Mathematics Genealogy Project

High school (ages 12+)
Mathematics & Numbers

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/mathematics-genealogy-project

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the total mathematical scientists cataloged?334,029 as of September 30, 2025
2. What is the core data elements?Graduation year, thesis title (MSC), alma mater, doctoral advisor, doctoral students
3. How many mathematicians are in the project?As of September 30, 2025, the project lists 334,029 mathematicians who have done research-level math.
4. What information is recorded for each mathematician?Each entry includes the year they earned their doctorate, their dissertation title, the university where they studied, their advisor’s name, and the names of their own doctoral students.

Academic Genealogy: The study and mapping of scholarly lineage, tracing the educational relationships between researchers and their mentors.
Doctoral Dissertation: An extensive research document submitted by a candidate for a doctoral degree, representing original scholarly work.
Mathematics Subject Classification (MSC): A hierarchical system used to categorize mathematical literature, often used to index thesis titles.