I don't think that many people who take mathematical modeling at Mass Academy could actually describe what it is. Or actually do it. Just Kidding! It's taught by Mr. Barys. We do a lot of work on computers, (Macs, of course!) using programs like Mathematica and Sketchpad. It's a challenge, but when you figure something out it gives you a real sense of satisfaction.
From time to time we are given POWs, or problems of the week. OBVIOUSLY we have a week to complete these problems in Mathematica. Here is an example of a POW.
In November, everyone participated in a 36 hour math problem. We were divided into groups of four and were given 36 hours to complete a problem. It ended up being more of a slumber party than a math party, and we completed the problem with about 30 seconds to spare.
Looking back on math, I learned a lot this year. Most importantly, I learned to think critically and solve problems more efficiently. Here is a Problem Done Quickly. Here is an example of a POW I did. Here is one of our homework assignments. As you can see, a large majority of our work is done in Mathematica.