Adrienne Hestenes
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ahestenes.bsky.social
Adrienne Hestenes
@ahestenes.bsky.social
100 followers 200 following 180 posts
Math, books, crochet.
#MTBoS #ITeachMath
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ahestenes.bsky.social
In #MathsToday we learned how to sketch vector fields. Then we had some fun with this neat app. Try the randomize button. #maths #MathArt

anvaka.github.io/fieldplay/?c...
Vector Fields, Math and Art.
This website allows you to build and explore beautiful world of vector fields.
anvaka.github.io
January 24, 2026 at 1:32 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
I’m going to #TCM in North Carolina in February! Super excited. All the abstracts look great. But I know for sure I want to attend the Knot Coloring and systems of equations talk. Anyone else attending? #MTBoS
January 22, 2026 at 12:06 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
In #MathsToday we started with a menu task. Students had to write as few quadratic equations (in vertex form) as possible while hitting 10 constraints. Enjoyed watching students explain their thinking to each other.
This photo shows the arm of a student writing on a whiteboard. The work shows some quadratic equations in vertex form, some sketches of the equations, and some student notes about which constraints can or cannot pair together.
January 13, 2026 at 11:33 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Teachers who participated in @jlanier.bsky.social Twenty-first century mathematics workshop last summer might be interested in the monthly seminars hosted by @chalkdustmag.bsky.social by authors of papers in the book.

#iTeachMath #MTBoS

chalkdustmagazine.com/blog/theorem...
Theorems of the 21st Century Seminar - Chalkdust
A new online seminar series. Each seminar is an accessible introduction to a theorem of the 21st century.
chalkdustmagazine.com
January 13, 2026 at 5:48 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
In #MathsToday I had all the students at the whiteboards and asked them to solve ax^2+bx+c=0 by completing the square. They were so surprised to get the quadratic formula as their answer, and then they were proud they had derived this mystical formula without even realizing they were doing it.
a heart with the words " quadratic formula my beloved " written on it
Alt: a heart gif opens up with the words " quadratic formula my beloved " written on it
media.tenor.com
January 7, 2026 at 11:56 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Something that went well in #MathsToday was a personal victory for me. I’ve been trying to draw a particular student out, and today she volunteered to share her unique approach to solving a quadratic visual pattern. It’s always wonderful when the quiet voices speak up. 👍
catrionaagg.bsky.social Catriona Agg @catrionaagg.bsky.social · 20d
By the way, why not make your New Year’s resolution be to start sharing little things that went well in your maths lessons using #MathsToday?

Whenever I make a habit of this, it always makes me feel more positive about my job. It’s lovely to scroll through and see what everyone else is doing too.
catrionaagg.bsky.social Catriona Agg @catrionaagg.bsky.social · 20d
Having some fun with area models with Y8. I love the bit where you go into negatives and it all still works! I often skip this step, but (as well as being a nice demo for negxneg=pos) it helps overcome their distrust at negative terms appearing as lengths/areas in algebraic models. #MathsToday
January 7, 2026 at 4:05 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Completing squares in #MathsToday and came to learn not a single student in class had ever used algebra tiles. Thank goodness for polypad! Quickly had students geometrically completing the square. You can even cut the algebra tiles in half and solve problems with fractions.
January 7, 2026 at 3:56 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Jumping frogs puzzle in #MathsToday We used snap cubes for the frogs, but here is link for an online version.

After playing, we modeled the number of moves versus number of frogs using a quadratic eqn. Did some quadratic visual patterns too.

www.primefactorisation.com/frogpuzzle/
Jumping Frogs Puzzle
www.primefactorisation.com
January 5, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Reposted by Adrienne Hestenes
dhmontgomery.com
NEW: How many books did you read this year? If it was more than 2, congrats: you read more than the median American.

Read on for way more @today.yougov.com polling from me on America's book-reading habits in 2025. 1/
A table of YouGov polling data with the headline: "How your reading habits compare to other Americans." The chart has the sub-headline: "About how many books have you read or listened to so far in 2025? (% of U.S. adult citizens)."
December 31, 2025 at 3:00 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
This is great fun, even though I am stuck on door 21.

#MTBoS #maths
mscroggs.co.uk Matthew Scroggs @mscroggs.co.uk · Dec 8
The first 8 doors of the mscroggs.co.uk puzzle Advent calendar are open. Still plenty of time to catch up if you've not done them all yet.

If one puzzle per day isn't enough, this year's @chalkdustmag.bsky.social Christmas card is now available at www.mscroggs.co.uk/blog/121 with 12 more puzzles.
mscroggs.co.uk
It's nearly Christmas and something terrible has happened: after years of gradual wear and tear, Santa's magic sleigh has fallen apart. You need to help Santa build a new sleigh so that he can deliver...
mscroggs.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 8:23 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Reviewing functions, complex numbers and iteration before winter break was a perfect excuse to explore the Mandelbrot Set. I challenged students to find an image that would amaze their classmates, as well as record the location and zoom factor.

#ITeachMath #MTBoS

mandelbrot.page?pixelratio=3
Mandelbrot Set Fractal Explorer
Beautiful, fast, and precise exploration of the Mandelbrot Set online. Click to zoom. Hover to see orbits. M makes a smooth movie of your zoom path.
mandelbrot.page
December 22, 2025 at 9:55 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
I just completed my first flummoxagon. So satisfying!
A wood hexagonal frame contains 48 puzzle pieces. The pieces made up of between 1 and 6 hexagons connected to make every possible shape. The pieces are 4 different color, blue, green, orange and purple. The goal is to tile all the pieces into the hexagon frame making sure that no two pieces with the same color touch.
December 3, 2025 at 5:05 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
In #MathsToday we did an old fashioned card sort. Arranged the polynomials by end behavior, then matched up the equations to the graphs. After, I gave them some equations and they had to sketch the graph on the whiteboards, paying attention to end behavior and x-intercepts.

#Algebra2 #iTeachMath
8 cards containing a unique polynomial graph . One group of 3 cards that have end behavior of positive, even degree polynomials. One group of 2 cards that have the end behavior of negative, even degree polynomials. One group of 2 cards with end behavior of positive, odd degree polynomials. And the fourth group has one card with end behavior of a negative, odd degree polynomials. The 8 graphs in the previous image have been arranged by increasing degree, then matched with an equation. The equations range from degree 2 to degree 6. Some equations are factored, some in standard form.
October 23, 2025 at 12:02 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
In #MathsToday we did one of my favorite’s, the painted cube problem. A nice thinking problem to introduce polynomials.
Student work on a whiteboard showing some diagrams, working out, and lists of results. There is a 5x5x5 cube with individual cubelets numbered by how many sides are showing. There is 6x6 square showing the arrangement of 1,2,3 surface cubelets. There are some lists and tables keeping track of numbered totals for different size cubes. And the beginnings of a formula for an nxnxn cube. Student work on a whiteboard showing lists of cubelet totals for cubes of size n=3,4,5,6. Cubelet types are ones with 3 sides painted (corners), 2 sides painted (edges), 1 side painted (faces) and 0 sides painted (interior). There is also a list of formulas for any size nxnxn cube the students figured out.
September 26, 2025 at 9:15 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
I found this problem somewhere (here or mathstodon?). But I saved the image they posted of the problem. It completely took over my brain. I brought it up over lunch with a few other math teachers, and we argued about it. And I think we came to great solution.

Thanks OP!
#Teach180 #iTeachMath
Standup and Ponder 1. There are three boxes. One is labeled “APPLES” another is labeled “ORANGES”. The last one is labeled “APPLES AND ORANGES”. You know that each is labeled incorrectly. You may ask me to pick one fruit from one box which you choose. How can you label the boxes correctly?
September 18, 2025 at 1:37 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Success!

🎻🧱 #FiddleBrix
Sunday, September 14, 2025
2:43 (no hints!)
🟪🟪🟨🟦🟦
🟪🟨🟨🟦🟩
🟪🟨🟨🟦🟩
🟪🟨🟩🟩🟩
🟪🟨🟩🟩🟩
fiddlebrix.com
fiddlebrix.com
September 14, 2025 at 5:59 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Ta daaa! I give you the Lorentz Attractor thanks to the free pattern from #ThreadedTheorems and also @samjshah.bsky.social whose posted work I admired.

#StemBroidery #MathArt #MathSky
An embroidery in a circular hoop of the Lorentz Strange Attractor. Embroidered using backstitch and variegated thread of colors aqua, indigo, and pink. The pattern loops around giving a two lobed appearance of a butterfly.
September 6, 2025 at 10:08 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Here is a problem I thought I’d never have. Our math club is too big! Just over 200. How do we make meetings meaningful and not just chaos? Wow. Gotta think.

#iTeachMath #MTBoS #MuAlphaTheta
September 6, 2025 at 12:26 AM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Pullback cars must mean it’s time for Vroom Vroom ala @fawnnguyen.substack.com . Reviewing linear regressions was never so fun.

#iTeachMath #Algebra2
Three boxes of 3inch long pullback car toys, ready for students. My favorite are the pink and red mini coopers with the Union Jack on the roof, followed closely by the Volkswagen buses. Roughly 30 toy cars can be seen of various styles.
August 29, 2025 at 10:47 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Building hypercubes to round out level surfaces today. Students had fun building 2 different perspectives and trying to match it up with Schlegel diagrams in order to identify the 8 cubes within. A fun pre-Labor Day weekend activity.
#iTeachMath #MathSky
Zometool construction of a hypercube sitting on a student desk behind a sheet of paper containing 8 Schlegel diagrams of a hypercube. The student has shaded the location of 8 different cubes, one for each diagram. Two zometool constructions of a hypercube, one larger than the other. This is a different perspective from the previous picture. This construction is a small cube inside a large cube. The large model is connected to the small model at the corresponding vertices. Evidence of students working lies around but no humans in the picture. Schlegel diagrams of the hypercube can be seen on the desk.
August 29, 2025 at 10:42 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Beautiful view on the way to work. Had to pull over and photograph.

#sunrise #clouds #sky
A photo of the morning sky, covered in light fluffy clouds after a storm the night before. Sun rays are peaking through. In the foreground are palm tree sillouhettes, the road and sidewalk. 6:45 am, no cars or people out yet.
August 15, 2025 at 11:21 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Problem solving, what not to do! I love this video clip so much and shared with students today before giving them something challenging to solve.

#iTeachMath #MTBoS

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSIk...
Escalator Temporarily Stairs.
YouTube video by ThatBobGuy
www.youtube.com
August 13, 2025 at 11:22 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Had an extra day with one class compared to others today, so we tried out a @mathforlove.bsky.social activity “Squarable Numbers”. Had 100% participation and lots of good discussion.

#iTeachMath #MTBoS

mathforlove.com/lesson/squar...
Students work on graph paper showing her square disections into smaller squares. Photo shows a students work on a mini whiteboard. A 9 by 9 square is drawn and students is dividing it into smaller squares.
August 8, 2025 at 9:05 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
Creating 3D visualization of z=f(x,y) from a table of numbers.

#iTeachMath #MTBoS
A student is placing a tower of 5 snap cubes into an arrangement of other towers of snap cubes. We see the students notebook and hand as she is placing her construction.
August 8, 2025 at 8:50 PM
ahestenes.bsky.social
All ready to explore the 3rd dimension. Tri-tac-toe and Qubic. How many ways can you win?

#ITeachMath
Four games lined up and ready for students. In front is Tri-Tac-Toe, a tic tac toe game on 3 levels. Behind are 3 games of Qubic, which adds a fourth layer to the tic tac toe game.
August 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM