The Mathical List includes many youth biographies for all ages, from very young children through teenagers.
We hope you enjoy browsing some of the fascinating stories of people who did amazing things using math, or who discovered their own passion for mathematics.
Some loved math from an early age. Some disliked math or weren’t good at mathematics in school as a child, and yet they went on to make important contributions to the world.
A common ingredient in these biographies is people discovering a passion: whether it’s solving a tricky problem, a desire to understand more about the world around them, or discovering a love of patterns and ideas, their enthusiasm and excitement to do and learn more with mathematics can inspire others, too.
Getting inspired by fiction: Miguel Tanco’s Count on Me takes a look at a young child with a passion for math.
What are your passions? How might math play a role? Check out the stories below to learn more about real people whose imaginations soared with mathematics.
Explore Youth Biographies
Math Biographies: Makers
Explore these biographies of real people who made things connected to mathematics and patterns.
Math Biographies: Problem Solvers
Explore these biographies of real people who solved problems using mathematical skills and logical reasoning.
Math Biographies: Pattern-Finders
Explore these biographies of real people who found mathematical patterns fascinating.
Activities to pair: Elementary & Middle-Grade Students
- Make your own biography of a mathematician.
- What is your passion? Make a poster to share it.
- Learn more about Lizzie Magie, who invented a board game that changed American culture, in Pass Go and Collect $200: The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented. Here is a blog post from the British Library about her life and contributions. And here is a short video (4 minutes) from CBS Mornings: “The real story behind Monopoly and the woman erased from its history“.
- Explore the story of a Hungarian man and his invention that would become world famous in Ernő Rubik and His Magic Cube. Try out a Rubik’s cube! Learn more about American “speedcuber” Sydney Weaver, who teaches young people about solving the cube & other twisty puzzles.
- Enjoy finding patterns & expanding your mathematical thinking with the free puzzles and games at the Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival site! The JRMF also offers free guides or reusable kits for schools and groups to host Family Math events.
- Explore the story of a young boy in China over 1,800 years ago who solved an important problem in Cao Chong Weighs an Elephant. Learn about displacement: Build a boat & see if it floats! Learn more about what’s inside boats to make them float. Try a density experiment with dancing raisins.
- Baking is a fun activity for many families. Learn about Fannie Farmer’s famous recipe book. Frustrated with how challenging it was to learn to cook, she standardized the way recipes are put together to make them more mathematical and reliable. Her original cookbook, first published in 1896, is now in the public domain making it freely accessible to anyone. Here is a recipe from it for a one-egg cake. Do you notice any missing details? (Hint: how might ovens be different today?) What information would be helpful to know today?
Fannie Farmer’s “One Egg Cake” Recipe
- ¼ cup of butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking power
Cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and egg well beaten. Mix and sift flour and baking powder, add alternately with milk to first mixture. Bake 30 minutes in a shallow pan. Spread with Chocolate Frosting.