MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 23:34, 25 March 2009

Latest revision as of 11:13, 5 March 2025

(131 intermediate revisions by 50 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Infobox recurring event|name=MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge|genre=Mathematical modeling challenge|frequency=Annual|website={{URL|https://m3challenge.siam.org}}|first={{Start date|2006}}|organizer=[[Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics]]|sponsor=[[MathWorks]]}}

{{primarysources|date=November 2007}}

'''MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge''' (M3 Challenge) is a [[mathematical modeling competition]] open to high schools in the U.S. (including US territories and DoDEA schools) and schools with sixth form students (age 16-19) in England and Wales.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=2020 MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge to Award $100k in Scholarships|url=https://www.hpcwire.com/off-the-wire/2020-mathworks-math-modeling-challenge-to-award-100k-in-scholarships/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=HPCwire|language=en-US}}</ref>{{Additional citation needed|date=June 2021}} It is sponsored by [[MathWorks]] (a developer of mathematical computing software) based in Boston and organized by the [[Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics]] (SIAM) based in [[Philadelphia]].<ref name=":0" />

{{Importance|date=November 2007}}

'''Moody's Mega Math (M³) Challenge''' is an [[applied mathematics]] modeling contest for high school students in all New England and Mid-Atlantic states, from Maine through Washington D.C. It is sponsored by The [[Moody's Foundation]] (a charity of [[Moody's]] rating agency) based in [[New York City]] and organized by the [[Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics]] (SIAM) based in [[Philadelphia]]. The M3 Challenge awards $80,000 in scholarship prizes each year to the top teams. An additional incentive is the recognition that the winning teams receive. The winning paper from 2008 was published in the [[College Mathematics Journal]] and a representative from High Tech's team appeared on [[FOX Business Channel]].

M3 Challenge awards $100,000 in scholarship prizes each year to the top teams. Additional incentives are expenses-paid trips for top performing teams to the final event in New York City each April, and media recognition that the winning teams receive. Some examples of recognition: the winning paper from 2008 was published in the [[College Mathematics Journal]]. A representative from High Tech's team appeared on [[FOX Business Channel]], 2010 winners were interviewed by [[Pimm Fox]] of Bloomberg radio, presented its findings at Lockheed Martin's Data Capture Center, and met with U.S. Census Bureau Director Dr. [[Robert Groves]]. Many Champion teams have had their solution papers and research published in SIAM's undergraduate publication, SIAM Undergraduate Research Online (SIURO).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.siam.org/publications/siuro|title=Siuro &#124; Siam}}</ref> The 2011 and 2012 winners were interviewed by Pimm Fox of Bloomberg radio, and the 2014 winners were interviewed by both Pimm Fox and Carol Massar on Bloomberg radio.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet Moody's Mega Math Challenge Winners {{!}} Alexander Street, part of Clarivate |url=https://search.alexanderstreet.com/preview/work/bibliographic_entity%7Cvideo_work%7C2351412 |access-date=2023-03-24 |website=search.alexanderstreet.com}}</ref> Many local and regional TV and radio stations interview top teams; and in 2021 both NPR <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wbez.org/stories/suburban-mathletes-are-finalists-in-elite-international-competition/addc6535-4116-47fc-9ba8-5a3812e56863|title = Suburban 'Mathletes' Are Finalists in Elite International Contest|date = 22 April 2021}}</ref> and the BBC interviewed top teams about their work and the problem topic of defeating the digital divide and making internet accessible to all.

==Registration Process==

Registration is open to high school junior and senior in eligible areas. Teams consist of three to five students and one coach, who must be a teacher at their school. There is no cost to register or participate in the Challenge.

MathWorks took over sponsorship of the competition, formerly known as the Moody's Mega Math (M³) Challenge, from Moody's Foundation in 2017.<ref name="fo170717">{{cite news|last1=Knapp|first1=Alex|title=Moody's Foundation Pulls Sponsorship Of High School Math Competition|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2017/07/17/moodys-foundation-pulls-sponsorship-of-high-school-math-competition/#14d7849248d0|access-date=10 December 2017|work=Forbes|date=July 17, 2017}}</ref>

==Registration process==

Registration is open to high school juniors and seniors or sixth form students (age 16-19) in eligible areas as well as to homeschooled and cyber schooled students. Teams consist of three to five students and one coach, who must be a teacher at their school. Each school can have a maximum of two teams. There is no cost to register or participate in the Challenge.

==Eligibility==

High schools in the followingU.S. states/counties(including US territories and DoDEA schools) are eligible. forSchools thewith M³sixth Challenge:<brform />students (age 16-19) in England and Wales are eligible.

* Connecticut

* Delaware

* Maine

* Maryland

* Massachusetts

* New Hampshire

* New Jersey

* New York

* Pennsylvania

* Rhode Island

* Vermont

* Washington D.C.

==Challenge Weekendweekend==

The M³M3 Challenge is held annually on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and SundayMonday in late February or early March. Students choose which day and what continuous span of 14 hours that they wish to work over Challenge weekend. TeamsAll downloadteams will work in, or convert their local time to, Eastern Standard Time. Once the problem fromis downloaded, the Challengeclock websitestarts and it cannot be paused; students should download the problem with at 7:00least a.m.fourteen andhours mustbefore uploadthe theirfirm solutionend paperof byChallenge 9:00weekend p.m.to thathave sameuse dayof the full fourteen hours allowed. They can work from any ___location they choose. Teacher-coaches are not required to be physically with or near the team during Challenge weekend. Team members may not discuss any aspect of the problem with, nor seek help from via any means or method, the coach or anyone other than their teammates over Challenge weekend.

==The Problemproblem==

Two professionalProfessional Ph.D.-level applied mathematicians devise and write the Challenge problem. Students have no knowledge of the problem before they download it on their selected Challenge dayweekend. To solve the problem, they are allowed to use any inanimate, free, and publicly available sources. They cannot have any outside help from anyone, including their teacher-coach. A helpful discussion forum leading up to the problem release, a practice problem with live text chat discussion, can be found [https://m3challenge.siam.org/practice-problems/ here]. Below are previous problems:

'''2006 Problem -–''' ''Solving the Social Security Stalemate'' <ref>http://m3challenge.siam.org/pdf/m3challenge_problem_06.pdf</ref> <br />

'''2007 Problem -–''' ''Beat the Street!'' {{Fact|date=February 2009}}<br />

'''2008 Problem -–''' ''Energy Independence Meets the Law of Unintended Consequences''<br <ref>http://m3challenge.siam.org/M3_Challenge_PROBLEM_08.pdf</ref>

'''2009 Problem -–''' ''$787 Billion: Will the Stimulus Act Stimulate the U.S. Economy?''<br <ref>http://m3challenge.siam.org/M3_Challenge_PROBLEM_09.pdf</ref>

'''2010 Problem –''' ''Making Sense of the 2010 Census''<br />

'''2011 Problem –''' ''Colorado River Water: Good to the Last Acre-Foot''<br />

'''2012 Problem –''' ''All Aboard: Can High Speed Rail Get Back on Track?''<br />

'''2013 Problem –''' ''Waste Not, Want Not: Putting Recyclables in Their Place''<br />

'''2014 Problem –''' ''Lunch Crunch: Can Nutritious Be Affordable and Delicious?''<br />

'''2015 Problem –''' ''Stem Sells: What is Higher Education Really Worth?''<br />

'''2016 Problem –''' ''Share and (Car) Share Alike – Modeling New Approaches to Mobility''<br />

'''2017 Problem –''' ''From Sea to Shining Sea: Looking Ahead with the National Park Service''<br />

'''2018 Problem –''' ''Better Ate Than Never: Reducing Food Waste''<br />

'''2019 Problem –''' ''One is Too Many and A Thousand Not Enough: Substance Use and Abuse''<br />

'''2020 Problem –''' ''Keep On Trucking: U.S. Big Rigs Turnover From Diesel to Electric''<br />

'''2021 Problem –''' ''Defeating the Digital Divide: Internet Costs, Needs, and Optimal Planning'' <br />

'''2022 Problem –''' ''Remote Work: Fad or Future'' <br />

'''2023 Problem –''' ''Ride Like the Wind Without Getting Winded: The growth of E-Bike use'' <br />

'''2024 Problem -''' ''A Tale of Two Crises: The Housing Shortage and Homelessness''

==Judging==

Ph.D.-level applied mathematicians judge the contest in three phases. In triage, each paper is read through at least two times, and as many as five times, before being eliminated or passed on to the second round. The triage round of judging eliminates two-thirds or more of the submitted papers. In the second round of judging, papers are read up to an additional 8-10twelve times each, and the top 11 papers emerge. The top six willpapers overall become Finalists and go on to the final event and presentation round of judging. whileThe theM3 remainingChallenge fiveTechnical papersComputing receiveScholarship honorableAward, mentionbegun teamin awards.2018, Judginghonors isteams blindfor untilan outstanding use of computer programming (other than spreadsheets); these awardees also are invited to and present at the presentationfinal roundevent. Judging is blind, with teams known only by a unique team ID number., The presentation round is held atuntil the Moody’svalidation corporateand headquarterspresentation inround during the Worldfinal Tradeevent. CenterFinalist onand WallTechnical StreetComputing where theAwardee teams present their papers live to a panel of four judges during the final event. Following the presentations, judges rank the teams and a formal award ceremony takes place.

==Prizes==

All students who submit a viable solution paper receive certificates of participation, which are mailed to their teacher-coach. Coaches also receive certificates. Judges award additional semi-finalist and honorable mention team awards in amounts of $1,500 and $1,000 per team, respectively. Semi-finalist prizes are awarded to teams whose papers were highly ranked and underwent in-depth, specific discussion by judges.

The M³ Challenge awards seven categories of team prizes to the top 11 teams. Prize funds are shared equally among all team members; prize money goes directly to the college or university at which each student enrolls:

Honorable mention prizes are awarded to teams whose papers are judged to be worthy of recognition for their superior efforts.

* M3 Challenge Champions (Summa Cum Laude Team Prize) = $20,000

* M3 Challenge Runner Up (Magna Cum Laude Team Prize) = $15,000

* M3 Challenge Third Place (Cum Laude Team Prize) = $10,000

* M3 Challenge Fourth Place (Meritorious Team Prize) = $7,500

* M3 Challenge Fifth Place (Exemplary Team Prize) = $5,000

* M3 Challenge Sixth Place (First Honorable Mention Team Prize) = $2,500

* Honorable Mention Team Prizes = $1,000 (judges may award up to 20 honorable mention team prizes)

The top six teams' schools are awarded trophies. Scholarship prizes for the top six finalist teams and the technical computing awardees are as follows (GBP equivalent for U.K. winning teams):

*M3 Challenge Champions (Summa Cum Laude Team Prize) $20,000

*M3 Challenge Runner Up (Magna Cum Laude Team Prize) $15,000

*M3 Challenge Third Place (Cum Laude Team Prize) $10,000

*M3 Challenge Finalist (Meritorious Team Prize) $5,000 (3 teams)

*M3 Challenge Technical Computing Winner $3000

*M3 Challenge Technical Computing Runner Up $2000

*M3 Challenge Technical Computing Third Place $1000

==Awards and recognition for the M3 Challenge==

==Winning teams==

* SIAM received an Award of Excellence in the first round of the 2009 Associations Advance America (AAA) Awards program for its role in organizing and administering Moody's Mega Math Challenge <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-03/sfia-swa030609.php|title = SIAM wins ASAE's 2009 Associations Advance America Award of Excellence}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.asaecenter.org/AboutUs/newsreldetail.cfm?ItemNumber=39715 |title=Twenty One Winners Named in First Round of 2009 AAA Awards - About Us - ASAE & the Center for Association Leadership |access-date=2009-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617192945/http://www.asaecenter.org/AboutUs/newsreldetail.cfm?ItemNumber=39715 |archive-date=2010-06-17 }}</ref>

'''''2008'''''<br />

* Moody's Corporation received a 2008 Excellence Award from the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP)for the company's sophisticated giving program which encourages students to develop a passion for mathematics, economics and finance, and specifically citing Moody's Mega Math Challenge which aims to excite students about employing mathematics to solve real world problems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.onphilanthropy.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7415&s_oo=Iqcbehmy0Q50SXvxb7s3iA |title=OnPhilanthropy: Articles |access-date=2008-03-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614075008/http://www.onphilanthropy.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle |archive-date=2009-06-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.csrwire.com/News/11181.html |title=PNC Financial, Moody's Corporation, and Community Voice Mail Win Prestigious Corporate Philanthropy Awards |website=www.csrwire.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511204922/http://www.csrwire.com/news/11181.html |archive-date=2008-05-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/2008/02/25/cecp-philanthropy-awards-leadership-citizen-cx_mk_0225cecp.html|title = Model Corporate Citizens|website = [[Forbes]]}}</ref>

'''M3 Challenge Champions, Summa Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

* The M³ Challenge has received placement on the National Association of Secondary School Principals' National Advisory List of Student Contests & Activities since 2010.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/NASSP_List_of_Contests_and_Activities_for_Students.pdf|title = 2015-16 NASSP List of Approved Contests, Programs, and Activities for Students|date = September 1, 2015 – August 31, 2016|journal = National Association of Secondary School Principals|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151123021642/http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/NASSP_List_of_Contests_and_Activities_for_Students.pdf|archive-date = November 23, 2015|url-status = dead}}</ref>

''High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ – Team #128''<br />

Coach: Raymond Eng<br />

== Resources ==

Students: Thomas Jackson, Kelly Roache, Afanasiy Yermakov, Jason Zukus<br />

Here are some helpful resources:

'''M3 Challenge First Runner-up, Magna Cum Laude Team Prize''' <br />

* [https://m3challenge.siam.org/resources/modeling-handbook Math Modeling handbooks, one for getting started and one for adding computing]

''Manalapan High School, Manalapan, NJ – Team #72''<br />

* A "how-to" video: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgKwtwZbW20 About M3 Challenge]

Coach: Jessy Friedman<br />

* [https://m3challenge.siam.org/resources/teaching-modeling Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Mathematical Modeling Education (GAIMME)]

Students: Michael Bacsik, JJ Liddie, Joshua Newman, Thomas Sozzi, Kevin Tien<br />

* [https://m3challenge.siam.org/resources/sample-problems Sample problems]

'''M3 Challenge Third Place, Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

* [https://m3challenge.siam.org/resources/modeling-videos What is Math Modeling video series]

''Shrewsbury High School, Shrewsbury, MA – Team #178''<br />

* [https://m3challenge.siam.org/resources/learn-technical-computing Learn Technical Computing]

Coach: Catherine McDonough<br />

Students: Anand Desai, Ruby Lee, Shengzhi Li, Anirvan Mukherjee, Lingke Wang<br />

'''M3 Challenge Fourth Place, Meritorious Team Prize'''<br />

''Holmdel High School, Holmdel, NJ – Team #198''<br />

Coach: Josephine Blaha<br />

Students: Eric Chung, Alaap Parikh, Ashutosh Singhal<br />

'''M3 Challenge Fifth Place, Exemplary Team Prize'''<br />

''Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Flemington, NJ – Team #141''<br />

Coach: David Gelb<br />

Students: Brandon Comella, Gawain Lau, Kelvin Mei, Nevin Raj, Yiwen Zhan<br />

'''M3 Challenge Sixth Place, First Honorable Mention Team Prize'''<br />

''The Wheeler School, Providence, RI – Team #175''<br />

Coach: George Lewis<br />

Students: Brett Musco, Cameron Musco, Christopher Musco, Christopher Shaw, Karan Takhar<br />

'''Honorable Mention Team Awards'''<br />

''High Technology High School, Lincroft, NJ''<br />

''Manalapan High School, Manalapan, NJ''<br />

''Staples High School, Westport, CT''<br />

''West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, Plainsboro, NJ''<br />

''West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South, Princeton Junction, NJ''<br />

<br />

'''''2007'''''<br />

'''Summa Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Manalapan High School – Team #77, Manalapan, NJ''<br />

Coach: Jessy Friedman<br />

Students: Jason Kornblum, Dennis Kim, Caleb Tseng, Franklin Tong, Naiim Ali<br />

'''Magna Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Manalapan High School – Team #76, Manalapan, NJ''<br />

Coach: Stephanie Pepper<br />

Students: Andy Liu, Dorothea Tsang, David Tretheway, Jonathan Newman, Jesse Beyroutey<br />

'''Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Walt Whitman High School – Team #109, Huntington Station, NY''<br />

Coach: Louis Crisci<br />

Students: John Lacara, Matthew Giambrone, Peter Werner, Julia Haigney, Jessica Bloom<br />

'''Meritorious Team Prize'''<br />

''High Technology High School – Team #10, Lincroft, NJ''<br />

Coach: Ellen LeBlanc<br />

Students: Elizabeth Wendel, Raja Srinivas, Yelizaveta Yermakova<br />

'''Exemplary Team Prize'''<br />

''Great Neck North High School – Team #96, Great Neck, NY''<br />

Coach: Linda Litvack<br />

Students: Ben Leibowicz, Sam Panzer, Barry Dynkin, David Rosengarten, Scott Huang<br />

'''First Honorable Mention'''<br />

''St. Peter's Preparatory School – Team #104, Jersey City, NJ''<br />

Coach: Benjamin Patiak<br />

Students: David Garcia, Matthew Ward, Michael Rogers, Joe-Man Wan, Eric Morgan<br />

'''Honorable Mention Team Awards'''<br />

''Governor Livingston High School, Berkeley Heights, NJ''<br />

''Horace Greeley High School, Chappaqua, NY''<br />

''NYC Lab School, New York, NY''<br />

''St. Peter's Preparatory School, Jersey City, NJ''<br />

''Sayville High School, West Sayville, NY''<br />

<br />

'''''2006'''''<br />

'''Summa Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Staples High School–Team #57, Westport, CT''<br />

Coach: William Walsh<br />

Students: Miles Lubin, Elizabeth Marshman, Vikas Murali, and Andrew Tschirhart<br />

'''Magna Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Immaculata High School–Team #20, Somerville, NJ''<br />

Coach: Elaine Petsu<br />

Students: Christopher Fajardo, Mary Germino, Robert Lee-Own, William Pugh, and Matthew Tom-Wolverton<br />

'''Cum Laude Team Prize'''<br />

''Herricks High School–Team #14, New Hyde Park, NY''<br />

Coach: Howard Huang<br />

Students: Amulya Bhagat, Amol Jain Yaagnik Kosuri, Sam Yoon<br />

'''Meritorious Team Prize'''<br />

''Great Neck North High School –Team #143, Great Neck, NY''<br />

Coach: Madeleine Schindel<br />

Students: Benjamin Albert, Benjamin Leibowicz, Moon Limb, Joanna Melnick, Debbie Yee<br />

'''Exemplary Team Prize'''<br />

''Manalapan High School–Team #113, Manalapan, NJ''<br />

Coach: Stephanie Lynn Pepper<br />

Students: Naiim S. Ali, Andrew Freddo, Franklin Tong, Caleb Tseng, Nicholas Adam Wong<br />

'''First Honorable Mention'''<br />

''High Technology High School – Team #64, Lincroft, NJ''<br />

Coach: Ellen D. LeBlanc<br />

Students: Kathryn Silverio, Elizabeth Wendel, Yelizaveta Yermakova<br />

'''Honorable Mention Team Awards'''<br />

''Manalapan High School, Manalapan, NJ<br />

''McNair Academic High School, Jersey City, NJ''<br />

''New Providence High School, New Providence, NJ''<br />

''Northport High School, Northport, NY''<br />

''Tappan Zee High School, Orangeburg, NY''

==References==

{{Reflist}}

<references />

* http://mathforum.org/electronic.newsletter/mf.intnews13.4.html

* http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9804E5D6153FF930A15757C0A9609C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

* http://www.ahherald.com/content/view/1651/2/

* http://media.www.fsunews.com/media/storage/paper920/news/2007/05/14/News/Professor.Directs.Judging.In.Math.Competition-2902659.shtml

* http://www.csrwire.com/News/11181.html

* http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10753960

* http://www.forbes.com/corporatecitizenship/2008/02/25/cecp-philanthropy-awards-leadership-citizen-cx_mk_0225cecp.html

* http://www.onphilanthropy.com/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7415&s_oo=Iqcbehmy0Q50SXvxb7s3iA

* http://m3challenge.siam.org/M3_Challenge_PROBLEM_08.pdf

* http://www.foxbusiness.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=18943&referralPlaylistId=search|moody%27s%20math%20challenge

==External links==

* [https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/23/nyregion/education/that-was-easy-social-security-problem-solved.html That Was Easy: Social Security Problem Solved]

* [http://m3challenge.siam.org/ http://m3challenge.siam.org]

* [https://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2009/05/west_windsorplainsboro_north_t.html West Windsor-Plainsboro North team in top five in Moody's Math Challenge]

* [http://philanthropy.moodys.com/page.asp?context=mic&template=mic&section=hglts/ http://philanthropy.moodys.com]

* [https://www.maa.org/news/math-news/winning-moodys-mega-math-challenge-paper-published-in-cmj Winning "Moody's Mega Math Challenge" Paper Published in CMJ]

* [http://www.siam.org/ http://siam.org]

{{Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics}}

[[Category:Mathematics competitions]]

[[Category:Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics]]