Radford University
Take a Trip
Leave all your travels needs to the math department. Pupils apply knowledge of triangles to identify a triangular path for a traveler to take. They use a given distance for the second leg of the trip and a constraint on the length of the...
Radford University
Triangle Inequality Task
Not all triangles are created equal. A simple hands-on activity has learners investigate the side lengths of triangles. They use pipe cleaners to determine whether triangles of given side lengths can exist and then use the results to...
Radford University
Escape from the Zombie Apocalypse - Exploring Quadrilaterals through Google Maps and Google Earth
Prepare for the zombie apocalypse ... by studying quadrilaterals? Given a map of an imaginary town, scholars identify quadrilaterals created by streets. They then use Google Earth and Google Maps to find parallelograms, rectangles,...
Radford University
Where Should We Sit?
Where's the best seat in the house? Given a diagram of a movie theater, pupils determine the best seats based on the viewing angle. They use inscribed angles to justify their choices.
Radford University
Marking Starting Locations for the 400-Meter Dash Track and Field Event
No fair! I had to run more than they did! Young mathematicians first measure various lengths on a school track. They develop strategies and show calculations to prove that all participants will run the same length using a staggered...
Radford University
Pizza Sector Task
Gobble up a slice of the task. Scholars first consider the area of a whole pizza, half a pizza, and a quarter of a pizza. They then consider other central angles and develop a formula for the area of any sector of a circle.
Radford University
Tiling
What more could we want from floor tiles? Using pattern blocks and graph paper, pupils determine ways to completely tile a floor of given dimensions. They consider the aesthetic quality of the tiles by creating a tessellation and...
Radford University
Parallelogram Task
These floors were made for learning. Pupils use coordinate planes drawn on the classroom floor using tape to investigate parallelograms. They measure lengths, angles, and slopes to identify properties of parallelograms.
Radford University
Remodeling a Home
Get new flooring for as cheap as possible. Given a floor plan of a house, pupils determine the area of each room and the amount of necessary flooring. They then make selections for the flooring in every space, taking a budget into...
Radford University
“Putt-Putt” For The Geometry of It!
Take a swing at the task. Using their knowledge of polygons and solids, scholars design one hole of a miniature golf course. They calculate areas and perimeters, determine the cost of building the holes, make scale drawings, and create...
Radford University
Pirate Attack
Arr ye matey, it's time for some trig. Learners first read up on the 2010 attack on the USS Nicholas by a group of pirates and the testimony of one of the witnesses. They use right triangle trigonometry to determine if the account is...
Radford University
Finding the Largest Possible Area
If you want a bigger garden, here's a task for you. Given the perimeter of a triangular garden, scholars determine the largest possible area. They then generalize their findings and extend the idea to other polygons.
Radford University
A Day at the Beach!
Make math class feel like a day at the beach (minus all the sunburns, of course). Given information about a pail, a soup can, and a plastic pyramid mold, pupils calculate the volume of sand that can fit in each. They then design sand...
Radford University
Running Laps During Soccer Practice
Which option involves running less? Given a situation in which players can either run around the school soccer field 20 times or run back and forth along the diagonal 20 times, learners decide which option would be better. They consider...
Radford University
A Place at the Table
Find a seat at the table. Learners design a non-rectangular picnic table given constraints on the number of people that should be able to sit at the table. They draw blueprints and build scale models of their tables. After researching...
Radford University
Filling Up a Swimming Pool Task
Swimming pools are no fun without water. For a pool in the shape of a trapezoidal prism, scholars first calculate the amount of water needed to fill the pool. They use experimental data on water flow to determine whether to haul water...
Radford University
Developing a Trigonometry Phone App
What's one more app? After reviewing how to calculate missing side lengths or angle measures in a right triangle, pupils create instructions for a phone app to do all of the tedious work. They must consider all nine cases of known...
Radford University
Rom/Com Final Scene
You haven't seen this scene before, have you? Young mathematicians first review the Pythagorean Theorem and trigonometry by completing a worksheet. They then consider several problems involving two people running toward each other in a...
Radford University
Discover Radians!
No need for radians to be mysterious. Scholars use a cardboard cut-out of a unit circle and measure the radius and circumference using a piece of string. They consider the number of radii needed to cover the entire circumference and use...
Radford University
Fuel Efficient Function Activity
Pupils research the five most fuel efficient vehicles of the same type and come up with a way to display the mile per gallon for each vehicle. After choosing a vehicle, scholars create graphs to display miles traveled given the amount of...
Radford University
Finding Slope
The class takes a trip about the school and find four places to measure the rise and run of objects that represent slope in the building. Pairs work together to calculate the slope of each object and determine whether any ramp they find...
Radford University
Class Fundraising Committee
Given the task of coming up with a fundraiser, small groups determine the type of fundraiser to hold and restraints on the number of participants. The classmates create inequalities to represent the constraints and graph the solution to...
Radford University
Throwing a Football
Use mathematics to help the football team. Pairs brainstorm how to approach finding a solution to a problem to help the quarterback complete more passes. By researching and collecting data, the teams derive an equation to represent the...
Radford University
Staircases and Ramps
Ramp up the study of slope. The class participates in a discussion about the physical aspects of stairs and ramps they encounter. Small groups work together and measure a staircase and corresponding ramp to calculate the slope of each....