The Race That Never Ends
Take your place at the starting line and race into one of mathematics' biggest ideas—on a track where the finish line may not exist.
On Your Mark. Get Set. Go… Forever? ♾️🏁
Wesleigh, Waylen, and Waverly are headed to the track—but this isn't an ordinary race.
The track twists into the shape of an infinity symbol, and our racers quickly discover one very important problem:
🏁 Welcome to The Race That Never Ends
This STEMulating Adventure brings racing and mathematics together to explore the idea of infinity. What happens when something keeps going? What happens when a pattern never has to stop? And what kind of race can you run when there isn't a final lap?
♾️ Welcome to the Infinity Track
Follow the track. Keep counting. There is always somewhere else to go.
Around and Around We Go 🔢
Imagine racing around a track with no end. You pass one turn, then another, and another. You keep moving forward—but you never reach the end.
Numbers can give us a similar idea: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → ... No matter how far you count, you can always keep going. There's always another number.
🧠 Think Like a Mathematician
Mathematics isn't only about finding an answer. Mathematicians explore ideas, look for patterns, make predictions, test ideas, and keep asking questions—even when the thinking is more interesting than a final answer.
The Finish Line That Isn't There
In most races, the goal is to reach the finish line.
On the Infinity Track, the adventure is discovering that there may not be one. ♾️
➗ Celebrating the Year of Math
The Race That Never Ends was created as a special celebration of mathematics and the curiosity that comes from exploring big mathematical ideas. This episode is part of STEMulating Adventures' Year of Math programming, made possible with support from the Simons Foundation.
After watching The Race That Never Ends, don't stop at the finish line—because we couldn't find one anyway. 😄
Keep racing through the adventure with the STEMBop, a hands-on STEM challenge, the podcast, our recommended book, and a special Beyond the Episode experience.
One Episode. Six Ways to Keep the Adventure Going.
There's always another way to continue the Infinity Day adventure.
Take your position at the starting line below. Follow the numbers. Find the patterns. Ask big questions. And see where the Infinity Track takes you. ♾️🏁
Now It's Your Turn! ♾️🏁
You've watched The Race That Never Ends, raced along with the STEMBop, and explored infinity through Infinity and Me.
You've thought about numbers and patterns that can keep going. Now it's time to take infinity off the page and build a never-ending path of your own.
🏁 Build Your Own Infinity Track
Use two paper plates and simple building materials to create a continuous racetrack shaped like a sideways 8. Then add a ball, start racing, and see how long you can keep it moving without falling off the track.
THE INFINITY TRACK
Think Like a Mathematician & Engineer
Test your track and pay attention to where the ball slows down or falls off. Then change your design and try again. Ask yourself: What helps the ball keep moving? How could I make the path smoother? How does this track help me think about infinity?
In most races, you're trying to reach the finish line.
In this race, your challenge is to keep going. ♾️
