Holiday Math: Dreidel Simulation

Happy Hanukkah, Center of Math fans! Since today's the first day (in Cambridge) of the holiday, I decided to take a mathematical/computational look at the dreidel game, one of the many traditions practiced on Hanukkah. Keep reading to learn how the game is played, and to see what I found out with my simulation of the game—the results may surprise you!

The Science Behind Pixar

See all Pixar's characters at www.pixar.com

Many people simply aren't sure what applied mathematics can accomplish, or, which accomplishments required applying challenging and exciting mathematics. One wonderful example of creators using mathematics to perfect their craft is Pixar Animation Studios. They're the folks responsible for fan-favorites Toy Story (1995), Finding Nemo (2003), Up (2009) and, most recently, the wildly popular Inside Out (2015).

That's why we recommend you check out the newest exhibit at Boston's Museum of Science: The Science Behind Pixar.

Enjoy a unique, first-time look into the Pixar process, and explore the science and technology behind some of the most beloved animated films and their characters with the world premiere of The Science Behind Pixar. This interactive exhibition showcases the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts used by the artists and computer scientists who help bring Pixar's award-winning films to the big screen.

You'll definitely have the opportunity to explore and use mathematics to create virtual 3D models.
If you're serious about 3D modeling and mathematics, check out Matrices, Vectors and 3D Math with Matlab® or an Introduction to Groups, Rings and Fields here.

read more and purchase tickets here
read more about the Museum of Science here

What's your favorite Pixar movie? Which movie do you think was hardest for animators to create? Let us know in the comments!