BrainPop Math

Here is yet another fabulous website to help you with your math skills, all while you watch videos and play games! Unfortunately, many of the games require you to sign up for the website and pay a fee, but there are some free games and videos to give you a sample of what the content is like. Who knows, maybe if you show it to your parent or teacher, you can get your very own subscription for your home or classroom. The best part? BrainPop isn't just for math! They also have pages for English, Science, Social Studies, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology.

Check it out here at BrainPop.com.

-WMM

You Go Girls!

When I was growing up, adults would often ask me what my favorite subject was in school, and they almost always looked shocked when I shouted, "Math!" Apparently, little girls were supposed to like playing with dolls and writing in their diaries, not building forts and solving equations! Unfortunately, this is still the opinion of many people out there, including parents, teachers, and even the former president of Harvard.

Well, I'm happy to report to you fellow females that despite the negative culture that has surrounded girls and mathematics for so long, we are making amazing progress. Just check out the articles below to see what I'm talking about!

1. Math Scores Show No Gap for Girls, Study Finds - NYTimes

2. Girls Get Math: It's Culture That's Skewed - LiveScience

3. Study Shows Boys and Girls Equal in Math Ability - U.S. News and World Report

I hope those articles inspire you to get out there and try your hardest, because whether you're a boy or a girl, you're certainly capable!

-WMM

Spotlight: Pythagoras of Samos

Everyone always talks about the Pythagorean Theorem, but what is it, and who is this Pythagoras guy?

Well, Pythagoras was a Greek mathematician who lived approximately 2,500 years ago. He made great contributions to the fields or mathematics and philosophy, and even founded his own religion. Unfortunately, much of what is known about Pythagoras is controversial, due to the fact that none of his own work survived.

What we do know, is that he believed numbers to be the basis for life and thought that everything was predictable and cyclical. And thus, he created the Pythagorean Theorem to help students like you find the length of the hypotenuse on right triangles!

Here's a quick video from Math Crazy Tutoring to help you understand how this theorem works!



Hope that helps!

-WMM

Math Games

In order to make up for the last post, which had a link to a site full of facts, here is a list of websites with great games to help you flex your mathematical muscle and learn new concepts!

1. Cool Math - This site has games for multiplication, geometry, algebra, and everything else that a middle schooler needs to know! In case you get stuck, there is even a math dictionary! There are also pages for teachers and parents, so be sure to show that to your mom, dad, or guardian.

2. Math Playground - This site has tons of games, logic puzzles, and word problems. I dare you to spend less than a half hour on this website; it's like Pringles, once you pop, you just can't stop!

3. Multiplication - Need help with your times tables? Check this site out!

4. Gamequarium - This site has links to tons of fun math games from around the web for kids K-6, including a few from our #5 website...

5. Mr. Nussbaum - Mr. Nussbaum is an awesome website with lots of games and activities. The best part? It's not just for math! There are pages for science, language arts, and social studies too!

Have fun!

-WMM

Math Facts

If you have trouble remembering how to properly round numbers, find angles, or convert decimals into fractions, then you might like the Triple A Math website.

There, you can find instructions on every math topic from addition to algebra. Unfortunately, there are no games to play, but this is a great resource for quickly reminding yourself how to do mental math or recognize patterns.

-WMM

Spotlight: Stephanie Kwolek

You know those bulletproof vests that policemen wear to protect themselves? Well, they are made of Kevlar^®, a material that was invented way back in 1965, by a woman named Stephanie Kwolek. Growing up, Stephanie was always interested in mathematics and science, and when she got older, she used her Chemistry degree from what is now Carnegie Mellon University to secure a job in one of DuPont's research labs. After World War II ended, she discovered many new synthetics and polymers, eventually inventing and patenting Kevlar^®!

Here's a link to the chemheritage website so that you can learn more about this incredible inventor! You can see her talking about her accomplishments below:



-WMM

Careers in Mathematics

Careers in mathematics are some of the most coveted in the nation, and not only because mathematicians tend to make a lot of money. Jobs in fields such as Actuarial Science, Engineering, and Finance, are often both stimulating and rewarding. Here are links to the Mathematical Association of America's website, and the website for the American Mathematical Society so that you can learn more about each of these math-based careers and what they entail!

-WMM