YSU MegaMath Workshops

What Are They?

One of the main features of YSU MegaMath Day is the workshops. All students will attend 2 workshops chosen from a wide variety of topics. Workshops encourage learning and engaging in many fields in mathematics through group activities and demonstrations. Students will have the opportunity to see that mathematics is much more than computation! The workshops will be conducted by university faculty and students and are noncompetitive.

Workshop Titles 2025

1. Math is Magic! by Dr. Prieto
2. How Lucky is a Bowl of Lucky Charms? by Dr. Jay Kerns.
3. It’s Golden! by Ms. Alayne Leone.
4. Instant Insanity by Dr. Tom Smotzer.
5. The Slide Rule: Outdated and Nerdy! by Dr. Thomas Madsen.
6. Catch, Tag, Release: How Scientists Count Animals? by Dr. Lucy Kerns.
7. Why Should We Hire You? by Dr. Paddy Taylor.
8. Fun with Fractals by Dr. Jozsi Jalics.
9. The Math of Secrecy by Dr. Sergio Zapata.
10. How Much Should I Ask for an Allowance? by Mr. Mason Martuccio.
11. Trashket Ball by YSU Students.
12. Abacus Masters: Compete Like the Math Pros by YSU Students.

Math is Magic! by Dr. Prieto

In this workshop, we will explore a few magic tricks and the mathematics behind them. The goal of this workshop is that you all learn a few tricks you can do to others but more importantly, a little bit of the mathematics behind them so you can make up new tricks!

How Lucky is a Bowl of Lucky Charms? by Dr. Jay Kerns

A bowl of this popular breakfast cereal, with its multi-colored marshmallows and tasty toasted oats, truly lives up to its tagline: "Magically Delicious!" However, it seems like, as the box gets emptier, the later bowls somehow don't seem quite as magical as the earlier ones. Using mathematics and statistics, we'd like to investigate this phenomenon. Just how lucky is a bowl of Lucky Charms? Come to this workshop to find out!

It’s Golden! by Ms. Alayne Leone

The golden ratio. What is it? Where do we see it? Where does it come from? In this workshop, we will explore the golden ratio and the Fibonacci sequence that is seen in nature, art, architecture, and human hand bones!

Instant Insanity, by Dr. Tom Smotzer

Instant Insanity is the name given by Parker Brothers to their 1967 version of a puzzle that has existed since antiquity. We will explore the mathematical world of graph theory and use tools of graph theory to find a solution to the puzzle.

The Slide Rule: Outdated and Nerdy! by Dr. Thomas Madsen

It had a long life from the 17th century up until the mid-20th century. It was made completely obsolete by electricity and cheap electronics. It was used by astronauts and was as common as the pocket calculator is today. In this workshop we will introduce the basics of the slide rule. We will learn what makes the slide rule a great device for completing quick computations. This workshop is restricted to 5 students. This will be nerdy and fun!

Catch, Tag, Release: How Scientists Count Animals? by Dr. Lucy Kerns

Ever wonder how scientists count all the fish in a lake or all the squirrels in a park? It's impossible to count every single one! They use a smart method called capture-recapture. It's a fun and simple trick for estimating the size of a population without a full headcount. In this workshop, you will learn how to apply this trick to estimate the size of a population.

Why Should We Hire You? by Dr. Paddy Taylor

Abstract: Regardless of the job, employers want to hire a candidate who can make sense out of problems, both expected and unexpected, that may arise. In their attempt to find problem solvers, many employers pose challenging questions during job interviews to test the reasoning abilities of applicants.

In this workshop, students will be presented with questions (from actual companies including Google) that have been asked during job interviews or used in the applicant screening process.

An example of one such question is: 10 machines produce gold coins of a uniform weight. Unfortunately, one of the machines is broken and producing coins that are x grams too heavy. Assuming we know what the correct weight of the coins should be, can we locate the broken machine if the only tool at our disposal is a scale with a digital read-out, and we are only allowed to use the scale once?

Fun with Fractals, by Dr. Jozsi Jalics

Explore the fun and beautiful geometry of fractals by constructing some of your own fractals.

The Math of Secrecy by Dr. Sergio Zapata

Have you ever wondered what happens when you type your password or PIN online? How does it stay secret when you hit enter?

The answer is...math! In this workshop, we'll introduce you to the fascinating world of cryptography (the math of secrecy). Come join us and discover the secrets behind the numbers that guard your digital world!

How Much Should I Ask for an Allowance? by Mr. Mason Martuccio

Abstract: What if you asked your parents for a single penny on the first day of the month—then doubled the amount every day after? How much would you earn in just one month? What about six months or even a year? The results might surprise you—it adds up to an incredible amount! In this workshop, we’ll dive into this playful scenario to uncover the fascinating world of exponential growth and discover why doubling makes numbers grow so quickly.

Trashket Ball by YSU Students

In this workshop, students will sharpen their skills with multiplication, fractions, and PEMDAS through a fun, competitive game. Working in teams, students will use worksheets to solve problems, then “shoot” their answers in a basketball-style challenge.

Abacus Masters: Compete Like the Math Pros by YSU Students

Think you’re quick at math? Put your skills to the test with the abacus—the original calculator! In this interactive workshop, students will learn how to use the abacus and attempt to go head-to-head for rapid calculations, face off, and explore how this ancient tool can still outperform modern methods in mental math. Also see some of the neat things an abacus can do that you might not have expected.