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Math Meets Football: One in 600 Billion
Why do football players make terrible pilots? Because they always break the plane before a touchdown! Obligatory math-football joke? Check. Now let’s get to business. I’m John Urschel, NFL offensive...
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Math Meets Football: The Transitive Property Is Real
With the College Football Playoff National Championship fast approaching, I’d like to give some predictions for the big game … But before I get to that, I want to tackle (pun intended) a topic very...
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Why I Still Play Football
I envy Chris Borland. My first encounter with Chris was in the fall of 2011, when Penn State faced Wisconsin in what was both of our sophomore seasons. I recall thinking that he was the best linebacker...
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Math Meets Football: Is the New Extra Point a Game-Changer?
This piece is going to be quick. Very quick. Why? Because I don’t think there’s particularly much to be said. In case you missed it, extra points are being moved to the 15-yard line. What does this...
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The Hard Math of the Cinderella Story
Football is a numbers game. One grass field, 120 by 53 1/3 yards. Six points for a touchdown, three for a field goal. Four chances to make 10 yards. During the eighth month of the year, the numbers...
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The Parity Ideal
The idea that any NFL team can win is as central to the NFL as the idea that any American can get rich is to America. It’s been the justification for the league’s efforts to redistribute talent from...
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Back to School
When I was in high school I wanted to be Jake Long, the tackle for the Michigan Wolverines. My mother wanted me to be an aeronautical engineer — a rocket scientist.
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Game Break: John Urschel
John Urschel is a published mathematician who just finished up his first semester at MIT. Oh, and he also plays for the Baltimore Ravens. In this Game Break, John takes us for a ride and opens up about...
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My Three Favorite Math Puzzles
Math doesn’t have answers in the back of the puzzle book. Neither does life. Enjoy.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge
Get your pen and paper ready: Here is John Urschel's Wednesday Morning Math Challenge. What unifies every one of these problems is that each one will make you think.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 1 Answers
I hope you noticed what all of these questions had in common. I’ll try to include a different theme each week.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 2
This week I've got three new problems for you. Last week we were playing around with my favorite number. This week, well ... hopefully you can figure out the common theme!
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 2 Answers
I hope you noticed what all of these questions had in common. I’ll try to include a different theme each week.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 3
Here are three new problems. This week we’re playing around with digits.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 3 Answers
The easiest way to come to this answer is through trial and error. But that would be pretty frustrating if you don't take a few things into account.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 4
Welcome to Week 4 of the Wednesday Morning Math Challenge. Remember that the real goal here is to think creatively.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 4 Answers
Below, you’ll find the answers to last week’s puzzles. For those who didn’t get a chance, if you would like to take a crack at the Week 4 challenge, just click here.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 5
This week I have three puzzles from my favorite puzzle book, The Moscow Puzzles. Translated from Russian, this is the most popular puzzle book ever published in the Soviet Union.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 6
This week, we have three puzzles involving time.
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The Wednesday Morning Math Challenge: Week 5 Answers
Last week we had three puzzles from my favorite puzzle book, The Moscow Puzzles.
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