Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013 - (Page 3)

editor's note BIG IDEAS FOR BRIGHT MINDS ™ The Numbers Game ASSISTANT EDITOR Amy Entwisle CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & EDITORS CHARLES BECKMAN We live in a world of numbers. From grade point averages to pixels-perinch, and calendars and clocks to cooking, numbers are an integral part of everything we do. Math is the basis for engineering the computers we rely on every day. Computer games alone utilize geometry, vectors, transformations, 3D graphics, graph theory, and simulations. Economists use numbers to compare population, per capita income, and population density. Scientists use math to calculate the half-lives of radioactive elements, predict epidemics, and model the universe itself. In sports, we talk about win-loss percentages, RBIs, ERAs, and the NFL draft lottery. Musicians count notes. There are more opportunities than ever to use the power of numbers to understand and improve our world. To do so, we must first understand what the numbers mean. Statistics impact everything from the food we eat to the medicine we take and the money we earn, yet the context in which we view statistical information can dramatically alter the "facts" on which we base vital decisions. To increase awareness of the importance of statistics, 2013 has been declared the International Year of Statistics, a designation supported by over 2,150 organizations. In this issue of Imagine, you'll hear from a statistician, an economist, an actuary, and a man who devotes his time and energy to fostering a love of math. You'll hear from students who have explored cryptography, proof-based math, and economics through clubs and competitions, summer programs, and research projects. You'll learn how modeling is being used to see into the past-and look ahead to the future. Then, if you're ready to explore the world of numbers in more depth, you'll find many resources to help you do so. Mathematics opportunities abound: you can participate in an intense summer program, research a mathematical topic for a science fair, or join your school's math team and compete in exciting national contests. How you decide to explore is up to you. And if your experience is like those of this issue's writers, you'll be a more critical, adventurous, and creative thinker in the end.-mh EDITOR Melissa Hartman Kristi Birch Carol Blackburn Linda E. Brody Amy Dusto Michelle Muratori DESIGN & PRODUCTION Bonotom Studio, Inc. ART DIRECTOR Abigail Noonan ISSN 1071-605X Vol. 21 No.2 | Nov/Dec 2013 Copyright © 2013 by The Johns Hopkins University All rights reserved. No portion of this journal may be reproduced by any process or technique without the formal consent of The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth. Published five times a year: September/October November/December January/February March/April May/June ADDRESS SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES TO: Imagine, JHU Press Journals Division, P.O. Box 19966 Baltimore, MD 21211-0966 800-548-1784, 410-516-6968 (fax) or order online:cty.jhu.edu/imagine ADDRESS EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO: Melissa Hartman CTY/Imagine 5801 Smith Avenue, Suite 400 Baltimore, MD 21209 mhartman@jhu.edu Visit www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine/current.html for links to this issue's resources as well as some excellent related content. www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine imagine 3 http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine/current.html http://www.cty.jhu.edu/imagine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013

In My Own Words
Interested in Econ
The World in Numbers
Reckoning with Randomness
Elliptic Curves
A League of Our Own
More Than Math
Developing Your Numbersense
Where Math Meets Imagination
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Dancing in the Footsteps of My Ancestors
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Game

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - November/December 2013