How to make math fun!!

The secret to making math FUN is USING IT TO DO SOMETHING COOL! Then math becomes a gold mine.

It is the same reason that you don't read plays, you PERFORM THEM, because plays were meant to be performed.

All of the formulas and mathematical concepts become a big bag of goodies. Each formula is like a TOOL that you can use whenever you need it.

If you are stranded on a deserted island you can calculate just how lost you are on a stone, while talking to a volley ball. (Castaway).

If you need to breach a high security area you can make yourself a human PENDULUM and swing across several buildings. (Mission Impossible III)

If you get blindfolded and TAKEN, you can calculate your exact location using the time it takes for the sound of a grenade to reach your ears and a bit of Trigonometry. (Taken 2)

OR....

You can use the INTEREST FORMULA to calculate how much extra money your credit card company is charging you. (Now THAT is useful. haha)

This is a Geodesic Dome I made with drinking straws and pipe cleaners.

This is the math for my Geodesic Dome.

I even made a larger geodesic dome from copy paper and metal fasteners. See all the TRIANGLES, HEXAGONS, and PENTAGONS?

This is the math for the larger dome. I used PATTERNS to memorize the order of the struts.

One thing I liked about my college Calculus course was that we used it to solve real life problems. We had to calculate the motion of a NASA ship on it's trip to the moon.

We also had to calculate the blood flow through a vein of a particular diameter

We also had to use PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS/CURVES to draw out a simple font. A link to a document on parametric curves is in the comments under this step.

I once made a small app where I wanted a part of an image to rotate around a certain point. Used a little trigonometry to figure it out.

What if you could make a game like Angry Birds? Well, Angry birds uses a lot of math. It uses Physics and perhaps Calculus. It doesn't use every single Physics formula, but it does use quite a bit.

If you want to get started making your own games, try out GAMEMAKER STUDIO by YOYO GAMES. It is the easiest way to make games that you can play right on your computer!

I think that the perfect medium for applying math is COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. You don't have to use much math to program, but the more you know, the more you can do. And that should be reason to learn.

Check out my Snapguide on HOW TO UNDERSTAND COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. Ciao!

EXAMPLES:

I just created a formula for fitting a wedding band around a finger.

I use these formulas to mentally calculate how long a trip will take me. If it takes 5 minutes in a car, that's 30 on a bike and an hour on foot.

I got these formulas by physically driving, cycling and walking from one place to another and comparing the times. Whether it be 20ft or 20 miles doesn't matter. A longer distance is better though.