Mathematics has found a surprising home in the world of music, with bands and educators crafting songs and performances that celebrate numbers and math concepts. One notable example is the band Heine Borel and the Finite Subcovers from Notre Dame University. Formed in 2022 by honors math majors, this group blends humor and mathematical themes in their music. Their name itself is a clever pun referencing the Heine-Borel theorem, a fundamental concept in real analysis.
The band began as a joke during a math class but soon turned into a serious project. They recorded their first full album titled “Greatest Hits and Least Upper Bounds” during their senior week, despite being novices at music production. The album was released on vinyl and includes songs with playful math references, such as “The Monster Math” and “The Intermediate Value Theorem,” the latter noted for its mathematical accuracy. The band’s performances were often held in unconventional venues like the basement of Hayes-Healy Hall, where they humorously replaced numbers in song titles with twos for a special show on February 22, 2022.
While the members have since gone their separate ways geographically, some pursuing graduate studies or other careers, the group remains open to possible reunions. Their music is currently available on YouTube, with efforts underway to bring it to streaming platforms despite copyright challenges due to their parodies.
In a different but related trend, Natalie Kaczmarski, an Indiana math teacher known as Miss Kacz on TikTok, has gained viral fame for turning popular rap songs by Drake into educational math-themed raps. Her latest hit is a school-themed version of Drake’s “Nokia,” where she raps about classroom rules and math readiness with impressive rhythm and wit. Since 2019, she has created several such covers that engage students by combining popular music with educational content.
Miss Kacz explained that her goal is to connect with students by showing her personality and making math class enjoyable. Her creative approach helps students feel comfortable and motivated to learn by blending familiar music styles with academic messages.
Together, these examples illustrate how mathematics inspires creativity beyond textbooks and classrooms. From college bands producing vinyl records filled with math jokes to teachers leveraging social media trends to teach concepts through rap, songs about mathematics are making learning both fun and memorable.
