Polar Derivatives

The last Problem of the Week for 2011 is now posted, and it's feeling all festive. Take a journey deep into the cold, barren wastelands of the Northern ice cap and search among the iceburgs to find a certain toymaker's workshop. (In case you need help calculating the derivative of a polar equation.) 

With a nod of his head and a wink of his eye, he will promptly ask you to stop trespassing, and for Christmas this year? A restraining order from Santa. 

No, this is not how you planned things at all...

Cubism, Sadness, and Super Powers

Photo by fdecomite

Have you ever loved something so deeply, so meaningfully, so completely, so profoundly that it would really irk you if you dropped that thing into a bubbling vat of acid? I have, and so that you may learn from my tragedy, I will share a horrific tale from my past. 

Once, on a whim, I spent an entire summer trying to carve a perfect cube from a piece of driftwood on the beach. Don't ask why; this is what all math teachers do during summer break, and if teachers tell you otherwise, they are lying. Look at their hands carefully—they are probably whittling as they lie to you!

Click here to read more and to attempt the Problem of the Week.

Be Thankful for the Chain Rule

Long ago, in the early days of American history, a hearty band of pilgrims landed firmly on Plymouth Rock for two reasons: (1) they sought religious freedom, and (2) they mistimed their jumps, originally aiming for Plymouth Soft Sand and getting a nasty lump on their foreheads as a result. (See last week's My First Cliff Diving Kit for more information, or visit your local library.)

These days we celebrate the seafaring and clumsy spirit of those pilgrims by gathering family together and calcuating derivatives. Enjoy this gravy-soaked chain rule Problem of the Week, and we'll see you in two weeks, after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Diving into Rates of Change

Image by John O'NolanEvery holiday season, there's one toy every child yearns for, the hot toy of the year that's in short supply but high demand. In ages past, Cabbage Patch Kids, Furbies, and Tickle Me Elmos topped the sales charts, but not this year. No sir (or madam, as the case may be).

In the new Problem of the Week, we announce this year's must have toy: My First Cliff Diving Kit! You'll be the talk of the town as you plummet from astronomical heights, narrowly dodging razor-sharp rocks, and land in water less than four feet deep. The only thing you'll be tickling is your fancy (or the side of the hospital bed in a desperate request for additional painkillers because you forgot to calculate for wind on your most recent dive).

Getting Graphic with Derivatives

In a shameless attempt to increase our ratings during sweeps month, the new Problem of the Week is pretty graphic, so we feel it necessary to warn you ahead of time. If you are upset by scenes of graphic functions and their derivatives, or if there are any young mathematicians among you, you may want to turn away from your computer screen now.