math history research project

12 Math Project Ideas for Middle and High School Students

By János Perczel

Co-founder of Polygence, PhD from MIT

6 minute read

Mathematics serves as the foundation for most fields of science, such as physics, engineering, computer science, and economics. It equips you with critical problem-solving skills and the ability to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts. It helps you avoid ambiguity and communicate in what is often called “the universal language,” so-called because its principles and concepts are the same worldwide. Beyond the fact that studying math can open up many career opportunities, some mathematicians also simply find beauty in the equations and proofs themselves.

In this post, we’ll give you ideas for different math research and passion projects and talk about how you can showcase your project.

How do I find my math passion project focus?

Because math is so foundational in the sciences, there are many different directions you can take with your math passion project. Decide which topics within mathematics most speak to you. Maybe you’re more interested in how math is used in sports statistics, how you can harness math to solve global problems, or perhaps you’re curious about how math manifests itself in the physical realm. Once you find a topic that interests you, then you can begin to dive deeper. 

Keep in mind that some passion projects may require more technical skills, such as computer programming, whereas others may just explore theoretical concepts. The route you take is totally up to you and what you feel comfortable with, but don’t be afraid to pursue a project if you don’t currently have the technical skills for it. You can view it as an opportunity to learn new skills while also exploring a topic you’re excited about.

Do your own research through Polygence!

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in your area of passion. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own.

What are the best math project ideas?

1. the mathematical properties of elections.

In recent years, there has been a lot of discussion about which election mechanism is most effective at achieving various goals. Proposed mechanisms in United States elections include majority elections, the electoral college, approval voting, and ranked-choice voting. All of these mechanisms have benefits and drawbacks, and it turns out that no perfect election mechanism exists. Look at the work being done by mathematicians to understand when elections fail, and what can be done to improve them. Choose the strongest mechanism and use evidence to support your claim.

Idea by math research mentor Grayson

2. Knot theory

A knot is simply a closed loop of string. Explore how mathematicians represent knots on a page. Learn how knots can be combined, and how to find knots that can't be created by combining other knots. You can learn techniques for determining whether or not two knots are distinct, in the sense that neither can be deformed to match the other. You can also study related objects, such as links and braids, and research the application of knots in the physical sciences.

Idea by math research mentor Alex

3. Bayesian basketball win prediction system

The Bayes’ Rule is crucial to modern statistics (as well as data science and machine learning). Using a Bayesian model to predict the probability distribution of basketball performance statistics, you can attempt to predict a team’s win and loss rate versus another team by drawing samples from these distributions and computing correlation to win or loss. Your project could be as simple or as complicated as you want. Based on your interest and comfort level, you could use simple normal models, mixture models, Gibbs sampling , and hidden Markov models. You can also learn how to code a fairly simple simulation in R or Python. Then, you’ll need to learn how to interpret the significance of statistical results and adjust results over time based on the success/failure of your model over time.

Idea by math research mentor Ari

4. Finding value in Major League Baseball free agency

Here’s another sports-related project idea. Every offseason, there are hundreds of professional baseball players who become free agents and can be signed by any team. This project involves determining which players might be a good "value" by deciding which statistics are most important to helping a team win relative to how players are generally paid. After deciding which stats are the most important, a ranked list of "value" can be produced based on expected salaries.

Idea by math research mentor Dante

5. Impact of climate change on drought risk

Are you interested in environmental economics, risk analysis, or water resource economics?

You can use historical data on precipitation, temperature, soil moisture, drought indicators, and meteorological models that simulate atmospheric conditions to train a machine-learning model that can assess the likelihood and intensity of droughts in different regions under different climate scenarios. You can also explore your assessments' potential adaptation strategies and policy implications. This project would require some skills in data processing, machine learning, and meteorological modeling.

Idea by math research mentor Jameson

Go beyond crunching numbers

Interested in Math? We'll match you with an expert mentor who will help you explore your next project.

6. Making machines make art 

You can program a computer to create an infinite number of images, music, video game levels, 3D objects, or text using techniques like neural style transfer, genetic algorithms, rejection sampling, Perlin noise , or Voronoi tessellation . Your challenge then is to create a functioning content generator that you could then showcase on a website, research conference, or even in a gallery exhibition.

Idea by math research mentor Sam

7. Measuring income inequality and social mobility

If you’re interested in the intersection of mathematics and public policy, here’s an idea. Use data from the World Bank, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and other sources to calculate the Gini coefficient and the intergenerational elasticity of income for different countries and regions over time. Explore the factors that influence these measures and their implications for economic development and social justice. You will need to have some skills in data collection, analysis, and visualization.

8. Rocket (fuel) science

Rockets are mainly made out of fuel. When the fuel burns, it gets heated and expelled out, producing thrust. Fuel is heavy and, for long-range space missions, we need to carry around the fuel for the rest of the mission the whole way. It is important that the fuel gives us the most bang for our buck (i.e., the most acceleration per unit of fuel). Compare the amount of fuel (weight) required to get to various celestial objects and back using current electric and chemical propulsion technologies . Then do a cost analysis and compare how long it would take.

Idea by math research mentor Derek

9. COVID-19 and the global financial crisis

It is shocking how the economic effects of COVID-19 have far outweighed the ones from the Global Financial Crisis in 2007-08 . How much is the difference in terms of employment? Production? Let's go to the data!

Idea by math research mentor Alberto

10. Modeling polarization in social networks

We've all seen or heard about nasty political arguments and echo chambers on social media, but how and why do these happen? To try and find out, construct a mathematical and/or computational model of how people with different opinions interact in a social network. When do people come to a consensus, and when do they become more strongly divided? How can we design social networks with these ideas in mind?

Idea by math research mentor Emily

11. The world of mathematics

The history of mathematics dates all the way back to the very first civilizations and followed throughout history all over the globe. This development leads us to our way of living and thinking today. Rarely taught in math courses, the origins of math can provide clear insight into the necessities of learning math and the broad applications that math has in the world. Conduct research on a chosen time period, location, or figure in mathematics and describe the impacts this innovation or innovator had on the development of math as we know it today.

Idea by math research mentor Shae

12. Simulating the stock market

Here’s an idea for a beginner-to-intermediate statistics and programming project centered around Monte Carlo simulations. Monte Carlo simulations are random methods for modeling the outcome of a complicated process. These methods are used in finance all the time. How could you code a program that uses the Monte Carlo technique to "simulate" the stock market? You will need some familiarity with statistics, basic finance, and basic programming in any language to complete this project.

Idea by math research mentor Sahil

How can I showcase my math project?

After you’ve done the hard work of completing your mathematics passion project, it’s also equally important to showcase your accomplishments . You can see that in many of the project ideas above, there is a clear topic, but how you want to present the project is open-ended. You could try to publish a research paper , create a podcast or infographic, or even create a visual representation of your concept. You’ll find that although many project ideas can simply be summarized in a paper, projects can also be showcased in other creative ways.

Polygence Scholars Are Also Passionate About

What are some examples of math passion projects completed by polygence students.

There are several examples of math projects Polygence students have completed through enrolling in our programs; we’ll highlight two here.

Ahmet's mathematical passion project offers detailed breakdowns of the first introduced quantum algorithm Deutsch-Jozsa, and the first quantum algorithm proven to be faster than classical algorithms, Grover’s Algorithm. It also includes a side-by-side comparison of the quantum algorithms and their classical counterparts. He uploaded his paper on Github and plans to submit it to an official publication soon.

Anna’s finance project provides an overview of topics related to personal finance, covering tax and benefits, tax-deferred savings, interest rates, cost of living, investing, insurance, and housing to help young adults manage their savings. To further her understanding of how different areas of finance influence one's life consumption, she created a life consumption plan for a hypothetical person and produced a paper. 

How can I get guidance and support on my math project?

In this post, we covered how to find the right mathematics project for you, shared a dozen ideas for physics passion projects, and discussed how to showcase your project.

If you have a passion for math–or are generally curious about exploring mathematical concepts–and are interested in pursuing a passion project, Polygence’s programs are a great place to start. You’ll be paired with a mathematics research mentor with whom you’ll be able to meet one-on-one. Through these virtual mentorship sessions, your mentor can help you learn new concepts, troubleshoot issues you encounter along the way to bringing your math project to completion, and brainstorm with you on how to showcase your passion project .

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MA 410: History of Mathematics: Sample Paper Topics

• Getting Started
• Sample Paper Topics
• Primary vs Secondary Sources
• Finding Books
• Finding Articles
• Using MathSciNet
• Style Guides
• Research Summaries
• Interlibrary Loan
• Help & More

Suggested Topics

Here are some topics suggested by your teacher:

• History of perfect numbers from Euclid to the day before yesterday • The influence of social needs on the uses of mathematics • History of the binomial theorem • The quadratic equation • An insight into Islamic mathematics • Goldbach and his famous conjecture • The history of logarithms and logarithm tables • Geometrical mathematical recreations • Prime numbers • The history of trigonometry • Charles Babbage and his engines • Some revolutionary curves • Angle trisection • Relationship of mathematics to music • Comparison of algebra texts from 1900 to today • American mathematics prior to 1875 • How our view of the early history of mathematics has changed in the last 100 years • The dark ages were dark for mathematics, too • Is mathematics discovered or invented? • How new was the new math? • Female mathematicians in history • The books that most changed our present geometry texts • The remarkable Bernoulli family • The rise of periodical literature and how it affected mathematics • The changing nature of function • The calculus priority dispute • The history of linear programming • Quality control, with emphasis on control charts • The role of cryptology in World War II • Navigation and mathematics • The Platonic solids • Mathematics and the early Rabbis • History of Hindu mathematics • The history of pi

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• Last Updated: Jan 26, 2024 10:37 AM
• URL: https://libguides.southalabama.edu/ma410

Math History

Learn math alongside the people who invented and discovered it.

Mathematical Stories

Math is built up from beautiful patterns – and each one has many stories.

Rectangle by Squaring

Trust us, you're spoiled by base-10. Not everyone was so lucky.

Egyptian Multiplication

Egyptian mutliplication proceeds in surprisingly efficient ways.

The Prime Sieve

Prime numbers are nearly as mysterious today as they were 2000 years ago.

End of Unit 1

Complete all lessons above to reach this milestone.

0 of 4 lessons complete

He was an active member in a cult of math and numbers – sound like anyone you know?

Even Patterns

The powers of two organize themselves into pleasing arrangements.

• Perfect Numbers

Some numbers have too many divisors. Some don't have enough. But other numbers are just perfect.

Mersenne Primes

Explore the connection between perfect numbers and a special kind of prime.

End of Unit 2

Course description.

This course recounts both stories and specific, mathematical challenges from the lives and research of about a dozen famous—and infamous—mathematicians. All of them made huge mistakes. Many of them struggled to get recognition for some of their best work. And they all died with unanswered questions, many of which we _still_ don't know the answers to. Every single one left behind an astounding mathematical legacy. People from every part of the world and in every century of history have advanced the frontiers of mathematics. The five journeys we'll stick with the longest are those of Nichomachus, Brahmagupta, Al-Khwarismi, Gerolamo Cardano, and Ada Lovelace. The stories of both their lives and research are intriguing and inspiring. Meet some of these people who mapped what we know of the world of mathematics, explore alongside them, and learn from both their success and their failures!

Topics covered

• Bernoulli Numbers
• Conjecture and Proof
• Imaginary Numbers
• Irrational Numbers
• Multiplication Methods
• Polynomials
• Prime Numbers
• Quadratic Equations
• Sequences and Patterns

Prerequisites and next steps

A basic understanding of algebra is recommended.

• Computer Science Fundamentals

Mathematics at MIT is administratively divided into two categories: Pure Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. They comprise the following research areas:

Pure Mathematics

• Algebra & Algebraic Geometry
• Algebraic Topology
• Analysis & PDEs
• Mathematical Logic & Foundations
• Number Theory
• Probability & Statistics
• Representation Theory

Applied Mathematics

In applied mathematics, we look for important connections with other disciplines that may inspire interesting and useful mathematics, and where innovative mathematical reasoning may lead to new insights and applications.

• Combinatorics
• Computational Biology
• Physical Applied Mathematics
• Computational Science & Numerical Analysis
• Theoretical Computer Science
• Mathematics of Data

MATH 301 / 301H / 603 - History of Mathematics: Home

• Specific Projects

1. Identify appropriate research tools / resources for investigating topics in the history of mathematics.

2. Utilize research resources and associated library services to obtain information as appropriate.

3. Ask Scott if you have any questions or need help finding information.

Getting Started

These resources are intended to get you started with general overviews.  Entries are frequently by named authors and typically include citations for additional works (articles, books, chapters, etc.) on a given topic.

• MathWorld This link opens in a new window A comprehensive and interactive mathematics encyclopedia intended for students, educators, math enthusiasts, and researchers.
• MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive This link opens in a new window Sponsored by the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of St Andrews Scotland. The presentation includes indexes to biographical and historical mathematical information, in addition to quotes, medals, societies, etc. about mathematics. Includes citations to additional material.
• History of Mathematics (ebook) Various chapters could address some of the specific topics that are being researched. The book is also searchable which helps if you have a very specific term or name.

Biographical Resources

• MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive - Biographies This link opens in a new window
• MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive - Female Mathematicians This link opens in a new window
• Biographies of Women Mathematicians This link opens in a new window A project at Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Georgia, to illustrate the numerous achievements of women in the field of mathematics. Contains biographical essays or comments on the women profiled and additional resources about women in mathematics.
• Biography Reference Source This link opens in a new window A collection of more than 461,000 full-text biographies. Find biographies of interest by searching or browsing 30+ genre categories, including actors, authors, composers, explorers, figures relevant to U.S. & world history, inventors, musicians, Presidents of the United States, current world leaders and many others.
• Biography Reference Bank This link opens in a new window Contains biographical full text articles, page images and abstracts from today’s leading magazines and journals—providing the most current coverage of an individual’s life and work.
• Turing Digital Archive

Library Search ( nearly everything )

Mathematical research.

Research Tip:

Check the references in your textbook and/or any articles or publications that are exceptionally "on point" for your topic. A major aspect of citing resources and providing attribution is to facilitate future research by those that utilize research that has already been performed.

• MathSciNet (via EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new window MathSciNet offers access to a database of reviews, abstracts and bibliographic information for much of the mathematical sciences literature. Over 100,000 new items are added each year, most of them classified according to the Mathematics Subject Classification.
• arXiv.org This link opens in a new window arXiv is an e-print / pre-print service in the fields of physics, mathematics, non-linear science, computer science, quantitative biology, quantitative finance and statistics.  
• MathSciNet (via American Mathematical Society) This link opens in a new window MathSciNet offers access to a database of reviews, abstracts and bibliographic information for much of the mathematical sciences literature. Over 100,000 new items are added each year, most of them classified according to the Mathematics Subject Classification.

Additional Explanations and How To ...

• Khan Academy This link opens in a new window Featuring thousands of educational resources.

Mathematical Notation

• History of Mathematical Notation

APA Citation Style and Grammar Guidelines

• Publication manual of the American Psychological Association : the official guide to APA style ( APA Manual ) This link opens in a new window Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020. 7th ed. Written as a guide for contributors to A.P.A. journals, this is also useful to students who need to know recommended forms for presenting bibliographies, footnotes, tables, and figures. Location: Reserve -- Permanent BF76.7 .P83x 2020 ( at Reserves behind circulation desk; 4 hour loan )
• APA formatting and Style Guide : General Format ( OWL ) This link opens in a new window
• APA formatting and Style Guide for ARTICLES ( OWL ) This link opens in a new window
• APA formatting : Reference List Basics ( OWL - 3 min VIDEO ) This link opens in a new window
• APA formatting : Reference List for ELECTRONIC Sources ( OWL ) This link opens in a new window
• Tutorial: APA Citations 7th Edition
• APA Style and Grammar Guidelines This link opens in a new window APA Style provides a foundation for effective scholarly communication because it helps writers present their ideas in a clear, concise, and inclusive manner.

MLA Citation Style

• MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers This link opens in a new window MLA handbook, Ninth edition, The Modern Language Association of America, 2021. Contains guidelines for doing research, giving citations, and preparing bibliographies. Location: Reserve - Permanent LB2369 .M52 2021 ( at Reserves behind circulation desk; 4 hour loan )

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers

MLA handbook , Eighth edition, The Modern Language Association of America, 2016. Contains guidelines for doing research, giving citations, and preparing bibliographies. Location: Reserve - Permanent LB2369 .G53 2016 ( at Reserves behind circulation desk ) 

• The MLA Style Center
• MLA Formatting and Style Guide ( OWL at Purdue ) This link opens in a new window
• Video: MLA 8th Edition Citation Style
• Tutorial: MLA 8th Edition Citation Style

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