Math Organizations from JMM 2018

JMM 2018 was a fun math filled event and a great way to start the year. After meeting so many new people and seeing so many different math related organization, we thought we'd share some of our favorites. Here is a list of some of cool math organizations we learned about.

AWM - Association for Women in Mathematics
AWM works to help encourage interest in mathematics among women, as well as advocates for equality among genders in the mathematics. Formed in 1971, the society has held lectures series honoring notable female mathematicians and have given out medals such as the Alice T. Schafer for undergraduate women who have shown themselves to be exceptional mathematicians. They have notable members too, such as their current president Ami Radunskaya, who is a professor of mathematics at Pomona College.

CoCalc - Collaborative Calculation in the Cloud
CoCalc is part of the Sage Project, an expansive tool created by the mathematics professor William Stein. CoCalc is a powerful environment made to carry out mathematical calculations, and can also be used to help organize courses. Over 200 courses have used CoCalc; it has proven itself to be invaluable to classroom learning.

Project Gutenburg - Free eBooks
Project Gutenburg makes easily accessible old eBooks from notable authors, many of which have expired copyrights. On Project Gutenburg you can find works by Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Felix Klein, and many more. Project Gutenburg has books from a wide range of topics, which they digitize and proofread with the help of many volunteers.

Edfinity - Affordable Resource for Problems
It is well known that solving problems is key to progressing in mathematics, and Edfinity is working to make textbook problems more accessible to students. Edfinity provides problems and solutions from textbooks or other sources for students to solve to help further their education, and helps educators by making grading more automated. It is a convenient place for students to hone their problem solving abilities.

April: Math Awareness Month

Each year, in an effort to increase understanding and appreciation for mathematics, the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) sponsors April as Math Awareness Month. The JPBM is comprised of various mathematical associations, including the AMA, ASA, MAA, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. In a collaborative effort, the JPBM has denoted each Math Appreciation Month with a certain theme each year. Last year, the theme was Math Drives Careers. This year, April is centered on "The Future of Prediction". With this title, comes a focus on how mathematics and statistics can be used to predict innovations and patterns for the future.

History

Math Awareness Week began in 1986, and was set into play by President Ronald Reagan. He aimed to increase the appreciation and public understanding of mathematics by the public. In a speech, Reagan proclaimed, 

                     

"Despite the increasing importance of mathematics to the progress of our  economy and society, enrollment in mathematics programs has been declining at all levels of the American educational system. Yet the application of mathematics is indispensable in such diverse fields as medicine, computer sciences, space exploration, the skilled trades, business, defense, and government. To help encourage the study and utilization of mathematics, it is appropriate that all Americans be reminded of the importance of this basic branch of science to our daily lives."

In 1986, Math Awareness Month was celebrated on a national basis, with national exhibits and advertising. However, today colleges, institutions, regions, and states have all taken the responsibility of directing focus to mathematics. Mathematics Awareness Week has also been transformed into Mathematics Awareness Month.

Essays and Posters

The connections between mathematics and predictions can be explored throughout various mediums and topics. The predictive nature of math can be utilized to examine various disciplines– from economics to the environment. Through the month, the JPBM will publish essays and posters that help illuminate the theme of the month. 

So far, a few essays and visualizations have been made available on www.mathaware.org, a website dedicated to Math Appreciation Month.

Predicting U.S Industrial Production with Oil and Natural Gas Prices

Matthew L. Higgins

http://www.mathaware.org/mam/2016/essay/MAM2016_theme_Essay1.pdf 

To Your Health!

Joe Kincaid

http://www.mathaware.org/mam/2016/essay/MAM_Essay2.pdf

Great expectations: The past, present and future of prediction from ancient oracles to statistical models. 

Coming Soon in April 2016 Significance Magazine

Click here for a closer look at The Future of Prediction poster

Activities

This list will be updated with events throughout the month. 

Spark 101: Spark 101 is a program that allows for students to walk in the shoes of STEM professionals. Through video case studies, students will use problem solving capabilities to face challenges that will lead to future innovation. Resources are free to faculty members and align with curriculum to teach students about working in STEM. 

Social Media

Twitter: @mathaware
This twitter account is active every April, posting information that coincides with the theme of each particular Math Awareness Month. The Math Aware twitter shares activities planned throughout the country and essays that have been submitted. Follow the page to stay updated on the latest Math Awareness Month updates!

 Facebook: Mathematics Awareness Month

The JPBM also maintains a Facebook page that works to inform the public about Math Awareness Month events and happenings. The Facebook page also publishes images and posters that go along with the theme of the month. Check it out!

sources: http://www.mathaware.org/mam/2016/
http://www.mathaware.org/mam/2015/about/

Throwback Fact: The Mathematical Association of America

In a couple of weeks the Center of Math will be attending the Joint Mathematics Meeting (JMM) in Seattle. The American Mathematical Society (AMS) and the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) run this annual event, which is one of the largest mathematics meeting in the world. To get ready for our trip, the Center of Math wanted to write about the history of the MAA for this weeks Throwback Fact. And if your wondering why we aren’t talking about the AMS, it’s because we already did a Throwback Fact on them, which you can check out here. So keep reading to learn more about the MAA!

Current logo by the MAA. Visit their website here!

MathFest Day Four Challenge Problem

No more MathFest after today, but we're not stopping early! Here's the last Challenge Problem, which puts a spin on a mathematical construct you may well know and love already.

 Like before, if you're at MathFest and you show us you've solved the problem before we put the answer up this afternoon, you could win some cool Center of Math stuff! Make sure to check out our booth (19) if you haven't already. If you've enjoyed these, our Problems of the Week will continue onward on Monday, so don't worry that these problems are going away.

MathFest Day Three Challenge Problem

MathFest is already halfway over! We've got another Challenge Problem lined up for you today: here it is!

The solution will be posted in this post late this afternoon. Before that, however, if you're at MathFest, and you tweet with the correct answer to the Challenge Problem, the hashtags #MAAthFest and #WCoMChallenge, and a picture from MathFest itself, you'll be entered to win some Center of Math swag! 


UPDATE: Check out the solution below the break!

MathFest Day Two Challenge Problem

I hope everyone's having a good morning and is ready for more MathFest! Here's the Center of Math's MathFest Challenge Problem for today. 

We'll have the solution up later in the afternoon today. Remember, if you're at MathFest, and you tweet with the correct answer to the Challenge Problem, the hashtags #MAAthFest and #WCoMChallenge, and something that shows us how much of a good time you're having in the capitol, you can have a chance to win some Center of Math gear! 

UPDATE: The solution is now available! Check below the break if you want to see it.

The Center of Math is at MathFest!

The Center of Math is headed to Washington, DC to attend MathFest 2015! This year the Mathematical Association of America is celebrating its centennial, which we are honored to be a part of. Stop by our booth where we will provide information on our products, hand out cool swag, and feature brand new practice problems that were created just for MathFest. 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+, to see what we're up to at MathFest. You can use #MAAthFest to share with us your MathFest experiences as well as enter our giveaway—check below the break for more details. We can't wait to see you there!

Our Trip To JMM14 In Numbers!!!

JMM 2014 - Baltimore Trip

The Center of Math traveled south from their headquarters in Cambridge, MA to attend the Joint Mathematics Meetings 2014 in Baltimore, MD.  The conference is the largest mathematics meeting in the world, attracting over 6,000 students, educators and more.  The Center of Math brought along a video camera and created a short video showing some of the numbers behind the trip.  Enjoy!