In recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of classrooms around Rutherford County doing math art projects using Desmos. These projects involve using various equations and inequalities in the Desmos free Graphing Calculator to create some truly impressive pictures, often as a final project for a unit or even for the course. We’ve been so excited about the beautiful and creative math art that is being produced with Desmos that we wanted to create a space for students from around RCS to submit entries and be recognized for their hard work. So for the third year, we’re running our RCS Desmos Art Competition! Submissions are due by February 23rd, 2024 at Midnight.
Who Can Enter?
Any middle or high school student may submit a Desmos graph to the competition via their teacher. Students may use any Desmos feature. While we will not be restricting grade levels to certain function types, we must ensure that it is your own work. So, you may use any function type you want to create your original work!
Judging will be based on three divisions:
Your original art created in the Desmos Graphing Calculator. (Original means that (a) you made it yourself and (b) it doesn’t contain any copyrighted images.)
Want to impress us? We’re looking for submissions that have some combination of the following:
Who Can Enter?
Any middle or high school student may submit a Desmos graph to the competition via their teacher. Students may use any Desmos feature. While we will not be restricting grade levels to certain function types, we must ensure that it is your own work. So, you may use any function type you want to create your original work!
Judging will be based on three divisions:
- Algebra 1 and Geometry (Includes Middle School Algebra 1)
- Algebra 2 and Above
- Teachers - (1 middle school division, 1 high school division)
Your original art created in the Desmos Graphing Calculator. (Original means that (a) you made it yourself and (b) it doesn’t contain any copyrighted images.)
Want to impress us? We’re looking for submissions that have some combination of the following:
- 5 points - Creativity and Originality
- 5 points - Visual Content
- 5 points - How you use the math you know
- 5 points - Detail/Delight. There are lots of ways to show delight, such as Movement/animation and Sound using the audiotrace feature.
How Does the Judging Happen?
Finalists in the three divisions will be selected by our in-house panel of judges. All finalists’ graphs will be featured on twitter (#RCSDesmosArt) and will then proceed to a final round of judging by a panel of guest judges.
The winners will be announced in March. The following prizes will be awarded:
Algebra 2 and Above Prizes
First Place: $175 in gift cards (and a $500 scholarship to MTSU!)
Second Place: $100 in gift cards
Third Place: $45 in gift cards
Algebra 1 and Geometry Prizes
First Place: $175 in gift cards
Second Place: $100 in gift cards
Third Place: $45 in gift cards
Teacher Division Prizes
First Place: $100 in gift cards
How to Submit Your Entry
Teachers need to submit on behalf of their students. Here’s a Microsoft Form where teachers can submit entries. We will only accept one graph entry per student. All submissions must be made on or before (February 23, 2024), at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time.
The Fine Print
Brand new to graphing with Desmos? Not so new, but want to learn more? Check out any of these links to get started.
Finalists in the three divisions will be selected by our in-house panel of judges. All finalists’ graphs will be featured on twitter (#RCSDesmosArt) and will then proceed to a final round of judging by a panel of guest judges.
The winners will be announced in March. The following prizes will be awarded:
Algebra 2 and Above Prizes
First Place: $175 in gift cards (and a $500 scholarship to MTSU!)
Second Place: $100 in gift cards
Third Place: $45 in gift cards
Algebra 1 and Geometry Prizes
First Place: $175 in gift cards
Second Place: $100 in gift cards
Third Place: $45 in gift cards
Teacher Division Prizes
First Place: $100 in gift cards
How to Submit Your Entry
Teachers need to submit on behalf of their students. Here’s a Microsoft Form where teachers can submit entries. We will only accept one graph entry per student. All submissions must be made on or before (February 23, 2024), at 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time.
The Fine Print
- Each entry must be submitted by a teacher, NOT by the student.
- Each student may only enter one graph in the contest, although the teacher may submit multiple students’ entries.
- All graph submissions must be created using desmos.com/calculator.
- All graphs must be the original work of the student. We cannot accept submissions that include copyrighted images. Specifically, submitted graphs may not include the use of content that is not the intellectual property of the person who made the graph.
Brand new to graphing with Desmos? Not so new, but want to learn more? Check out any of these links to get started.
- Introduction to the Graphing Calculator
- Learn how to shade.
- Learn how to make polygons.
- Learn how to animate using sliders.
- Learn how to graph line segments or parts of curves.