Power-Up

A fun and lively look at the mathematical ideas concealed in video games

Did you know that every time you pick up the controller to your PlayStation or Xbox, you are entering a world steeped in mathematics? Matthew Lane reveals the hidden mathematics in many of today's most popular video games—and explains why mathematical learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. He discusses how gamers are engaging with the traveling salesman problem when they play Assassin's Creed, why it is mathematically impossible for Mario to jump through the Mushroom Kingdom in Super Mario Bros., how The Sims teaches us the mathematical costs of relationships, and more. Power-Up shows how the world of video games is an unexpectedly rich medium for learning about the mathematical ideas that touch our lives—including our virtual ones.