MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge: Difference between revisions

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{{COI|date=January 2018}}{{More citations needed|date=June 2021}}
{{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]]}}
'''MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge''' is a [[mathematical modeling competition]] open to high schoolschools students acrossin the United StatesU.S. (including US territories and DoDEA schools) are eligible. 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" />
 
The M3 Challenge awards $100,000 in scholarship prizes each year to the top teams. AnAdditional additionalincentives incentiveare isexpenses-paid trips for top performing teams to the final event in New York City each April, and media recognition that the winning teams receive. TheSome 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]],. andMany Champion teams have had their solution papers and research published in SIAM's undergraduate publication, SIAM Undergraduate Research Online (SIURO). 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.{{CN|date=January 2018}} Many local and regional TV and radio stations interview top teams; and in 2021 both NPR and the BBC interviewed top teams about their work and the problem topic of defeating the digital divide and making internet accessible to all.
 
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==
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==Challenge weekend==
The M3 Challenge is held annually on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in late February or early March. Students choose which day theyand wishwhat tocontinuous work.span Studentsof also14 choosehours whatthat timethey wish to work thanksover toChallenge flexible work timeweekend. All teams will work in, or convert their local time to, Eastern Standard Time and download the problem any time over Challenge weekend to begin their consecutive fourteen hours of work. Once the problem is downloaded, the clock starts and it cannot be paused; students should download the problem with at least fourteen hours before the firm end of Challenge weekend to have use of the full fourteen hours allowed. They can work from any ___location they choose.
 
==The problem==
Professional Ph.D.-level applied mathematicians devise and write the Challenge problem. Students have no knowledge of the problem before they download it on Challenge weekend. To solve the problem, they are allowed to use any inanimate 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 monthlypractice dialogproblem with live text chat discussion, can be found [https://m3challenge.siam.org/monthlypractice-dialogueproblems/ here]. Below are previous problems:
 
'''2006 Problem –''' ''Solving the Social Security Stalemate''<br />
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'''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''
'''2018 Problem –''' ''Better Ate Than Never: Reducing Food Waste''
'''2019 Problem –''' ''One is Too Many and A Thousand Not Enough: Substance Use and Abuse''
'''2020 Problem –''' ''Keep On Trucking: U.S. Big Rigs Turnover From Diesel to Electric''
'''2021 Problem –''' ''Defeating the Digital Divide: Internet Costs, Needs, and Optimal Planning''
 
==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 twelve times each, and the top papers emerge. The top six willpapers overall become Finalists and go on to the final event and presentation round of judging. JudgingIn is2018 blindthe untilM3 Challenge Technical Computing Scholarship Award was instituted and honors teams for an 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., Theuntil the validation and presentation round isduring heldthe infinal Aprilevent. whereFinalist theand Technical Computing Awardee teams present their papers live to a panel of 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 have the option of awarding up to $37,000 inaward 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.
Honorable mention prizes are awarded to teams whose papers are judged to be worthy of recognition for their superior efforts.
 
The top six teams' schools are awarded trophies. Scholarship prizes for the top six finalist teams are as follows (GBP equivalent for U.K. winning teams):
Semi-finalist prizes are awarded to teams whose papers were highly ranked and underwent in-depth, specific discussion by judges, but missed making it into the top six.
 
The top six teams' schools are awarded trophies. Scholarship prizes for the top six finalist teams are as follows:
*M3 Challenge Champions (Summa Cum Laude Team Prize) $20,000
*M3 Challenge Runner Up (Magna Cum Laude Team Prize) $15,000