Every time the Bluebird Math Circle meets, participants listen to the bluebird song and think of math questions. Sometimes, it’s difficult for participants to make up a question―any math question. Where do math questions come from? How can we pose a lot of them?

Math and science people have been collecting generative questions for centuries. “Generative” has two meanings. First, the question itself isn’t too hard to ask (to generate). Second, the question starts (generates) mathematical explorations. Want to try?

Visit NaturalMath.com/BlueBirdBot/ to make various math questions. The question bot is made of templates: it needs your words to work. Which questions did you like the most? What did you like about them?

Artwork: Jim and Tori Mullen