Category: Data and probability

Will I pay less if I buy more?

In this activity, when you spend more than the three cut-off points you get a greater discount. What amounts should you not spend? Should you spend more to get the greater discount? What does this data look like when graphed?

Starbucks sales and nutrition

Updated!  It’s a good time to give students some authentic math on a topic they probably will be interested in … Starbucks beverages.  We ask and answer a few questions in this activity. About how many drinks does Starbucks sell…

Consumer Spending 2023

Consumers in the U.S. spend a lot of money. In this activity we look at historical data to see if there are any patterns in our spending.  How does our holiday spending show up in these graphs?  What accounts for spikes or drops in spending? What patterns do you notice?  Which patterns will likely continue and which patterns won’t?

What is a quantum dot?

Students learn about nanotechnology and why it works by looking closely at surface area and its comparison to volume. Hopefully they will begin to understand the incredible possibilities of this science.

Veterans Day, 2023

Population and Density maps of where Veterans live. What can you observe? What do you wonder? How do they compare?

Yummy Pumpkin Pie

23 people are coming to my house for pumpkin pie and a hike. How many pies should I make?  How much of each ingredient will I need? What quantities should I buy?  Engage your students in estimation, multiplication of fractions and proportional reasoning.

14 ideas for Halloween

We have 14 great activities to use in your class as we near Halloween. Candy sales; Participation in activities; Creating a sheet ghost costume; Bats; Figuring chocolate volume; Dia de los meurtos; and more …

More Population Pyramids

The population pyramid above shows the distribution of the World by ages and sex for each continent. How can that information help you put your vision of the world in better perspective?

The Moroccan Earthquake and the Richter scale

Friday evening, September 8th, a powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit Morocco southwest of Marrakech.
What does a 6.8 magnitude earthquake mean? How powerful was that? What is a seismometer and a seismograph? What is the amplitude of a seismograph reading? Why did the quake happen in Morocco?