathomable 200,000 deaths caused by COVID, employing a powerful
symbol—the American flag—to represent each life lost. Through this visual
representation, Isabelle Schwartz explores the profound challenge of visualizing
such vast numbers and implores us to connect with each human life beyond mere
statistics. “COVID American Angels” stirs our emotions and provokes reflection.
The judges applaud her for tackling such a challenging subject matter with grace
and sensitivity, creating a stunning piece of art that leaves a lasting
impression.

Click here to view Isabelle’s art.

×


 


KAREEM JABER, THE UNSOLVABLE CONFIGURATION OF THE 15 PUZZLE AND AN INTERESTING
APPROACH TO ABSTRACT ALGEBRA

In Kareem Jaber’s essay on the 15 puzzle, the exposition builds from the
concrete to the general, and gently walks the reader through this classic puzzle
as well as through problem-solving techniques more broadly. By the end, it
becomes clear that this puzzle is actually a case study in group theory about
permutations. The judges felt that Kareem’s entry was particularly suitable for
students with a serious interest in mathematics. 

Click here to read the essay.

×
Adam Dhalla, Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence: Selected Writings


ADAM DHALLA, MATHEMATICS AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: SELECTED WRITINGS

In this impressive collection of videotaped lectures about the math of neural
networks, deep learning, and artificial intelligence, Adam Dhalla keeps it old
school, standing in front of a whiteboard and using colored markers, but he
modernizes the classic style by providing useful timestamps in the video
description. The judges also admired his stage presence, his clear voice, and
the production quality of the videos. 

Click here to visit Adam’s site

×


GRIFFIN HON, RANDOM WALKS

The judges were bowled over by the energy and sense of humor in Griffin Hon’s
entry, “Random Walks”! This video will appeal to kids of all ages, and it does a
great job of conveying the excitement, importance, and universality of random
walks. The subject of random walks pops up in many parts of mathematics and has
applications in fields ranging from finance to physics, all of which were
engagingly presented in Griffin’s video.

Click here to watch the video.

×


RIN FUKUOKA, ORIGAMETRY

In “Origametry,” Rin Fukuoka uses origami to construct regular polygons and also
to trisect an angle.  The judges found the video very fresh, playful, and
minimal (no words are spoken, and only a few are written). The level of the
teaching is especially skillful (for example, note the appropriate pauses in the
trisection argument after the rhetorical question “but why?”). At that point and
elsewhere, Rin demonstrates great sensitivity to the audience. 

Click here to watch the video 

×


ANGELA WU, THE SPECIAL PARALLELOGRAMS

Angela Wu earned honorable mention for her suspenseful movie trailer about
special parallelograms: rectangles, rhombuses, and squares. It’s a funny and
well-edited video that will have wide appeal.

Click here to watch the video 

×


RAUNAK BANERJEE, PCA MADE EASY

Using shadows of an airplane as an example, Raunak Banerjee’s illustrated essay
offers a welcome introduction to principal component analysis, a dimension
reduction technique in data science, and then deciphers the jargon that often
clouds the understanding of this statistical technique.  

Click here to read his essay.

×


THAIS ESTRADA-NUÑEZ, UNIVERSAL MATH

In this elegantly brief poem, Thais Estrada-Nuñez starts from “One seed plus one
seed is two seeds,” and soon we’re taking flight (and the layout of the poem
itself looks like it’s taking flight on the page). The overall effect is
stylish, with hints of subtlety and depth.

Click here to read the poem.

×


ARUSHEE JHA, ROUND KÖNIGSBERG

Arushee Jha’s website, “Round Königsberg,” is dedicated to combinatorics and is
enlivened by Arushee’s colorful original drawings.  Viewers will be drawn in by
the website’s exposition of such engaging topics as the seven bridges of
Königsberg (a seminal problem in the development of graph theory) and the
history and reasoning behind magic squares.

Click here to visit the website.

×


WYETH RENWICK, A PROOF OF THE FUNCTION ME

Wyeth Renwick’s poem is intriguingly ambiguous and open to interpretation: some
of the judges read it as a love poem that winks at the reader with its use of
mathematical concepts and language, while others saw it as a poetic animation of
a human relationship, viewed as the graph of a function.  Either way, it makes
math and poetry both seem more accessible to students who might otherwise not be
drawn to these subjects. 

Click here to read the poem.

×
Madeline Chun, Mathematics and the Marimba

In her project, Madeline uses the musical instrument known as the marimba to
demonstrate something profound about music: musical harmony is intimately
connected to the ratios of small whole numbers, a discovery that Pythagoras and
his followers are said to have made 2500 years ago. The judges were impressed
with the clarity and elegance of Madeline’s explanations and demonstrations.

Click here to watch Madeline’s video.

×
Jibran Iqbal Shah, @creative_math_

Jibran has an Instagram site, @creative_math, where he introduces high school
students to topics normally reserved for undergraduate math majors. The judges
admired the attractiveness of his posts and how skillfully he explains advanced
mathematical ideas, always with a friendly voice.

Click here to read Jibran’s posts.

×
Alyssa Choi, Tic-Tac-Toe

Alyssa wrote a paper that explains the optimal strategy for tic-tac-toe and also
explores variants of the game on a 4×4 grid and in a 3x3x3 cubical lattice in
three dimensions. The judges appreciated the clarity and originality of Alyssa’s
investigations.

Click here to read Alyssa’s paper.

×
Cole Leis, On the Importance of Humanizing Math Communication

Cole’s project was an essay about “a disconnect between the way math is
typically portrayed and the way that it is actually done.” Math textbooks and
papers usually try to look flawless, but anyone who does math knows how messy
and confused it can be when you’re actually doing it. Cole interviewed several
mathematicians about this disconnect and produced a cogent argument that math
communication would be more effective if we humanized it by showing our mistakes
as well as our insights.

Click here to read Cole’s essay

×
Ian Liu, The Golden Phi-ano Song

For his project, Ian constructed a song out of the digits of the irrational
number known as the golden ratio (also known as the divine proportion because of
its beauty). All the judges found the project intriguing as an exploration and
thought the song itself was surprisingly pretty.

Click here to listen to Ian’s song.

×
Madeleine Farr, A 3D Valerie Thomas, But Not How You'd Think

Madeleine created a portrait of the mathematician Valerie Thomas. The judges
were impressed with this project’s inventiveness: it uses nothing but the
characters “3D”—artfully placed—to create a powerfully evocative portrait of a
mathematician known for her work on 3D satellite imaging.

×
Helena Soares, This Fundamental Theorem - A Found Poem

Helena wrote a “found poem” – a poem where every word (except for “you” and
“us”) is from another source, in this case the MathWorld article by Eric
Weisstein on “Fundamental Theorems of Calculus.” Helena rearranged the words to
create something totally unexpected, an understated little poem that took the
judges’ breath away.

Click here to read Helena’s poem.

×
Shreya Mogulothu and Amy Wang, Combinatorial Proofs... and Basketball

Shreya and Amy teamed up to bring a combinatorial identity to life. Using
basketball as a mathematical playground, they showed two approaches to
calculating how many ways a player could make or miss n shots, and thereby
neatly led the viewer through a proof that the sum of the binomial coefficients
“n choose k” from k = 0 to n equals 2^n. The video is goofy and fun: Amy writes
(and playfully trash-talks) while Shreya shoots and, before you know it, they’ve
derived the identity for the sum of the binomial coefficients. The judges
enjoyed the simple but clever videography, the banter between the girls, and
their neat explanations of the math.  

Click here to watch the video

×
Julia Schanen, Math Person

Julia Schanan’s entry for the Strogatz Prize was a free-verse poem titled “Math
Person.” The judges were moved by the poem’s artistry and emotional power, its
depth and raw honesty, its brilliant use of language, and its eye for the
unexpected but telling detail. “Math Person” conveys – in ways both beautiful
and haunting – the isolation Julia felt as one of the only girls in the American
Math Competition 10th grade and, more profoundly, the intellectual isolation she
still feels every day as someone who loves math deeply yet lacks a friend with
whom to share it.

Mom offers to stop by Panera as a treat for all the painful math that I’ve just
endured.

Except it wasn’t painful.

I’m someone who sat through the slow-drip of middle school math, bored and
daydreaming,

not seeing what it was all for, wishing – but never working up the guts to push
– for more.

Not until now.

Now, I don’t want Panera.

I don’t want to be patted on the shoulder and misunderstood.

I want to go back into that auditorium and finish the exam and talk about it all
night.

The judges felt that their own words were inadequate to summarize Julia’s
achievement in writing “Math Person.” Let us simply say, read her poem and
experience it for yourself.

Click here to read Julia’s poems.

×
Apoorva Panidapu, Gems in STEM

Apoorva Panidapu is a 16-year-old mathematics student, artist, and advocate for
youth and gender minorities in STEAM. She writes a blog called “Gems in STEM”
and frequently posts the essays on Cantor’s Paradise, the #1 math site on
Medium.com.  She sees her blog as “a place to learn about math topics in an
accessible, light-hearted manner. I assume no more than basic math knowledge and
include fun tidbits for learners of all experience levels. For both my own fun
and for readers, I weave in pop culture, pick-up lines, and over-the-top stories
to let people into the fantastical world of math, and to show them that anyone
can enjoy anything.”

The judges were very impressed with Apoorva’s joyful, elegantly written blog
posts on a wide range of math topics, from the liar’s paradox and partitions to
tessellations and fractals. Combining clear explanations with an appealing
layout and well-chosen graphics, Gems in STEM is itself a gem. The judging panel
loved the wide range of Apoorva’s blog posts. They touch on history, etymology,
and puzzles, and make connections to everything from art and architecture to
science and nature. Apoorva’s uplifting message is that math is everywhere and
approachable by anyone from any background.

Click here  to read  Apoorva’s posts. 

 

×
Shirley Zhu, Combinatorics: Sticks and Stones

Shirley’s animated video is filled with jokes and pop-culture references,
intended to appeal to younger audiences (though the audience of older judges
enjoyed it very much too). Her goal, she says in her essay, is to demystify
“mathematics with humor, fun animations, and real-world scenarios.” In her
video, Shirley illustrates a technique in combinatorics known as Sticks and
Stones (or Stars and Bars) by telling a story about Grandpa Bob’s dilemma:  He
wants to know how many different ways there are for him to distribute 10
one-dollar bills among his three granddaughters. With excellent pedagogy
(including falling into a tempting mathematical trap and then showing how to get
out of it), the video shows the viewer how to count all ways Grandpa Bob can
solve his problem. The video is fun and fast-paced, but spends just the right
amount of time on the harder ideas and leavens them with colorful graphics and
word choice. 

Click here to watch Shirley’s video

×
Catherine Stanton, Understanding Set Theory

Catherine’s video was inspired by her struggle to understand why the empty set
is a subset of every set. As she wrote in her essay for this contest, “I’ve
never been one to accept or memorize a mathematical concept unless it makes
complete sense to me, so I decided to go beyond sheer numbers and create an
analogy. I realized that the sets on my page could be related to my classes at
school. As the elements of a mathematical set are numbers, the elements of a
class are students. When some are absent, only a “subset” of the class exists.
And when all are absent, a subset of the class still exists since the class
period still technically occurs. This analogy wasn’t something I wanted to keep
to myself, and so it became the basis of my entry to the Strogatz Prize
competition!”

The judges appreciated Catherine’s lucid explanations and accompanying graphics.
Set theory is often regarded as one of the most abstract parts of math, but in
Catherine’s hands, it becomes tangible and vivid. Her classroom analogy should
appeal to any student. Beyond that, Catherine gives the viewer a glimpse of the
universality of set theory and a taste of its applications in computer science.

Click here to watch Catherine’s video 

 

×
Smayan Khanna, 4 Colour Map Theorem

In this video about a famous theorem in graph theory and topology, Smayan
beautifully explains why every planar map can be colored with just four colors,
in such a way that neighboring countries always have different colors. The video
is gentle and clear, and enlivened by plentiful graphics, neatly synchronized to
Smayan’s narration. He gives the viewer helpful intuition about how inequalities
(for vertices, edges, and faces of planar graphs) can be used to cut a seemingly
infinite problem down to a finite number of cases, which can then be checked by
computer. The judges felt that this was a very crisp presentation of a deep
result in advanced mathematics, explained in a way that anyone can grasp and
enjoy. 

Click here to watch Smayan’s video

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Math, Music, and the Moral Imagination

Jazz saxophonist and mathematician Marcus G. Miller will share a reflection on
how math and music can make us whole.

Marcus G. Miller is a musician and mathematician living in New York City.

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Logic Puzzle

John Urschel, current MIT math PhD candidate and former NFL pro, shares his
favorite logic puzzle.

John Urschel played professional football for the Baltimore Ravens from 2014 to
2017 before retiring to focus on his career in mathematics.  He is currently a
PhD candidate at MIT, where he studies spectral graph theory, numerical linear
algebra, and machine learning.



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Brainteaser Kahoot

Get ready to take part in a whacky and zany brainteaser Kahoot with Steve
Sherman.  This is a quiz that will tickle your brain-strings and challenge your
thinking skills.  Some of the brainteasers will be easy while others will make
you think.  Do you have what it takes to be our brainteaser champion?

Materials needed:

 * Smart phone, tablet, or personal computer with internet access

Steve Sherman is the Chief Imagination Officer and Executive Daydreamer of
Living Maths.

 

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The Doomsday Rule

When visiting MoMath, the late, great John Horton Conway impressed people by
instantly telling them the day of the week that any given date fell on or will
fall on.  And you can do it too!  What date of the week will your birthday fall
on next year?  Or your anniversary?  Or favorite holiday?  When’s the next
Friday the 13th?  What day of the week were you born on?  Tune in for a
presentation by MoMath Puzzle Master Peter Winkler on the marvelous “Doomsday
rule.”  It’s easy and fun, and with a little practice you’ll be able to
duplicate Conway’s feat.  It’s a great trick, and it’s cleverly designed so that
you can remember it and wheel it out whenever it’s needed.

Materials needed:

 * Paper
 * Pencil

Peter Winkler is the current MoMath Distinguished Chair for the Public
Dissemination of Mathematics and Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science
at Dartmouth College.

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Moving in Circles

Join Karl Schaffer as we play with several surprising ways of moving our limbs
in circles.  Apply these actions to create movement sequences with the ultimate
mathematical prop — an ordinary sheet of paper.  Then, learn how it connects to
the curious algebra of quaternions!

Materials needed:

 * Several sheets of 8.5″ by 11″ printer paper
 * 5′ by 5′ area in which to move (non-carpeted area preferred)

Karl Schaffer is a dancer, choreographer, mathematician, and math professor at
De Anza College.

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Conway's Rational Tangles

What can the fluidity of topology and knots have to do with the rigidity of
operations on fractions?  Join Alex Kontorovich to learn the fascinating
connection discovered by the late mathematician John Conway.

Materials needed:

 * 2 strings of different colors (wires or shoelaces are also okay)
 * Surface to lay the strings on (e.g. floor or table is fine)
 * Optional materials: paper and pencil

Alex Kontorovich is MoMath Dean of Academic Content and math professor at
Rutgers.

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Folding Fun!

Origami expert Wendy Zeichner will teach one or two origami action models that
will be folded from regular printer paper.  There’s math in every fold!

Materials needed:

 * Several sheets of 8.5″ x 11″ printer paper
 * Pen or pencil
 * Scissors

Wendy Zeichner is an origami expert and president of OrigamiUSA.

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Math in Motion: Build Your Own Paper Spinner

Turn two pieces of heavy paper and some tape into a spinning top, and explore
the geometry behind it!  Join Yana Mohanty, Ph.D., a mathematician and inventor
of Geometiles®, as she guides you through this fun STEM activity.  You will be
provided with a printable template and shown how to transform it into your
spinner.  Once you master the simple construction, you may decorate your spinner
with your own design.

Materials needed (metric equivalents in brackets):

 * 2 sheets of 8.5” x 11” (size A4) card stock paper, ideally in 2 different
   colors; manila folders cut to 8.5” x 11” will also work
 * Scissors
 * Tape
 * Optional: This project can also be built from Geometiles® Mini Set 2,
   available from Additions, the online shop at MoMath.

Yana Mohanty is a math educator, mathematician, and the creator of Geometiles®.

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One Step Back, One Step Forward

If repeated flips of a coin determined which step you took, would you get
anywhere?  Step right in (bring your own coin) and find out!

Materials needed:

 * 1 coin
 * Paper
 * Pencil

Ralph Pantozzi is the winner of the 2014 Rosenthal Prize and a Presidential
Awardee in math teaching.

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Numbers Meet Shapes in 3D Geometry

Let’s discover the magic of Euler’s Polyhedral Formula while creating structures
out of toothpicks and marshmallows.

Materials needed:

 * 1 box of traditional rounded toothpicks with points at both ends
 * 1 bag of mini marshmallows
 * Paper
 * Pencil

Bruce Bayly is a math professor at the University of Arizona and bus driver for
the Arizona Mathematics Road Show.

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Engineering with Paper

Join us online for a math-and-paper engineering adventure!  Godwyn Morris,
Director of Dazzling Discoveries STEM Education Center, will demonstrate some
Engineering with Paper challenges.  Together we will explore proportion, ratio,
and scale as Godwyn shows you how to create structures, furniture, and
characters from simple supplies.

Materials needed: 

 * Printer paper
 * Tape
 * Scissors

Godwyn Morris is the Director of Dazzling Discoveries STEM Education Center.

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Mathemagics!

Dr. Arthur Benjamin will amaze you with some mathematical magic, and then teach
you how to do it.  Bring a calculator!

Materials needed:

 * Calculator

Art Benjamin is an award-winning popular entertainer, mathemagician, and math
professor at Harvey Mudd College.

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How to Fold Things into Thirds, Thirty-Thirds, and
Three-Hundred-and-Thirty-Three-"irds"

Bring along something bendy — a tie, a shoelace, a piece of string — and let’s
have fun exploring some of the curious mathematics of folding.

Materials needed:

 * Something bendy, such as a tie, shoelace, or piece of string

James Tanton is a global educator, math popularizer, and mathematician.

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Can Math Help You Juggle?

Educator and entertainer John Chase will show you the powerful connections
between mathematics and juggling.  Math modeling has given jugglers all kinds of
new patterns to juggle, and we invite you to come see what mathematics can do. 
Bring three juggling objects so you can join the fun!

Materials needed:

 * 3 juggling objects

John Chase is a mathematical juggler and math educator.

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A Four-Card Mathematical Magic Trick

Manjul Bhargava will demonstrate an interactive magic trick that exhibits how
one can create surprising complexity from extreme simplicity.  Viewers are
encouraged to participate from home!

Materials needed:

 * 4 playing cards

Manjul Bhargava is the MoMath Inaugural Distinguished Visiting Professor for the
Public Dissemination of Mathematics, math professor at Princeton University, and
Fields Medalist.

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Activities from the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival

Come and enjoy some non-competitive explorations in mathematics.

Mark Saul is the Senior Scientist at the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival.

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Let the Math Fun Begin!

Cindy Lawrence, MoMath Executive Director, and Tim Nissen, MoMath Associate
Director, welcome all to the fifth annual NYC Math Festival, featuring hours of
mathematical fun and entertainment.  Join presenters from all over the world to
share an afternoon of lively, engaging activities.

James Tanton, Chair of MoMath’s Advisory Council, kicks the Festival off by
sharing the highly intriguing “International Math Salute.”  Can you figure out
how it works?

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NYC Math Festival Pre-Show

The Festival site opens at 1:30 pm EDT (New York).  Enter at any time between
1:30 pm and 2:00 pm to view some favorite MoMath pix from years gone by. 
Activities begin promptly at 2:00 pm EDT (New York).

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See our selection of Geometiles® and browse for books by Festival presenters
Peter Winkler and Art Benjamin.

A MoMath retail specialist will be on hand to answer questions and offer expert
shopping advice for all your mathematical gift needs.

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Stop by to view a selection of Rubik’s Cubes, browse for Christopher Danielson’s
delightful books, Which One Doesn’t Belong? and How Many?, and learn more about
the film The Man Who Knew Infinity, for which Manjul Bhargava served as
technical advisor to ensure the accuracy of the math featured in the film.

A MoMath retail specialist will be on hand to answer questions and offer expert
shopping advice for all your mathematical gift needs.

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Check out MoMath’s selection of colorful origami paper, Karl Schaffer’s
book Math Dance, and other great items from Additions, the online shop at
MoMath.

A MoMath retail specialist will be on hand to answer questions and offer expert
shopping advice for all your mathematical gift needs.

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Math Meets Art: Rubik's Cube Mosaics

Watch as Lauren Rose builds a Rubik’s Cube mosaic, and try to figure out what
the picture will be.  Math meets art in this creative application of the popular
Rubik’s Cube.

Lauren Rose is a mathematician and math professor at Bard College.

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Rubik's Cube With Feet

Daniel Rose-Levine will demonstrate how he solves the Rubik’s Cube with his feet
in under 20 seconds.

Daniel Rose-Levine is the former Rubik’s-Cube-with-feet world record holder.

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Mime-matics

How can the invisible world of mime explore mathematical ideas?  Join Tim
Chartier as he uses mime to investigate weight, magnitude of force, and
projective motion with the art of mime.  You’ll also learn how to make an
infinite chocolate bar.  (The candy bar is a real prop but eating is pantomimed
so enjoyment is calorie-free.)

Tim Chartier is a mathematical mime performer and math professor at Davidson
College.  He has performed throughout the world and has been trained in several
mime schools, including master classes with the legendary Marcel Marceau.

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Finding and Creating Symmetry

Symmetry is all around us.  We see symmetry in our bodies, car wheels, fences,
fabric patterns, the MoMath logo, and many other objects!  We will learn about
different types of symmetry and have fun creating symmetric art using common
objects.

David Reimann is an Albion College math and computer science professor and
artist who uses symmetry in his work.

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Fun with Mathematical Definitions

Is an elevator a vehicle?  Is a hot dog a sandwich?  Is a heart a shape?  Is an
emoji a word?  The answers to these questions depend on your definitions of
vehicle, sandwich, shape, and word.  Precise definitions are essential tools of
mathematics, but few definitions start out as precise as they’ll need to be
later on.  Come play with the boundary between precision and ambiguity in this
fast-paced participatory session.

Christopher Danielson is an award-winning author and math educator.

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Math Raps and the Math Behind Them

Join Mr. A. as he shares one of his many Math Raps, discusses how he got started
rapping about math, and takes you through some of the mathematical ideas and
references in the rap.

Mike Andrejkovics is a high school math teacher from Long Island, NY who creates
and performs raps about mathematics based on popular hip-hop tracks.

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Christopher Danielson is an award-winning author and math educator.

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Cindy Lawrence is the Executive Director and CEO of the National Museum of
Mathematics.

Tim Nissen is the Associate Director of the National Museum of Mathematics.

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Steve Sherman is the Chief Imagination Officer and Executive Daydreamer, Living
Maths.

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Peter Winkler is the MoMath Current Distinguished Visiting Professor for the
Public Dissemination of Mathematics.

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Karl Schaffer is a dancer, choreographer, mathematician, and math professor at
De Anza College.

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Alex Kontorovich is MoMath Dean of Academic Content and math professor at
Rutgers.

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Art Benjamin is an award-winning popular entertainer, mathemagician, and math
professor at Harvey Mudd College.

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Bruce Bayly is a singer, violinist, and math professor at the University of
Arizona.

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Daniel Rose-Levine is the former Rubik’s-cube-with-feet world record holder.

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David Reimann is an Albion College math and computer science professor and
artist who uses symmetry in his work.

×

Godwyn Morris is the Director of Dazzling Discoveries STEM Education Center.

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James Tanton is a global educator, math popularizer, and research mathematician.

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John Chase is a mathematical juggler and math educator.

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Lauren Rose is a dancer, choreographer, mathematician, and math professor at De
Anza College.

×

Manjul Bhargava is the MoMath Inaugural Distinguished Visiting Professor for the
Public Dissemination of Mathematics, math professor at Princeton University, and
Fields Medalist.

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Mark Saul is the Executive Director of the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival.

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Mike Andrejkovics is a high school math teacher from Long Island, NY who creates
and performs raps about mathematics based on popular hip-hop tracks.

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Origami expert Wendy Zeichner is the Executive Director of Origami USA.

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Ralph Pantozzi is the winner of the 2014 Rosenthal Prize and a math educator.

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Yana Mohanty is a math educator, mathematician, and the creator of Geometiles®.

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Carolyn Figuereo is the retail manager of the National Museum of Mathematics.
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Tim Chartier is a mathematical mime performer, math professor at Davidson
College.

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International Math Salute

Details TK

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Rohan Jha

LIVINGSTON, NJ

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“The purpose of Math Musings, the magazine I started in high school,” wrote
Rohan Jha,  “was to show that math is everywhere, yet many times we are not
aware of it.  It is behind some of the music we play, or how nature uses it for
its own optimal benefit, or it could be behind a fancy card trick, or math could
help us reduce the ubiquitously observed annoyance of traffic jams during peak
hours.”  The magazine tries to humanize and enliven math in various ways: by
telling anecdotes about famous mathematicians; by challenging fellow students
with fun puzzles; or by leading them some deeper ideas, such as a lily pad
puzzle that leads to the notion of backward recursion in finance.  With clear
illustrations and step-by-step instructions for magic tricks and other
activities, Rohan attempts to make math fun for everyone… and succeeds
admirably.

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Kyna Airriess

CORONADO, CA

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The project submitted by Kyna Airriess is a “zine” based on a quote from A
Mathematician’s Lament, a polemical essay by high school teacher Paul Lockhart.
 “There is nothing as dreamy and poetic, as radical, subversive, and
psychedelic, as mathematics,” wrote Lockhart.  Reading Lockhart’s essay, says
Kyna,  “contributed to my own conversion from ardent math-hater to aspiring
mathematician; I’d never heard someone describe math, the subject of unfeeling
calculations, with words like ‘poetic’ and ‘radical.’  It was a long time before
I began to see these traits for myself, but today I self-identify as a math
nerd, and I want to study math in college.”

In the zine, each of Lockhart’s memorable adjectives—dreamy, poetic, subversive,
and psychedelic—is illustrated and connected to math ideas, using symbols,
history, color, and imagery.  The judges were impressed by the passionate energy
conveyed by the zine’s words and design.  The overall effect achieves what Kyna
intended:  to embody “what those of us who love math want the world to
understand. It isn’t about cold calculations at all— it’s a field full of
creativity and beauty, and it is just as infused with humanity as any other.”

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Sarah Thau

 NEW YORK, NY

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“Limericks and poetry are not a typical way to convey information about math,”
admits Sarah Thau, “but I think it makes it more palatable than learning
functions by rote.  Who doesn’t love a limerick?”  So Sarah created a series of
short rhyming poems to list some basic properties of linear, quadratic,
trigonometric, polynomial, rational, and other types of functions encountered in
algebra and precalculus, and illustrated the pages with examples.

The judges were tickled by the playfulness of this entry.  Limericks are a
lighthearted form of poetry in which creativity comes from working within
constraints and overcoming them delightfully—and much the same can be said of
math!  Indeed, as Sarah wrote, “I love math and am always trying to solve
problems but this was a new type of problem to tackle.  One that didn’t need any
algebra or modeling.  Each poem became a problem to solve as I tried to figure
out words to make each function type’s properties rhyme neatly.”  The poems
illuminate the distinctive properties of the various kinds of functions, and
draw readers in through a unique, creative, and memorable way of communicating
mathematical ideas.

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Jonah Yoshida

HONOLULU, HI

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Jonah Yoshida’s project is a pencil-and-paper infographic on graph theory.  He
says “I conceived of the idea when reading about how Arthur Cayley used trees to
represent structures of hydrocarbons with n carbon atoms and 2n+2 hydrogen
atoms.  The entire structure imitates one of these hydrocarbons, ethane (n=2),
and a unique application of graph theory is included inside each atom.  I
divided the page into two sections so that the hydrogens bonded to the left
carbon contain puzzles and fun applications of graph theory, while the ones
bonded to the right hydrogen focus more on direct applications, much like our
brains’ left and right hemispheres.”  For example, the Four Color Theorem (a fun
application of graph theory to coloring maps and an longstanding research
question) appears on the left, while the right side includes applications of
graphs to computer science (neural networks and spanning trees) and electrical
engineering (circuit diagrams).

The judges appreciated the ingenious design concept of this graphic, which
underscores the  universality and interdisciplinary spirit of graph theory.  The
words and imagery combine history, math, chemistry, and psychology, and the
questions in the small text boxes invite the reader to do some research of their
own.

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Yvonne Hong

TORONTO, ON

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“My math communication project, Infinity Universe,” wrote Yvonne Hong,  “is an
illustrative yet mathematical depiction of the world in which we live.  Every
inanimate object illustrated represents a simple, yet ubiquitous concept in
math: upon closer inspection, the monochromatic tree is a fractal Pythagoras
tree, the galaxy in the background is constructed using the Fibonacci sequence,
and the planet and comet are both different variations of the Apollonian gasket.
 Infinity Universe promotes the universality of math communication through an
abstraction of objects and phenomena that people all around our world are
familiar with.”

Carefully executed with great attention to detail, the painting submitted by
Yvonne drew the judges in with its vibrant colors and hypnotic patterns.
 Moreover, the theme of infinity pervades the painting, just as it does in all
of mathematics.  But here, the suggestion of the infinite is magical and
otherworldly rather than scientific and literal, and so may appeal to audiences
not normally attracted to math.

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Zoe Markman

NEW YORK, NY

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Zoe Markman created a visual proof of the “sum of squares formula” by cleverly
using three wooden 3-D pyramids that fit together.  Each pyramid consisted of a
total of 12 + 22 + … + n2 identical wooden cubes; thus, its volume visually
represented the sum of the squares of all the whole numbers from 1 to n.  To
find a formula for this sum of squares, Zoe manipulated and rearranged the three
pyramids to form a rectangular prism, whose volume could then be easily
calculated to obtain the desired formula for the sum of squares.

The judges agreed with Zoe that this sort of visual, hands-on manipulative
“provides a deeper understanding of math than that provided by a written
project.  Since you can observe, hold, and manipulate the pyramids (even more so
in person), the audience is able to understand why the formula works rather than
just taking it at face value and accepting that it was true arbitrarily.
 Second, the presentation could be understood even by people without a
significant knowledge of math.  It put what looks like an intimidating problem
in terms that are easily digestible.”  Zoe even tested the presentation on
friends who said they didn’t like math.  That’s a good practice in any form of
communication.  Overall, this project is modest but extremely well done and
produces a very pleasurable “Aha!” moment for many viewers; indeed, it led one
of the judges to understand the “sum of squares formula” in a whole new way!

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Katarina Cheng

SANTA MONICA, CA

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To express the universality of math, Katarina Cheng translated it into another
universal language: dance. “Just as dance exists as a part of many cultures
around the globe to express abstract ideas and emotions through movement,
mathematics defies cultural lines to express abstract ideas through structures
and forms on the page,” she wrote in her project description. Her video “Dancing
the Dihedral Group” sought, through dance, “to represent the visual symmetries,
primarily those of a square,” and, through words, “how they translated into
algebra, primarily the group D8 .”

The judges commend Katarina for the elegance of her communication in the video.
Especially notable was the esthetic of minimalism — in how the video is shot,
and the choice of clothing, background, and colors — all of which mesh perfectly
with the minimal esthetic of group theory. The integration of the math graphics
with the dance moves was also carried out gracefully. Although others in the
past have recognized the similarities between math and dance, few have conveyed
that analogy with such finesse in the execution. The dancing and music were
artfully minimal too. The overall effect is to reinforce the central idea of
beauty in simplicity.

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Hamza E. Alsamraee

CENTREVILLE, VA

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Hamza Alsamraee loves Instagram – and he also loves math. But when he noticed
that very few math pages existed on Instagram, he sought to change that by
starting @daily_math, a page dedicated to intriguing problems and ideas about
algebra, geometry, calculus, number theory, and other parts of math. “With
high-quality educational posts,” he says, “I hoped to build an Instagram
community centered around a shared passion for math.”

The judges were impressed with the creativity of Hamza’s entry, expressed
through its skillful use of visuals, history, and puzzles, all presented in
attractive ways. His explanations of mathematical concepts are clear and
insightful, and he is very interactive with his followers, even inviting them to
post. The judges also commend him on his growth as a creator and communicator.
His Instagram page has evolved from a focus on tricky integrals in the early
days to doing more accessible problems now, and the visual presentation has
evolved in tandem. With his engaging design choices, which foster clear
communication, he is making increasingly good use of the strengths of the
Instagram medium.

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Hamza E. Alsamraee

CENTREVILLE, VA

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Click here for the Daily Math Instagram account.

Click here for the Daily Math Tik Tok account.

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