Thursday, February 9, 2012

FIT THE WORLD'S PRODUCTION OF GOLD IN YOUR CLASSROOM

Visit this link for rich applications of math:
http://money.howstuffworks.com/question213.htm

The particular article in the link addresses dimensional analysis and fundamental science in relation to math. MOST IMPORTANTLY IT MAY ENGAGE EVEN THE LESS MOTIVATED!

Try it with your prealgebra students as an application of unit conversions, exponents, scientific notation and basic geometry concepts.

Students will need to convert mass (kg) to volume (liters) using the specific gravity of gold, then to cm^3. This will allow them to see how the world's estimated annual production of gold will approximately fill up a cube 14 ft on an edge or, equivalently, a rectangular room 14 ft by 28 ft with 7 ft high ceilings.

By requiring students to research the data and conversion constants, you can integrate the web into the assignment.

A scientific calculator is an appropriate tool here, however, require students to WRITE all steps. It is very easy to lose track of the process when we do a series of 5 or more calculations. The result will appear to be incorrect but the student will be hard pressed to find the error.  It's human nature to press CLEAR and keep pressing more buttons until it works, then forget the exact sequence of keystrokes! 
RECORD EACH STEP ON PAPER WITH APPROPRIATE UNITS. BE A RESEARCHER!

Let me know if you try it and how it works out.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4GLTE Phone

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

GEOM CHALLENGE 2-7-12


If interested in purchasing my NEW 2012 Math Challenge Problem/Quiz book, click on BUY NOW at top of right sidebar.  175 problems divided into 35 quizzes with answers at back. Suitable for SAT I, Math I/II Subject Tests, Math Contests and Daily/Weekly Problems of the Day. Includes multiple choice, cases I/II/III type and constructed response items.
Price is $9.95. Secured pdf will be emailed when purchase is verified. DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME AN EMAIL (dmarain "at gmail dot com") FIRST SO THAT I CAN SEND THE ATTACHMENT!
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DON'T FORGET TO VISIT ME ON TWITTER AT twitter.com/dmarain

TODAY'S TWITTER PROBLEM - A CLASSIC GEOMETRY CHALLENGE
A regular octagon is formed by cutting congruent isosceles right triangles from the corners of
a square of side 1. What is the length of a side of the octagon?

[Ans: ≈ 0.414; also give "exact" answer!]


If interested in purchasing my new Math Challenge Problem/Quiz book, click on BUY NOW at top of right sidebar.  175 problems divided into 35 quizzes with answers at back. Suitable for SAT/Math Contest practice or Problems of the Day/Week.
Price is $9.99 and secured pdf will be emailed when purchase is verified. DON'T FORGET TO SEND ME AN EMAIL FIRST SO THAT I CAN SEND THE ATTACHMENT!


"All Truth passes through Three Stages: First, it is Ridiculed... Second, it is Violently Opposed... Third, it is Accepted as being Self-Evident." - Arthur SchoDONTpenhauer (1778-1860) You've got to be taught To hate and fear, You've got to be taught From year to year, It's got to be drummed In your dear little ear You've got to be carefully taught. --from South Pacific

Monday, February 6, 2012

Explain the SUPER pattern: 2-9-12-15-21

First, congrats to the NY/NJ Giants on another extraordinary accomplishment!
Kudos to both teams and Eli-te and Tom B in particular.

My opinion, but it drives me nuts when I hear that the Miracle Catch 4 years ago was just luck. It wasn't luck that enabled David Tyree to jump higher than Rodney Harrison. It wasn't luck which enabled him to hold onto the ball despite every attempt by the defender to rip the ball from his hand or his helmet. Not to mention Eli's "refuse to lose" attitude. The throw by Eli and catch by Mario Manningham last night was the result of endless practice, skill, and a will that was stronger than the opposition's. Why was Manningham able to make the HIGH PRESSURE play but Welker was not? I say it was DRILL,SKILL,WILL -- necessary ingredients for success in life!

Alright, you haven't read a blog post from me in eons so I cannot disappoint...
I do hope y'all have been following me on twitter.com/dmarain. I've tweeted numerous challenges for your students. Hope you've enjoyed them...

MATH CHALLENGE GRADES 3-8

LIST THE WAYS A FOOTBALL TEAM CAN SCORE 21 PTS. DO THE SAME FOR 17 PTS.
Repondez s'il vous plait! (supply your own accents!)


By the way, one of my daughter's friends had boxes of 9-0 and 9-3 in either order. She won $75 for the 1st quarter and $150 for quarter 2! My buddy had 0-8 in either order for the final score. If the Giants kick the field goal making it 18-17 and the Patriots kick a field goal, making the final score 20-18, he would have won $2500! He's a big Giants fan but talk about mixed emotions!


"All Truth passes through Three Stages: First, it is Ridiculed... Second, it is Violently Opposed... Third, it is Accepted as being Self-Evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer (1778-1860) You've got to be taught To hate and fear, You've got to be taught From year to year, It's got to be drummed In your dear little ear You've got to be carefully taught. --from South Pacific