Archive for November, 2007

The first ever Wild About Math! mathcast

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Ever since starting this blog a couple of months ago I have felt that text and graphics could only go so far in helping people to get wild about Math. I knew that video was the next step in helping to explain mathematical ideas and in getting more people engaged ...

Has your Math paper been rejected by peer-reviewed journals?

Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

This is hilarious. There's a new web-site, Rejecta Mathematica, that claims to give new hope to many. They've got a call for papers in the mathematical sciences. They're looking for papers specifically rejected from peer-reviewed journals for reasons like "mapping the blind alleys of science", "applications of cold fusion", and ...

Amazing Math trick with paper, scissors, and tape

Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

Here's something fun, not too heavy on the Math unless you want it to be, and quite remarkable to those who haven't seen this before. You're going to create a Moebius strip, and variations on it, and surprise yourself and others when you see what you get when you cut ...

Review: Multiple Intelligences in the Mathematics Classroom

Monday, November 26th, 2007

One of my favorite subjects to write about is the use of multiple intelligences (MI) in teaching Math. A while back I reviewed Math for Humans and I wrote a couple of articles that touch on MI: 10 ways to get wild about Math, and 11 tips for building a ...

What do Math geeks build with LEGOs?

Monday, November 26th, 2007

Yesterday Mathmom (is that her real name?) posted a great video on her blog, Ramblings of a Math Mom. The video is of a working Lego mini-car factory made out of Lego Mindstorm pieces. Some people have way too much time on their hands. I love it! I have to say ...

A fun arithmetic game that sparks exploration

Saturday, November 24th, 2007

Here's a game that's easy and leads to a nice exploration of number theory for those so inclined. Two people play. All you need is a sheet of paper and a pencil or pen. Here's how to play: Each person thinks of a number between 1 and 50 without telling the ...

Quick multiplication by 12: A gentle introduction to Trachtenberg speed mathematics

Friday, November 23rd, 2007

Judging by the comments I've received on the blog there's a good amount of interest in techniques for simplifying and speeding up basic arithmetic. This is great because I enjoy learning and writing about these techniques. Jakow Trachtenberg was a Ukranian mathematician who, while imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during ...

Easy and fun Math trick

Thursday, November 22nd, 2007

Here's a really easy Math trick you can impress your friends and family with. All you need is 4 index cards and a pen. Here's what you do: Copy what's on the four cards on the right to your four index cards. Ask your friend to think of a number between 1 ...

Help kids learn multiplication with this visual approach

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

I'm always impressed to see a new way to do something familiar. Recently, I happened upon a fascinating video, titled Weaving Numbers at the IsAllAboutMath web-site, which has some instructional Math-related videos. Weaving Numbers demonstrates several non-traditional ways to do multiplication. I found the Napier's bones approach depicted fascinating as well ...

Thanksgiving wishes, carnivals, and sneaking in a little Math on turkey day

Tuesday, November 20th, 2007

It's been a month and a half since I started this blog and I'm delighted with the nice reception it's received. Thank you all for the kind comments you've left. I wish each of you a warm, safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy good times with your families. Oh, and it's ...