# STEM Fair Ideas (Mathematics)

1. Feb 1, 2016

### Jonathan Kyle

Hello all, hope all is well.
I come seeking ideas to present at my college's STEM Fair coming up in a few months. To give you idea of my mathematical background, I am currently taking Differential Equations(ODE) and Discrete Math. I have completed Calc I,II, Vector Calculus and Linear Algebra. Of those courses I have completed I enjoyed Linear Algebra the most and I have an personal interest in Number Theory and Geometry.
I have the option to present with a poster or oral presentation but feeling oral would work with some PowerPoint to allow people to visualize the concepts.

I appreciate your time and help,
Jonathan

P.S. GO PANTHERS!

2. Feb 1, 2016

### Staff: Mentor

You know that mathematics can appear boring, even on ppt?
Do you have any ideas already? I mean the spread between almost trivial results, such as the infinity of the number of primes, to a proof that $\pi$ is transcendental. It's not easy to pick something right of the air.

P.S.: GO Broncos!

3. Feb 1, 2016

### Krylov

You could use Beamer instead of PowerPoint. It looks a lot better. However, I use slides only for graphics and numerical results. Proofs (even when they are really small) seem to go best on the blackboard.

4. Feb 2, 2016

### Jonathan Kyle

Originally, I thought about using DEs to explain some phenomena in other sciences, but I think most people would fall asleep five minutes in. One of my professors recommended presenting on Graph Theory and using the Seven Bridges Problem. I like the idea and must everybody will be able to follow. With Graph Theory I am trying to think of a larger scale example that I can complete to present also, to show how it can scale with more complex problems.

5. Feb 2, 2016

### Staff: Mentor

I don't have the same opinion here. (Just as with the other thing ...)

I think the Predator-Prey-Equations can be very exciting: just speak of real animals and locations. My professor did it with reindeer, wolves and snow rabbits in Newfoundland. And he drew interesting vector fields, too.

And considering, e.g. the actual Zika outbreak, or Sars, Ebola or swine flue in the past, pandemics can be very interesting as well.
For this search for SIR models and pandemic diseases.

6. Feb 2, 2016

### Jonathan Kyle

Fresh, thanks for the idea about Zika outbreak, the crowd might actually stay awake!