Math modeling is taught by Ms.Burns. In this class, we work through various problem sets covering topics such as number theory, statistics, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry while focusing on collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving. This class is unlike traditional math classes as concepts are discovered through challenging math problems and teamwork instead of typical lectures. Along with this, we develop mathematical models to tackle real world problems for group presentations, Problem Of the Week (POW) assignments, and math modeling competitions such as Modeling The Future Challenge (MTFC) and High School Mathematics Contest in Modeling (HiMCM).
MTFC is a math modeling competition that focuses on data, risk analysis, and the actuarial process. This competition contains various phases that each team must complete throughout the year, the first one being the project proposal phase. I am working with Anh Dao, Hannah Lambert, Aarushi Khatri, and Charlotte Martin, and our project focuses on the effect of social media on children’s behavior and attention span. We choose this topic due to the rise in technology and social media usage in younger generations such as Gen Alpha. The Project Proposal contains background information, risk identification, data sources, and potential mitigation strategies and recommendations. We have moved on to the semi-finalists and are currently working on the project phase which involves meeting with mentors, developing our mathematical model, and completing the project report. Overall, MTFC is a great opportunity as the projects that are created have real-world applications and impact.
The Epsilon School Presentation was the first math modeling assignment that we did, and I worked with Danny Harn, Thomas Giolas, and Ila Chakravarthy to complete it. For this problem, we had to determine the most effective distribution of teachers in different subject areas to accommodate for the increase of the student population for the incoming school year. This was a challenging assignment as all the criteria regarding the Epsilon School’s policies had to be met and a lot of assumptions had to be made through the process.