Real Life Math for Fifth Graders

Perry Local Schools Massillon, Ohio

Activities for Students

See if you can solve these real life math problems using the Web Sites given.

Instructions

Web Sites

Answers

Travel:

Your Great Aunt Sophie, who lives in Pittsburgh, PA has become ill and wants you to come stay with her to help out. To get there the quickest, should you fly from Akron-Canton airport on USAirways, drive from Massillon, Ohio, or take an Amtrak train from Alliance, Ohio? Assume you can leave any time after 6:00 p.m. today.

US Airways Flight Search

AutoPilot: Free Trip

Amtrak Schedules

Cooking:

Aunt Sophie would like you to make dinner tonight. Go to the "Complete Meals By Category" item and select a menu for dinner and adjust the number of servings in each recipe for the two of you. What are you having for dinner? How long will it take you to prepare this meal? Bonus Question: How many grams of fat are in this meal?
My Menus: Family Style Meals

Food:

Aunt Sophie's doctor has just placed her on a low fat diet. She has just sent you out to Taco Bell, her favorite fast food place. What kind of meal can you get for her that has a total of 10 grams of fat or less in it?
Olen Food Finder

Measurements:

The doctor wants Aunt Sophie to weigh 160 pounds. You ask her how much she weighs, and she stubbornly refuses to answer. Finally, she grumpily tells you that she weighs 14 stones, a unit of measurement she used as a young girl in England. Is she overweight or underweight? By how much? How much do you weigh in stones (rounded to the nearest whole number)?
Entisoft Units: Measurement Conversion Calculator

Sunrise/Sunset:

Is it your imagination, or does the sun seem to rise earlier in Pittsburgh than it does in Massillon? If so, how much earlier?
US Naval Observatory: Sunrise/Sunset Calculator

Money:

Aunt Sophie is feeling much better due to your good care. She has decided to give you an allowance of $50 per week and also take you on a trip around the world. What will your allowance be worth in the following currencies?

British Pounds
French Francs
Mexican Pesos
Canadian Dollars
Currency Converter

Mathematics Research:

Aunt Sophie is impressed by your mathematical ability. She thinks you should be a Mathematician. Here are some problems that real mathematicians are researching today. What do researchers hope to learn by solving puzzles like the Graphing Puzzle? What do researchers hope to learn by solving puzzles like the Knot Puzzle? Would you be interested in becoming a mathematician and solving problems like these?

Graphing Puzzle

Knot Puzzle

Applications of Graphing Research

Applications of Knot Research

See if you can solve these real life math problems using the Web Sites given.
Instructions	Web Sites	Answers
Travel: Your Great Aunt Sophie, who lives in Pittsburgh, PA has become ill and wants you to come stay with her to help out. To get there the quickest, should you fly from Akron-Canton airport on USAirways, drive from Massillon, Ohio, or take an Amtrak train from Alliance, Ohio? Assume you can leave any time after 6:00 p.m. today.	US Airways Flight Search AutoPilot: Free Trip Amtrak Schedules
Cooking: Aunt Sophie would like you to make dinner tonight. Go to the "Complete Meals By Category" item and select a menu for dinner and adjust the number of servings in each recipe for the two of you. What are you having for dinner? How long will it take you to prepare this meal? Bonus Question: How many grams of fat are in this meal?	My Menus: Family Style Meals
Food: Aunt Sophie's doctor has just placed her on a low fat diet. She has just sent you out to Taco Bell, her favorite fast food place. What kind of meal can you get for her that has a total of 10 grams of fat or less in it?	Olen Food Finder
Measurements: The doctor wants Aunt Sophie to weigh 160 pounds. You ask her how much she weighs, and she stubbornly refuses to answer. Finally, she grumpily tells you that she weighs 14 stones, a unit of measurement she used as a young girl in England. Is she overweight or underweight? By how much? How much do you weigh in stones (rounded to the nearest whole number)?	Entisoft Units: Measurement Conversion Calculator
Sunrise/Sunset: Is it your imagination, or does the sun seem to rise earlier in Pittsburgh than it does in Massillon? If so, how much earlier?	US Naval Observatory: Sunrise/Sunset Calculator
Money: Aunt Sophie is feeling much better due to your good care. She has decided to give you an allowance of $50 per week and also take you on a trip around the world. What will your allowance be worth in the following currencies? British Pounds French Francs Mexican Pesos Canadian Dollars	Currency Converter
Mathematics Research: Aunt Sophie is impressed by your mathematical ability. She thinks you should be a Mathematician. Here are some problems that real mathematicians are researching today. What do researchers hope to learn by solving puzzles like the Graphing Puzzle? What do researchers hope to learn by solving puzzles like the Knot Puzzle? Would you be interested in becoming a mathematician and solving problems like these?	Graphing Puzzle Knot Puzzle Applications of Graphing Research Applications of Knot Research

Internet Math Resources for Teachers

Smile Program Mathematics: Single concept math lesson plans. Be sure to check out the "Practical and Applied Math" section.
Calculators Online Center: Calculators on Internet by subject. Over 5000 calculators that will help you calculate the mortgage on your house, the amount of fat in your food, the balance in your checkbook, the amount of lavender oil to add to your potpourri, and thousands of other calculations.

Contacts

Linda Ater (Reedurban Elementary)
Cheryl DeHeer (Watson Elementary)

Contacts
Linda Ater (Reedurban Elementary) Cheryl DeHeer (Watson Elementary)

Revised: November 11, 1997

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