NSU and LSMSA to Host Math 4 Fun Event Celebrating 50th Birthday of Rubik's Cube on Nov. 9

 

The inaugural Math 4 Fun event took place on Sept. 21, bringing together 27 teachers from Natchitoches, Sabine, Red River, Desoto, Bossier, and Caddo Parishes.     

 

“The activity was, at one level, a very simple arithmetic problem, but it led to patterns and deep questions," said Dr. Brad Burkman, Senior Lecturer in Mathematics and Computer Science at LSMSA. "A teacher could use it with both fourth graders and graduate students. I enjoyed meeting and talking with math teachers at other schools, from middle school to college."

 

Participants who attend Math 4 Fun on Nov. 9 will explore the mathematics behind solving the Rubik’s Cube. 2024 is the 50th anniversary of the Rubik’s Cube, and each participant will not only learn to solve the puzzle but will receive their own cube to take home. Dr. Leigh Ann Myers, Professor of Mathematics at NSU, will facilitate this session.

 

Dr. Judith Covington, Director of Math 4 Fun, obtained a grant from the American Institute of Mathematics to help create a local Math Teachers’ Circle in Natchitoches. Dr. Covington served as Director of the North Louisiana Math Teachers’ Circle from 2010 until 2018—when she came to NSU—and is excited to have launched a similar program in Natchitoches. Serving with Dr. Covington on the leadership team are: Dr. Leigh Ann Myers, NSU; Randy Key, LSMSA; and Zenda Owens, Natchitoches Central High School.

 

LSMSA, ranked a World’s Best Boarding School by Fortune magazine, is a tuition-free, public high school for high-achieving sophomores, juniors, and seniors, with a nominal room and board fee to cover housing, meals, and campus activities. The LSMSA Foundation offers assistance for families in need to ensure that no eligible student is denied access to the school’s 41-year legacy of a college-level living/learning experience.

 

For more information about LSMSA’s application process, or to apply for the 2025-26 school year, please visit https://www.lsmsa.edu/apply.