Math this year is very different as we do not learn the normal concepts but learn more about modeling and how to apply the concepts to solve real world challenges through application of concepts. We cover topics at a fast pace and the focus is on combining our knowledge and understanding of math topics to solve questions. For example, this year we have already covered statistics, mods, patterns, and much more in a very short period of time. The class challenges your way of thinking by introducing concepts in ways you might not normally see them in other classes.
One competition we took part in was the Modeling the Future Challenge (MTFC). This challenge uses math to solve a real-world problem. For stage one, we had to solve problems that were given to us, such as comparing the profits of three different ski resorts in different weathers. We then had to come up with risk mitigation strategies that took into account the different people who are affected by the losses. It was a team-based project so we all worked through it together at every phase and had to agree to our proposed recommendation.
Another problem we had to solve was to find out when someone was born given the month and year. This was one of the smaller problems, but it was a puzzling one as you must take into account leap years. As I worked through the problem and figured out the way, I also decided to create a program to go with the assignment. I coded the program so that the user provided the input values and the program ‘s output was when they were born.