Use the power of video to explore the world of mathematics with COMAP’s award-winning video series.
COMAP videos have won dozens of academic and television awards, including the American Film and Video Award Gold Medal, and the Golden Hugo from the National Science Films Board.
COMAP developed the PBS television series and textbook For All Practical Purposes: An Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics.
COMAP developed two PBS television series Against All Odds: Inside Statistics and Algebra: In Simplest Terms.
Picking up where the original Against All Odds left off in the 1980s, the new series maintains the same emphasis on “doing” statistics. Video modules take viewers on location to where people from all walks of life are using statistics in their work. Online materials allow viewers to practice and review what they’ve learned.
Each unit is based on a video module that introduces a statistical topic in real-world context. Complementing each video module are a Student Guide and Faculty Guide specific to the unit. These go into greater depth on the statistical concepts and contain valuable exercises and review material.
About the Host
Dr. Pardis Sabeti is a computational geneticist who uses statistics in her own work combing through the evolutionary record found in our genes. She’s developed algorithms to detect the genetic signatures of adaptation in humans and the microbial organisms that infect us. One part of her current research investigates the evolutionary history of the deadly hemorrhagic disease Lassa fever, which is widespread in West Africa. Learning more about the genomes of microbes that cause diseases like Lassa, Ebola, and malaria should help in the development of treatments and cures.
There are many situations in which we are required to make choices, either individually or collectively. For example, when we vote, we hope to achieve fair results. The mathematics of social choice can be used to characterize and compare different voting systems, and to measure what we mean by "fairness." What is a good way for a group to make a democratic decision?
A video instructional series on algebra for college and high school classrooms and adult learners; 26 half-hour video programs and coordinated books.
In this series, host Sol Garfunkel explains how algebra is used for solving real-world problems and clearly explains concepts that may baffle many students. Graphic illustrations and on-location examples help students connect mathematics to daily life. The series also has applications in geometry and calculus instruction. Algebra is also valuable for teachers seeking to review the subject matter.
For All Practical Purposes: An Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics, the companion video to the best-selling text For All Practical Purposes, is an introductory liberal arts mathematics course shown nationally on PBS television stations and available on videotape.
Each of the 26 half-hour episodes uses real-life examples to help teach a basic understanding of mathematics and its relationship to other areas of study. Mathematical problem solving is shown to influence everything from the success of savvy entrepreneurs to the fairness of voting practices. Examples are pulled from management science, social science, design, and computer science.
COMAP develops curriculum resources, professional development programs, and contest opportunities that are multidisciplinary, academically rigorous, and fun for educators and students. COMAP's educational philosophy is centered around mathematical modeling: using mathematical tools to explore real-world problems.