Math is Fun

Mr. Arnold has loved math since he was a child and you'll love it too when he shows you how math can be fun.

One fun way to enjoy math is solving puzzles and problems. These are not at all like the problems you normally get in math class. Aside from the challenge and fun, you will learn to use powerful general problem solving methods that can be used outside of the classroom, even outside of mathematics. I'll list these methods on a different page.

A great way to begin is by trying The Math Contest. This is a free archive of current and past math problems and puzzles using nothing more than high school mathematics. It's open to anyone in the world who likes a challenge. Create a free account. They don't ask personal info or hassle you with ads. It's a very fun site!

Another fun thing is to try some of Mr. Arnold's favorite puzzles. I usually provide the solutions, but try to resist the urge to peek before you try. Some of the answers will surprise you!  Here are some to try:

If you have 9 red socks and 12 blue socks all mixed up in a drawer, how many would you have to select (without looking) to be sure you had a matching pair?

It has nothing to do with the number of socks, only the number of colors. Since there are two colors, you have to select three socks to be sure that two match.

What fraction is halfway between 1/4 and 1/3?

1/4 equals 6/24, and 1/3 equals 8/24 and so 7/24 is exactly halfway between

Robert is three times as old as Susan, but in two years he’ll only be twice as old as Susan. How is this possible?

Parents & Kids 1st to 8th grade. This is for you!

Stayed tuned. There's more fun coming soon!

Robert is 6 years old and Susan is 2 years old, so right now he’s three times as old. But in two years Robert will be 8 and Susan will be 4, so he’ll only be twice as old.

Using math, I can prove that there are at least two people who live in Philadelphia who have EXACTLY the same number of hairs on their heads!

Even MORE fun math!

Too late for this poor guy. It's VERY useful.

It's a known fact that no one has more than 500,000 hairs on their heads. But, there are over 1,000,000 people living in Philly. Therefore, it's impossible that everyone has a different number of hairs on their heads!

Here's a neat reason to not hate Mondays. And, of course, it has a mathematical basis. Here goes: Since the average human life-span is about 70 years and there are seven days in the week, you'll spend a solid 10 years on Mondays! Don't wish away ten years of your life, especially when you realize that you'll also get to spend 20 solid years on weekends!