- Login credentials
Your team ID # and password were emailed to all team emails provided at registration. Team members need these credentials to log in and access the problem. If you have forgotten or misplaced your team’s ID # or password, please recover your password immediately. If you have more than one team, the credentials for each team are different. If you need assistance, email [email protected] right away. - Live help during Challenge weekend is limited
The only live M3 help during Challenge weekend is during normal weekday business hours in EST. Otherwise, you will need to troubleshoot on your own and refer to the comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions page. Hours that email will be answered:
Friday, March 3, 8 AM – 4 PM EST
Monday, March 6, 8 AM – 4 PM EST
If you haven’t done so already, it is HIGHLY recommended to include as many student emails on your registration record as possible – for possible important communication during and after Challenge weekend.
- Flexible work time
Challenge weekend starts Friday, March 3 at 6 AM EST– this is the earliest teams can download the problem and begin their 14-hour work time. Challenge weekend ends at 11 PM EST on Monday, March 6 – this is the latest teams can upload their solution paper, regardless of how late you may have started your work time. Once the problem is downloaded, by any team member or coach, the team’s 14-hour clock starts, and it cannot be paused. A countdown timer is shown in the upper right corner of the screen.
Teams planning to work on Monday should start as early as possible to get maximum work time and upload a solution by no later than 11 PM EST.
- M3 Challenge takes place in Eastern Standard Time
Teams must work in or convert their local time to EST. - Upload frequently: last upload before time expiration is your final submission
Teams can upload their solution paper (even if incomplete) any number of times during their 14-hour work window. Each upload completely overwrites any previous upload. Therefore, the last upload made before your team’s deadline is the final solution paper of record. While logged in, you will be able to view your team’s most recent upload. The last solution uploaded by a team will be judged and is eligible for recognition.
- Partial solutions are accepted, judged, and considered for awards
- Submission upload process and requirements
You will browse for and select your submission, the file name will appear, and you must click the “Submit Solution” button to complete the upload process. Your solution paper must be submitted as a PDF. The size limit for submissions is 10 MB. Use the search terms “make PDF smaller” to help you if your file is too large. - Using Provided Data Files, Links, and Resources
M3 Challenge problem writers have done some research/data diving for teams. Students are provided with some data; they may choose to use none, some, or all of it. To help access some of the links and resources that may assist with your brainstorming, it may help to have java enabled on your browser. If you are uncertain about this or need help, try searching on “is java enabled on my browser?” or “how do I enable java?” - Trouble with uploading?
In a pinch, if you are unable to upload your solution, email your paper within your work time to [email protected]. Please include the subject line “2023 M3 Challenge Solution: Team #XXXXX” - Look over the official rules and guidelines one more time
Review the rules and guidelines prior to Challenge weekend to avoid unnecessary mistakes. Provide only your team ID # to identify your paper to ensure blind judging and to remain eligible for top prizes. - Three to five students must be on your team, and can be swapped out right through Challenge weekend
If there are any changes to your team’s composition (a member does not show up or a student fills in for an absent team member, for example), you may still compete if you have at least three team members present. If necessary, please log in by 3:00 PM EST on Tuesday, March 7, to adjust your team record to reflect the students who competed on your team during the Challenge. - Remember that modeling is a cycle
That cycle includes taking a step back, reflecting on what your team has produced, making sure that all sections of your solution are connected to one another and that it makes sense. If you have time – make updates and improvements; if not make observations about what you would do if given more time. - Share your experience
Use #M3Challenge and send pictures and videos to [email protected] throughout Challenge weekend, making sure that you cover your work in posts so that you do not give away the problem topic! Your photos could be featured on the Challenge website, social media pages, or in future print materials.
- Send us your Challenge weekend video
Submit a video documenting your #M3Challenge experience for a chance to win prizes! Upload to our video repository, Gather Voices. To upload a video, click the grey icon on the bottom right. Or you can upload your video to YouTube and email the link to [email protected], subject line: Social Media Contest Submission 2023. Deadline to submit is Sunday, March 12 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Any team that submits a solution paper (complete or not) is eligible. Review the rules & guidelines for the video contest. - Technical Computing (optional)
Teams must indicate whether they have included code by checking the box on the upload page. To be eligible for this BONUS award, teams must use any programming platform other than spreadsheet, such as MS Excel. - Append code to the solution paper. Those pages do NOT count toward the 20-page maximum.
- The fine print
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge, SIAM, and MathWorks are not responsible for local weather conditions, power or Internet outages, pandemic or disease spread and related common sense actions, or any other situation or circumstance that would prevent a potential team from registering, or from fully participating in the Challenge, (including, for example, by preventing the submission of a paper during their selected Challenge work time) or that prevents normal M3 Challenge processes or procedures from occurring (including for example, cancelation or replacement of the final event). No accommodation can be made for teams if such unfortunate circumstances were to occur during registration or at any time during the Challenge, up through and including final event.
Good luck in M3 Challenge this weekend!
– MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge