Mysteries About True Histories (M.A.T.H.)

Hey M.A.T.H. fans! Many of you already know our sister show Who Smarted? — and Trusty Narrator has a HUGE secret to share. Who Smarted? is launching The Encyclopedia of Smarting — a brand-new series of beautiful, fact-packed books covering all the topics kids love most. Book 1 is all about EXPLOSIONS 💥, Book 2 dives into DINOSAURS 🦖, and Book 3 is stuffed with surprising facts about FOOD 🍕. Find out which dinosaur is probably in your backyard right now, why fireworks have different colors, and how cheese is basically rotten milk someone decided to eat anyway. Grown-ups: head to whosmarted.com and click "THE BOOKS" to join the Notify List before the Kickstarter goes live Sunday, May 24 at 2PM. Special editions and early-bird discounts are limited — don't miss it!

Episode Description: During a break while playing Bingo – Max and Molly discover how probability shapes games of chance—right before a mysterious emoji message pulls them back into the hunt for the POGs. A hacked toy, a glitchy wi-fi signal from 1998, and a massive hidden server reveal the POGs’ terrifying “Prediction Calculator.” Now, the only way to stop them is to track their servers across time. Math Concepts: Probability in games of chance: bingo odds, coin-flip probability, randomness vs. strategy; Percentages; Circumference formula: C = 2πr; Simplifying operations by canceling factors (×4 and ÷4); Exponential calculationsHistory/Geography Concepts: • FAO Schwarz; Early electronic toys: Super Talk Barbie, Teddy Ruxpin, Edison Dolls; Origin of the Butterfly Effect concept; Understanding how networks, servers, and digital communication evolved over time; The idea of encrypted information and decryption

Episode Description: Summoned to a High Tribunal – Max and Molly must defend their claim that a Mole has infiltrated The Order of Problem Solvers. After passing a high-pressure test, they argue their case—but nothing goes as planned. But in a twist, they discover that nothing might actually be the answer to their problems – and that perhaps the best Mole… is no Mole at all! Math Concepts: Measuring time using heart rate; Division with remainders: 273 ÷ 78 = 3 + 39/78; Reducing fractions using divisibility rules; Divisibility rule for 3 (digit sum test); Identifying prime numbers.History/Geography Concepts: Logic tests and tribunals (judicial structure, evidence, burden of proof); Concepts of espionage, infiltration, and “false leads.”; Idiom origins: “wild goose chase.”; Critical thinking and evaluating assumptions vs. evidence.

Episode Description: Max and Molly suspect one of their own might be a Mole inside the Problem Solvers. But when their investigation takes them on a mission to ancient Europe to save… cabbage, things spiral out of control—literally. As they battle Trolls, numbers, and paradoxes, they learn some problems can’t be solved in straight lines. Math Concepts: Division of time and averages; Multiplication and proportion; Order of operations; Geometry: comparing circle vs. square perimeter-to-area ratios; Perimeter and circumference formulas: History/Geography Concepts: Ancient Greece and Zeno’s Dichotomy Paradox (motion as illusion); Western Europe around 1000 BCE and early cultivation of Brassica oleracea (wild cabbage).

Episode Description: After soccer practice, Max and Molly stumble onto a new mystery when Max’s soccer Coach hands out bizarre “Zen” playbooks filled with riddles and impossible strategies. As they calculate the odds of success on the field, the pair begins to suspect Coach might be a secret Mole. Math Concepts: • Probability and the Multiplication Rule;Regression to the Mean; Division and averaging (calculating goals per game and postseason stats):History/Geography Concepts: Concepts of Zen and Koans (paradoxical riddles meant to teach mindfulness or enlightenment); Sports strategy and probability in real-world applications

Episode Description: Max and Molly suspect that Mr. Avogadro’s student book club may be a front for Mole recruitment. Using Math to calculate reading goals, averages, and even a new “Suspicion Number” system inspired by mathematician Paul Erdős, they try to narrow down suspects. But when they overhear Mr. A and Mr. Z talking about “burrows” and “alternate history,” the mystery deepens. Math Concepts: Division with remainders; Multiplication to find daily/weekly totals;; Application of averages;Fractions/percentages; Graph theory-inspired reasoningHistory/Geography Concepts: Misconceptions about animals (bats and moles’ eyesight/echolocation); Introduction to mathematician Paul Erdős and the Erdős Number System; Literature reference: A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle

Episode Description: Max and Molly attempt to infiltrate the POGs by applying for a mysterious “Mole job” that sends them 2 million years back to Olduvai Gorge. There, they discover Homo habilis, early human tools, and the dangers of altering history—better known as “The Butterfly Effect.” Using Math to calculate volume, they dig a hole to bury a strange box. But could this simple action end up changing the future forever? Math Concepts: Volume formula: length × width × height (to determine hole depth);Large number comparisons (quadrillions vs trillions); Fractions, decimals, and multiplication; Time conversion (millions of years → human timeline).History/Geography Concepts: Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania as a key anthropological site; Discovery of early human fossils (Mary Leakey, Homo habilis). The Butterfly Effect in relation to history and consequences. Fossilization and preservation conditions (lava and ash deposits).

Episode Description: When a flyer leads Max and Molly to new POG activity, Aunt M sends them to the Great Wall of China in 1601. There, they discover that what locals think is a terrifying “monster” is actually a POG transmission antenna. With the Commander eager to take credit, Max and Molly must rescue a strange printout that deepens the koan mystery. Math Concepts: Time calculations (converting minutes → seconds, hours → minutes → seconds); Speed, distance, and pace (Molly’s run: 1.1 miles in 9:45 → pace calculations); Order of Operations (PEMDAS: Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction); Prime vs composite numbers (e.g., 9 as the first odd composite number); Ratios and unit conversions (seconds to minutes, minutes to hours)History/Geography Concepts: Geography: The Jiumenkou section of the Great Wall—unique as a bridge with nine arches spanning the Jiujiang River; History: Ming Dynasty China, 1601 CE; Cultural element: How myths and misunderstandings can grow around technology (locals mistaking a satellite dish for a monster); Philosophy: Koans (riddles used in Zen Buddhism to provoke deeper thought)