Tim Chartier
@timchartier.bsky.social
husband, father, friend, Joseph R. Morton Professor of Math & CS at @DavidsonCollege, sports analyst, professionally trained mime, puppeteer
Reposted by Tim Chartier
February 2, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Reposted by Tim Chartier
One superpower #math gives me is the ability to picture an interesting object in my head, spark up #Mathematica, and within a few minutes figure out how to make it "real." It's intoxicating!
(code in ALT)
(code in ALT)
January 31, 2026 at 3:50 PM
One superpower #math gives me is the ability to picture an interesting object in my head, spark up #Mathematica, and within a few minutes figure out how to make it "real." It's intoxicating!
(code in ALT)
(code in ALT)
Was watching the Game of Thrones spin-off and saw mathematical designs. Decided to try one. This isn't what I saw but what I made AFTER I made what I saw!
January 30, 2026 at 8:55 PM
Was watching the Game of Thrones spin-off and saw mathematical designs. Decided to try one. This isn't what I saw but what I made AFTER I made what I saw!
Went out to eat, saw a pattern on a tapestry, took a picture, and came home and replicated it in python! Gracious!
January 29, 2026 at 10:26 PM
Went out to eat, saw a pattern on a tapestry, took a picture, and came home and replicated it in python! Gracious!
It snowed… so naturally I started thinking about slope. ❄️🐇
Horizontal: ski across.
Vertical: fall down.
That’s the whole slope story.https://youtu.be/_TdNhrS4RXA?si=yFmSNRksi6-actZw
Horizontal: ski across.
Vertical: fall down.
That’s the whole slope story.https://youtu.be/_TdNhrS4RXA?si=yFmSNRksi6-actZw
Hit the Slope: Horizontal and Vertical Lines
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 26, 2026 at 2:32 PM
It snowed… so naturally I started thinking about slope. ❄️🐇
Horizontal: ski across.
Vertical: fall down.
That’s the whole slope story.https://youtu.be/_TdNhrS4RXA?si=yFmSNRksi6-actZw
Horizontal: ski across.
Vertical: fall down.
That’s the whole slope story.https://youtu.be/_TdNhrS4RXA?si=yFmSNRksi6-actZw
Reposted by Tim Chartier
Reposted by Tim Chartier
My son is teaching one-on-one in an elementary math classroom. I've been making animation and puppet videos to support his work. Here is a video on Greatest Common Multiple. youtu.be/K9qpGEiFYn0
GCM: Finding the Most in Common
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 19, 2026 at 4:52 PM
My son is teaching one-on-one in an elementary math classroom. I've been making animation and puppet videos to support his work. Here is a video on Greatest Common Multiple. youtu.be/K9qpGEiFYn0
Reposted by Tim Chartier
Coffee Containers by Jenkins & Ungher
January 17, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Coffee Containers by Jenkins & Ungher
Reposted by Tim Chartier
My wife Dr. Jennifer Quinn is more than a mathematician and math museum director. She is an artist! Here is her #LuxPortrait of Einstein, painted with luminous bacteria on a Petri dish. Such talent! #DontFearTheMicrobe #LuxArt @univpugetsound @microbe.tv @ASMicrobiology
January 16, 2026 at 7:49 PM
My wife Dr. Jennifer Quinn is more than a mathematician and math museum director. She is an artist! Here is her #LuxPortrait of Einstein, painted with luminous bacteria on a Petri dish. Such talent! #DontFearTheMicrobe #LuxArt @univpugetsound @microbe.tv @ASMicrobiology
I love when a simple image helps students stop “trying to remember” and start reasoning.
Skiing for horizontal. Falling for vertical.
It sticks because it makes sense.
Skiing for horizontal. Falling for vertical.
It sticks because it makes sense.
What’s the slope of a horizontal line?
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
Hit the Slope: Horizontal and Vertical Lines
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 17, 2026 at 1:53 PM
I love when a simple image helps students stop “trying to remember” and start reasoning.
Skiing for horizontal. Falling for vertical.
It sticks because it makes sense.
Skiing for horizontal. Falling for vertical.
It sticks because it makes sense.
What’s the slope of a horizontal line?
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
Hit the Slope: Horizontal and Vertical Lines
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 16, 2026 at 3:01 PM
What’s the slope of a horizontal line?
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
What about a vertical one?
Horizontal is like cross-country skiing
Vertical is like falling.
Math is easier when you can feel it.
youtu.be/vxIOoZttoPI
Turns out math behaves better when everyone waits their turn.
PEMDAS isn’t about memorizing an order—it’s about avoiding chaos.
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
January 14, 2026 at 9:03 PM
Turns out math behaves better when everyone waits their turn.
I’ve also posted just the animation (no characters) as a classroom-ready clip—easy to pause and talk through why order matters. youtu.be/WcPEIub-Gas
PEMDAS animation (no puppet narration)
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 13, 2026 at 4:48 PM
I’ve also posted just the animation (no characters) as a classroom-ready clip—easy to pause and talk through why order matters. youtu.be/WcPEIub-Gas
PEMDAS isn’t about memorizing an order—it’s about avoiding chaos.
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
January 12, 2026 at 3:15 PM
PEMDAS isn’t about memorizing an order—it’s about avoiding chaos.
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
Bob the Counting Sheep gets a visual explanation (with a little help) of why order matters in math.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation
Mathematics takes “almost” seriously.
What does it mean to get
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
January 10, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Mathematics takes “almost” seriously.
What does it mean to get
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
January 9, 2026 at 4:16 PM
What does it mean to get
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
closer and
closer and
closer
to zero without arriving?
In mathematics, approaching can matter—even without arriving.
More sketches at Math Figures: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
#iTeachMath #MathEducation #MathArt
One of my favorite moments: When Clara saw the video of Zippy and jumped into showing him the correct reasoning. And THAT became the video!
Zippy thinks he’s good at math because he’s quick.
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
January 7, 2026 at 2:34 PM
One of my favorite moments: When Clara saw the video of Zippy and jumped into showing him the correct reasoning. And THAT became the video!
I put just the Zippy clip on the channel as a classroom-ready resource—easy to pause and ask, “What went wrong here?” youtu.be/l74WoFSDodw
zippy math = good at math?
YouTube video by Math Figures
youtu.be
January 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I put just the Zippy clip on the channel as a classroom-ready resource—easy to pause and ask, “What went wrong here?” youtu.be/l74WoFSDodw
Zippy thinks he’s good at math because he’s quick.
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
January 5, 2026 at 3:56 PM
Zippy thinks he’s good at math because he’s quick.
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
A second grader shows him where he went wrong.
Speed isn’t understanding.
Thinking matters.
Videos appearing at: www.youtube.com/@mathfigures...
A small Sunday thought: a function keeps its promise.
Same input → same output.
Same input → same output.
What is a function… and what definitely is not? 🤔 Puppet Dr. C introduces a very pushable example: touch a button → get a predictable result.
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
January 4, 2026 at 11:58 PM
A small Sunday thought: a function keeps its promise.
Same input → same output.
Same input → same output.
What is a function… and what definitely is not? 🤔 Puppet Dr. C introduces a very pushable example: touch a button → get a predictable result.
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
January 2, 2026 at 8:21 PM
What is a function… and what definitely is not? 🤔 Puppet Dr. C introduces a very pushable example: touch a button → get a predictable result.
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
Math with puppets, clarity, and a little mischief.
▶️ More videos coming soon: youtu.be/yn3hPqJQBs8 #MathEducation #ITeachMath #TeachingWithJoy
Not to be mean….
The Lakers are due for a massive regression to the mean
The 2025-26 Los Angeles Lakers currently have best win percentage for a team with negative point differential NBA history. That could be a bad sign.
www.hoopshype.com
December 27, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Not to be mean….
Spaced out shape!
Astronaut Debuts a New Geometrical Shape That Can Only Be Achieved in Space
Want to sculpt this shape? You'll need to go to outer space for that.
mymodernmet.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Spaced out shape!
'Tis the season - not only for the holidays but right now for a > billion dollar Powerball drawing. What are the odds? Watch my clip on on ABC News Live. abcnews.go.com/US/video/pro...
Video Professor of mathematics and computer science sets us straight on lottery odds
ABC News’ Linsey Davis spoke with Davidson College professor Tim Chartier who says you're 20,000 times more likely to get hit by lightning than win Wednesday’s $1.7B Powerball jackpot.
abcnews.go.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:49 PM
'Tis the season - not only for the holidays but right now for a > billion dollar Powerball drawing. What are the odds? Watch my clip on on ABC News Live. abcnews.go.com/US/video/pro...