At BEAM Discovery the 100 Problem Challenge encourages students to work collaboratively; this past summer students earned a badge for completing a problem from this list of intriguing, puzzle-like problems. We can’t offer you a badge, but this one is pretty satisfying to solve, so give it a whirl!

Fill in each of the hexagons below with a positive integer so that the number in each hexagon is equal to the smallest positive integer that does not appear in any of the hexagons that touch it.

BEAM faculty members are one of the keys to the success of BEAM programs and, quite simply, they are our heroes. In 2020, as we ran summer programs online for the first time, we asked even more than usual from our faculty―and that's saying a lot. Read about their experiences teaching online at BEAM summer programs.

During times of change and stress, it takes courage to make big decisions. Last spring, our high school seniors stepped up to the challenge as they navigated college decisions this year. We're proud to announce the schools our students will be attending.

For May Mental Health Awareness Month, BEAM staff and students hopped on our social media to share our favorite ways to take care of our mental health during this challenging time!

Zavier is part of BEAM’s first cohort to graduate from college (in 2020); he graduated from UAlbany with a double major in computer science and art. He is also BEAM’s first alum to serve in a leadership role at our summer programs.

Here’s a math game you can play while keeping up social distancing. Find someone to play with and read on.

The game:

You are given $20, and you must guess a whole number between 1 and 700. For each incorrect guess you make, you must pay $1, and then you are told if you were over or under the correct number. If you guess the number, you get to keep the money you have left.

Challenge 1: Can you guarantee a profit on this game? What's the greatest profit you can guarantee even if you are very unlucky on your guesses?