Mr. Regele
During A and B term, I took mathematical modeling, taught by Mr. Regele. The course took a very different approach to teaching mathematics compared to my previous math classes, aiming to expand mathematical thinking and connect mathematical topics to real-world problems.
In B term, the class participated in the High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM), a team mathematical modeling competition. We were tasked with completing one of two mathematical modeling problems over several days in groups made up of four students each. The problem chosen by my group tasked us with modeling the construction of an energy storage system and can be read here.
The competition was a new experience for me, as I had never learned about mathematical modeling prior to coming to Mass Academy, and it allowed me to work collaboratively with several others to solve a difficult problem through the creation of a model. My group’s approach and solution to the problem can be read below.
The class also taught me the basics of the mathematics software Mathematica, a useful tool for both calculating and displaying data. Below is an example of one of my papers compiled using Mathematica.
After B term, I was allowed to participate in higher-level math courses at WPI. Throughout the end of B term and beginning of C term, I took the Calculus III course independently using course materials from the WPI course taught by Professor Blais. In C term and D term, I will be taking Linear Algebra I and Calculus IV on campus, which will be a new experience for me.
During the end of B term and throughout C term, I took the Calculus III course at WPI independently using course materials provided by Professor Blais, including lectures and homework assignments. The course covered many of the prerequisites for higher-level math courses, such as series convergence, polar coordinates, and vectors in three-dimensional space. An example of my work in the class can be seen below.
In C term, I took the Matrices and Linear Algebra course at WPI taught by Dr. Olivé. This class taught the essentials of linear algebras and matrices as a basis for future courses. The course covered a variety of topics, including manipulating matrices, Gauss-Jordan elimination, and changes of basis.
In D term, I took the Calculus IV course at WPI taught by professor Zhang. This course expanded on the concepts taught in earlier calculus courses to multiple variables and in higher dimensions. The course covered several topics, such as partial differentiation, double and triple integration, and vector calculus including surface gradients.