M3 Challenge Recap

On March 1st, five upper school students participated in the M3 Challenge, a 14-hour math challenge organized by SIAM (Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics) and sponsored by MathWorks. This competition required the students to learn the software MatLab and participate in mathematical modeling that is not directly addressed by our curriculum. At the end of the 14-hour block, the students had created a 23-page report modeling the internal temperature of homes in Memphis, TN, during a heat wave. Although our team was not advanced as finalists, Trinity is proud of their dedication and work output. We hope this will be a catalyst for future teams to participate in math modeling contests. 

Here are some quotes from the challenge weekend experience:

“The M3 Challenge was more than anything a test of our mental fortitude and organizational skills in tackling a large problem and splitting it up into manageable chunks. I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity through Trinity to do something which broadened my mathematical horizon and increase my interest in a more logistical approach to problem solving, especially in fields which I previously had little to no knowledge in such as air conditioning in Memphis, TN and how many BTUs the human body produced. Overall this is an experience I will remember for a long time to come. It was the most fun thing I’ve done in all of high school” William D. ‘26 (Team Captain)

“It was tiring and difficult but extremely rewarding at the end.” - Mira R. ‘26

“It was fun, I guess. I drank A LOT of coffee.”- J.K. W. ‘26

“I really enjoyed the opportunity to do something I haven’t done before. It was a very different experience from anything that we do in school. I’m excited to see how this year’s experience helps us when we do it again next year.” - Charlie W. ‘26

“It was so amazing to see everyone's unique talents come together to take on the challenge, and it was so satisfying to upload the paper and be able to say that we successfully completed the 14 hour challenge!"- Lauren B. ‘25

“I am really impressed by this group of students and the initiative they took on this contest. They formed a team on their own and self-directed the entire process. They gave up an entire day (14 hours) of their weekend to participate. I think this was a really great experience for our students, and I look forward to seeing what this team can do next year.” - Carly Vollet (Faculty Advisor)