Course Description:
Math Modeling, taught by Ms. Burns, goes beyond traditional high school mathematics by allowing students to expand their knowledge through open-ended problem solving, computer simulations, and teamwork. Through the exploration of complex problems, statistics, and math modeling prompts, students use their past knowledge of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and statistics to tackle difficult problems and model real-world scenarios, helping them form a deeper understanding of how math applies to practical situations. Students also participate in math competitions like Modeling the Future Challenge (MTFC), New England Mathematics League (NEML), and COMAP'S High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM), sharpening their problem-solving skills.
Modeling the Future Challenge
Modeling the Future Challenge, or MTFC, is a year long math modeling competition that the entire grade participates in. Based on risk analysis and actuarial science, the competition allows high school students to combine math modeling, data analysis, and risk management by choosing a topic associated with risk and modeling a mathematical solution to the issue. Anika, Hasini, Vysh, Avani, and I are working under the name "Pi-rates" and are conducting a project on the use of social media and how it leads to increased suicide rates. This project will allow us to become better mathematicians and develop our decisions based on mathematical reasoning.
Epsilon School Project
Early in the year, the first math modeling project we completed was the Epsilon School project. Working with Jasmin and Luciana, we had to look at the current student population and teachers in the Epsilon School and determine what departments 7 new faculty members should be hired into to ensure that the hiring decisions are fair and support a school population increase from 490 to 630. Given that the student population in the Epsilon School of Math and Science is increasing from 490 to 630, how must the faculty be hired to ensure that the hiring decisions made are fair?