The Community College Math Ship

The Community College Math Ship
U.S.S. Math Club

Thursday, November 20, 2014

Meeting Attendance and Pics from Mini Math Competition 11.20




CMC^3 Trip Details

Hey guys-

I know we spent a lot of the meeting tonight planning, so I wanted to make a post to reiterate what we talked about:

Funding

The ASCC is funding our CMC^3 Conference (Friday-Saturday 12/5-6) expenses, which includes food, transportation, hotel, and registration, up to $2,000. However, due to the fact that the ASCC reimburses us after the fact (not beforehand), Professor Hoffman, our advisor, and Cathy Lipe (the MESA director at the STEM Center), is going to be handling the transactions for reimbursement, so that we don't have to. Lucky us! Remember to thank them.

Math Club Official T-Shirts

We will have our Math Club T-Shirts by then. You are expected to wear them on Friday, when I give them to you. If you have a specific size request, please tell me so- otherwise, I will be making educated guesses.

Student Research

We will be finishing up our Inequality in Math Education research and poster so that we can present at the Student Poster session on Saturday. If you are interested in participating to help collect data for the research, please contact me as soon as possible. Our survey should be administered by Wednesday (we need to complete on by then and have copies to hand out in Professor Kaven's communications classes). The last week before the trip will be dedicated to creating the poster.

Click here to see Math Club's webpage about our research on Inequality in Math Education.

The Plan for 12/5

Groups of Math Club members are expected to meet at Canada and drive to Monterey. Here is a break down of that plan:

On Friday, December 5th, Math Club Wave 1 is scheduled to meet at Canada College Lot 1 in front of the Library- the time is set tentatively at noon.

Wave 2 is set to meet in the same place and depart at 3:10pm.

Here is a breakdown of the groups that have committed to go and car options:


However, please note that in order to conserve gas, we will only have 3 drivers. For Wave 1, there are 2 drivers: Marie and AJ, who each have 5 available seats per car.

 In Wave 2, Professor Hoffman (MH) has committed to drive the students leaving at that time.

Here is a breakdown of Wave 1 and Wave 2 groups:


We need to make it to the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Monterey b 8pm to see the keynote speaker's talk about Randomness in Theory and Practice. However, Professor Hoffman and Mariah have indicated that they may be able to get us reduced prices on tickets- if we arrive earlier (like we've planned to), we can visit the aquarium!!

If you have not done so already, please go to the following link to RSVP for this trip:

RSVP survey

Information resources:


General info:

Student Poster Session (info):
http://www.cmc3.org/conference/Monterey14/student%20poster%20call.pdf

Mini-Program Guide:
http://www.cmc3.org/conference/Monterey14/MiniProgram2014.pdf

Click here to see this event's event page for Math Club:
http://canadacollegemathclub.blogspot.com/p/cmc3-conference-125-6.html






Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Reminder: CMC^3 and Mini Math Competition Tomorrow

Hey guys,

I just wanted to check in with you to remind everyone that the registration deadline for CMC^3 Conference is approaching, and we need to work out the details. Please come to the meeting with your registration forms printed out. Our advisor, Professor Hoffman, says that students get in for free, so no need to fill out the $$ part- however, we may still need to tell them we're coming by mailing in our registration. Click here to get the PDF.

More importantly: I need you guys to click here to RSVP, so we know you're coming!!!

In the mean time, I though you guys might want to check out the program agenda for Friday:

Check out the full program agenda from the CMC^3 website.

I am personally super excited about this keynote speaker, Alon Amit, and his lecture on "Randomness in Theory and Practice." NOT as boring as it sounds. It is actually a really interesting topic.

Hope to see you guys tomorrow at the club meeting. Check out these practice problems to prepare for the Mini Math Competition, which will begin 5 minutes or so into the meeting and last a little longer than we typically spend on the PoW.

Here is the agenda, which I posted earlier in the week:

Agenda 11.20

Time: 4-5p
Location: 9-257A

4:00 Overview
4:05 Problem of the Week: Mini Math Competition
4:30 Research Project Survey
4:55 Closing Remarks

Thank you,
Becca Reus
Captain of the U.S.S. Math Ship MathClub

These are the voyages of the community college Math Ship. Its two-year mission: to explore strange new equations, to seek out new applications and new ways of abusing tired old math puns, to boldly go... where every single other math major has gone before. 

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Minutes 11/13

Hello Math people!!!

I am finally back with my infamous blogs.  Unfortunately, I have to start out all business.  Attendance this week: Becca, AJ, Cody, Jesus, Ryan, Diedrik, Lee, Justin, Lapuz, Hoffman, and even Try stopped in for a bit.  It has been a while, Try.

We started off like always with our problem of the week for 15 minutes.  This one was kind of a thinker and most people solved it with some calculus 251 ninja moves.  This problem could have also been done using only trigonometry.  Who knew???  To everyone who thought this was a calculus only problem and gave up...you should have at least tried. Tsk, tsk.

Becca showed us a video of a woman talking about polyhedra.  I personally learned that Math just sounds better in a British accent.  We did learn some more productive things, too.  If you like to know more...come to Math club and watch the dang video!!!

The last past of the hour was spent making polyhedra by cutting up triangles and taping them together.  21st century technology in action over here.  I got to bring home some super cool paper polyhedra.  That's right, be jealous.

AJ OUT!!!!!!!!!!!

Monday, November 17, 2014

Agenda 11.20

Time: 4-5p
Location: 9-257A

4:00 Overview*
4:05 Problem of the Week: Mini Math Competition**
4:30 Research Project Survey
4:55 Closing Remarks


*Get a head start by printing and filling out your registration for the CMC^3 Conference.
**Instead of having a regular PoW, we are going to have a Mini Math Competition, based on real math competition problems from the AMC. Bring your friends.


Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Agenda 11.13

Polyhedra Party

Location: 9-257A
Time: 4-5pm

4:00 Problem of the Week (both of them)
4:15 Watch Video
4:30 Make Polyhedra!

Links to Problem of the Week:
PoW 1
PoW 2

Also: Happy Birthday, Cody!

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Agenda 11/13

Hands-On Activity! Plus free food!

Note: Text Becca if you're interested in helping her and some friends build sample polyhedra on Saturday evening, 11/8. Off-campus, not club-related, 21+.

Date: 11/13
Time: 4-5p
Location: TBA by 11/7
Topic: Making the Abstract Come to Life

4:00 Eat dinner, PoW, video
4:15 Begin Activity
4:55 Introduce trig PoW, finish at next meeting

Love,
President Becca

Agenda 11/6

Important Conference Funding Meeting

Note: Math Club will again not have a regular meeting on Thursday, November 11th, due to the fact that our presence is expected at the ASCC meeting, which takes place on that date from 3:30-5:30. You do not have to stay the entire time, even though it may be respectful to do so. If you can't make it until 4, please come at 4. Location will be building 2 room 10. If you cannot find the room, text Becca at 650.556.4647.

Date: 11/6
Time: 3:30-5:30
Location: ASCC Meeting in Building 2, Room 10
Purpose: To answer questions about our funding request for CMC^3 and JMM.

A breakdown of the ASCC has not been posted at this time, but it will be posted beforehand at the following link: http://canadacollege.edu/studentlife/asccagendasandmins.php.

If you are an officer, please let President Rebecca know if you can't make it by contacting her through one of the following:
Email: rreus@my.smccd.edu or mathclubcanada@gmail.com
Cell: 650.556.4647

Halloween Town 2014 (10/30 Minutes)

Hello Everyone,

Halloween Town was a success for the campus, and a success for Math Club in the sense that we gained a ton of publicity about our existence, our research, our scholarship opportunities, and our desire to do more hands-on activities (Like November 13th's hands-on activity involving polyhedra, which is coming up!!!). However, in another sense, we were a bit of a flop in the sense that we didn't make enough money to cover the cost of our costumes, the amazing Scary Math Test tees, which were designed by Becca.

Scary Math Test tee (front)
Scary Math Test tee (back)
We did, however, break even on the pies, cider, and plates. The problem was that we forgot to buy plates, forks, and napkins in advance from somewhere cheap, and instead had to purchase less for more at the store where we purchased the pies, which were also unfortunately purchased a few minutes before the event was supposed to begin, instead of in advance. In the rush to purchase the pies, cider, and supplies, we accidentally purchased too many pies. Even selling slices at a dollar each, we still had a few pies left over, and they had to be thrown away (there was nowhere to put them). At least we learned our lesson for next time, and at least we broke even on the pie costs!

One of the cutest and most popular items were the Commissioner of Publicity Ryan's 3D printed "Pumpkin Pi" garnishes. Anyone who has pictures of these should send them to me at rreus@my.smccd.edu or MathClubCanada@gmail.com so that we can put them here on the blog!

Math Club is still boss, guys. We had spirit, and that counts.

Special thanks to:
Commisioner Gordon Cody for providing a contact to Safeway for the $50 donation and transportation to Safeway the day of the event. He also manned the table and managed a cashbox.
Commisioner of Publicity Ryan for providing us with free professional propaganda and 3D printed pumkin pi garnish for the pi pies.
Secretary AJ for manning the table in the morning
Propagandist Lee, Diedrik, and Idea Man Mr. Green (Jonathan) for manning the table in the evening.
ICC Liaison / Community Outreach Coordinator Antonia for stopping by to help out.
The Financial Aid Advisor for donating $25.

Please let me know if you did something for this event and I forgot you! It is important we acknowledge you here on the blog. Good job, guys!

Respect,
President Becca

Edit: Ryan has shared photos of his Pumpkin Pi propaganda with us: