Do My Genes Fit? An Exploration of the Math Behind Genetics | Grades 6–12 Top 20 National Winners-Recording Webinar

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The presentation, hosted by Mr. Bagheerz Mehta and Ms. Haripriya, introduced a session dedicated to Math Kangaroo 2025 winners. The co-founders of META Plus, both alum of Math Kangaroo and software engineers at Microsoft, announced their theatrical production called "Do My Genes Fit? A Lesson in Genetics and Math". The presenters engaged with the audience through interactive math questions using Zoom's polling feature.<br /><br />The talk focused on genetics, explaining DNA structure, gene inheritance, and their implications in preventing and treating congenital diseases. Mr. Mehta detailed the significance of genetics in medicine, agriculture, evolutionary biology, and forensics. In addition to explaining basic genetic concepts such as alleles, genotypes, and phenotypes, he demonstrated the use of Punnett squares in predicting offspring traits.<br /><br />Participants were challenged with mathematical problems linked to genetics using Punnett squares and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium principles. These exercises illustrated the statistical probabilities of different genotypes and phenotypes arising in a population, emphasizing genetic stability across generations. The session wrapped up with an interactive portion encouraging participants to input their contact details for further engagement and prizes.

Keywords

Math Kangaroo 2025

genetics

Punnett squares

Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium

congenital diseases

DNA structure

interactive math

gene inheritance

META Plus