Math Modeling is taught by Mrs. Burns, who is one of my homeroom teachers and my junior advisor. Math is one of the more unique classes here at MAMS. There are two halves to this course. The first is the problem solving side, where we take a variety of challenging problems and puzzle our way through them. This involves specific units such as number theory during A term and statistics during B term, as well as "challenge problems" that blend various topics together. The second is the math modeling side, where we use concepts we already know to analyze real-world situations. Math modeling involves working with data, using spreadsheet software like Excel, and justifying why we used certain mathematical methods to arrive at an answer. One of the cool things about the modeling problems is that no two groups will get the same answer, because everyone uses slightly different approaches. It's neat to see all the different ways people thought about a problem! In addition, we participate in math competitions like NEML, MTFC, and HiMCM. Math is one of my favorite classes here because I never know what to expect - each day is a fun surprise!
In math class, we have the opportunity to participate in several competitions, but Modeling the Future is quite a unique one. Modeling the Future is a contest where teams of high schoolers develop a mathematical model of an issue they care about under the guidance of an actuary (someone who models risks using math). To advance as semifinalists, teams had to work through an example scenario (this year, the scenario involved an insurance company trying to develop strategies for policyholders with diabetes) and write up a proposal on the topic they chose for the competition. In our case, we are looking at invasive species and trying to identify activities that have a high risk of spreading these harmful plants and animals. Throughout November, we met to conduct background research on the problem, brainstorm initial risk mitigation strategies, and even look at previous mathematical research in the field, as well as practice our modeling skills with the diabetes scenario. All of the Mass Academy teams have advanced to the semifinals, so we will soon be working to develop our model and write up recommendations based upon it. We will also have the guidance of a professional in the field to help us. Overall, this project has been an interesting look at actuarial science so far, and I can't wait for the next phase, where we will be diving even deeper. My team consists of myself, Ila, Thomas, Caroline, and Jianna, and we are Feel the Burn(s)! You can see our proposal here.
This was our very first modeling problem! In this assignment, we were given the scenario of a school whose student population was expanding and tasked with determining how additional teachers should fairly be hired to compensate for the increase. I had never done a problem like this before so this was a learning experience. It was cool to see how I could use math I already knew in a situation that didn't seem obviously math-related. I also learned how to use Excel better. Overall, it was a cool introduction to the world of math modeling! I worked with Aansh and Jianna on this project. Our presentation of our solution can be found here.