Author: loganj

How many ways can you arrange 128 tennis balls? The answer is about 10^250, also known as ten unquadragintilliard. This number exceeds the total number of particles in the universe! Find out more about how researchers solved this problem here!

Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel will begin a PhD in mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this year. He graduated from Penn State with a 4.0 GPA. His PhD studies will focus on spectral graph theory, numerical linear algebra, and machine learning. In a previous interview, Urschel told a reporter that he spends time on road trips reading math books and research papers. Read more about this incredible athlete-mathematician here!

Challenge your students to do some “supermoon” math! Click here for content.

A new study suggests that children who are aerobically fit tend to have significantly thinner gray matter in their brains than their “low-fit” peers, which is associated with better mathematics performance. The research team discusses the relationship between fitness and academic performance here.

A study from Indiana University suggests that gender stereotypes regarding women’s math performance negatively affect their performance. However, both men and women believe that these stereotypes will not negatively affect women, rather they will boost their motivation to perform better. Click here to read more!