Month:

What is Mathematical about a Tree?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor wonders what is mathematical about trees. He asks why do trees always have a larger singular trunk at the Earth, and more smaller branches in the sky? Why not one singular branch that stretches up? Dr. Glen Whitney explores this natural phenomenon that applies to all trees. A supplementary activity guide is available for this video, thanks to participation by faculty and students at Simmons School of... CONTINUE READING

How does Gravity Affect Flowing Water?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor explores the natural phenomenon of water tapering in as it flows downward. Have you ever noticed this? A supplementary activity guide is available for this video, thanks to participation by faculty and students at Simmons School of Education and Human Development at SMU: https://talkstem.org/talkstem-activity-guid... CONTINUE READING

How Do You Create Your Own Labyrinth?

  • September 9

Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor discusses the differences between a labyrinth and a maze and poses the math questions that directly relate to the design of a labyrinth, which is a winding path that never repeats, and yet has only one route that can take you from the outer edge to the center. How do you design a labyrinth? How many different labyrinths could there be or is this the only one?... CONTINUE READING

How Can We Determine Map Scale?

  • September 9

A talkSTEM team member helps us understand scale by determining the scale of this map of Red Bird Mall. We invite all interested groups to reach out and find more information on creating content of their own math walk or STEM walking tour with us at https://talkstem.org/create-your-own-walkstem.... CONTINUE READING

Why is There a Gap in the Building’s Facade?

  • September 9

This building has a unique design element – there is a gap in the facade of the building. Why would there be one? In this video, which is geared for high school students and older, Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, discusses temperature changes that we are used to, here in Dallas. He goes on to explore the mathematical relationship between change in temperature and the expansion factor of aluminum. Supplementary Activity Guides fo... CONTINUE READING

What is the Artist’s Favorite Ratio?

  • September 9

Renzo Piano, the architect who designed the stunning Nasher Sculpture Center, had a favorite ratio that becomes a repeating motif in the design and the measurements of the building. How can we figure it out? Join Dr. Glen Whitney, founder of the National Museum of Mathematics in New York and walkSTEM advisor, as he (together with a group of friends) takes some quick measurements to figure this out. Supplementary Activity Guides for this video to extend student learning for K-12 grade levels are... CONTINUE READING

How Many are in the Array?

  • September 9

The television screens laid out in the Dallas Public Library Louise Kahn Pavilion are arranged in an array, a regular grid of objects. This can make calculating how many screens are in the are the array a quick process – join us as we discuss the techniques to do so!... CONTINUE READING

How Big is Your Imagination?

  • September 9

The castle-shaped shelves in the Dallas Public Library picture book area is a fun way to incorporate imaginative architecture into a space. Designing these sorts of shelves requires quite a bit of math and planning – something we try to tease apart by taking measurements of its dimensions.... CONTINUE READING