Seven Math-Inspired Halloween Costumes

Halloween is approaching and October is coming to an end, so it seems it's time to start thinking about costumes! What will your costume be this year? A ghost? A mummy? How about something inspired by math? At the Worldwide Center of Mathematics, we really love math and Halloween, so keep reading for some awesome costume ideas!

Mathmagician
Do you consider yourself to be so good at math that it could only be because of magic? If yes, then you should dress up as a mathmagician. It's pretty much just a magician costume with added math. So use a ruler for your wand, put numbers on your hat, and a calculator in your pocket, and you're ready to do magic. Of course you may need to buy the outfit, but adding your own math extras makes it uniquely yours. 

This DIY calculator is legit
Via Pinterest 

Calculator

Calculators have changed drastically over the years so you have a lot of creative freedom for what kind of calculator you want to dress as. This is a easy DIY costume that can be done on a budget with just one supply. All you need to do is obtain a cardboard box, cut out some arm holes, and write numbers on the front, and voila, You have a Halloween costume! Of course you could make it more intense by doing something like the picture shown above, which would take a little more time and effort, but I think it's worth it.

Pencil:

Even in this digital age, we still use pencils to write, so this makes a perfect costume for Halloween. All you need is a pointy hat for your head (can be done with construction paper), a yellow shirt, and pink bottoms to create the pencil look. Of course you can switch up the clothes and do it anyway you like depending on what you have. Personally, I think I will go with a pointy hat, yellow dress, and pink shoes for my look. You can also buy a costume, like this one, if you aren't in the DIY mood. 

Chalkboard t-shirt $28.85
at Zazzle.com

Blackboard/Chalkboard

Being a mathematician, you often find yourself writing long mathematical proofs on the blackboard, so why not make it into a costume! It's very easy to do and you probably already have the supplies at home. Just grab a plain black tee and some white chalk and get to it! Write out your favorite formulas, symbols, and math concepts on your attire and you're ready to go! If you don't want to potentially ruin your own t-shirt, companies like Zazzle actually sell chalkboard t-shirts that are specially designed to write on with chalk. And if you prefer a whiteboard, just use a white tee and color sharpies and you've got a costume.

The Golden Ratio:

Some people may not get this costume, but for those who love math, it will be PUNny! Wear all gold (or at least a gold shirt) and cut "ϕ" or "1.608" out of paper and safety pin it to your shirt. Math minded people are sure to get this reference and will love it. And for those who don't, at least they can learn something new!

This kid makes a cute Albert Einstein with his DIY costume
Via Patch

Albert Einstein:

Okay, yes, he was more of a scientist, but let's face it, most of the population thinks of him as a mathematician and he is one of the most recognizable in the field. There are tons of Einstein costumes you can find online or in store so it is easy to put together. I think this is a great costume to make together with a child so they can learn about Albert Einstein and all of his accomplishments. 

Math Symbols: 

Need a group costume idea? If you have four people, each of you can represent a basic math symbol (+, -, ÷, ×) that everyone will recognize. Once again this can be easily done by writing on your shirt, or cutting out paper, or using duct tape to make the symbols to wear. Nothing can represent math more then being its symbols.  

If you have any math-inspired costume ideas, just comment them so others can be inspired. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr, to keep up to date with the Center of Math.