Radford University
Alpaca Lunch
Feed the need for knowledge. Future mathematicians first consider how the lateral area of a rectangular prism relates to its volume. They then design a container for alpaca food that has the maximum volume possible from a given sheet of...
Radford University
Confetti Task
Using the net of a can, learners develop formulas for the surface area and volume of a cylinder. They then apply their formulas to solve problems about a cylindrical container used to disperse confetti.
Radford University
Sand Castle
Don't let the task slip through your fingers like sand. Scholars design sand castles using hemispheres, pyramids, cones, and cylinders of different sizes. They calculate the volume and surface area and consider how changing the...
Radford University
How Do I Design a Raised Bed Garden to Accommodate My Plants?
Give plants the best place to grow. Given constraints on plant spacing, pupils design a raised bed garden using graph paper, then calculate the perimeter, surface area, and volume. They use the provided costs of lumber and soil to...
Radford University
Coal Silo Design Task
The coal is mined. Now what? Scholars design a coal silo that stores mined earth using at least two different three-dimensional shapes. They calculate the volume, determine the amount of mined earth produced in a day, and find the amount...
Radford University
Exploring Coal Pillar Mining
Coal mines can be a gold mine of math applications. After reading some basic information on coal mining, learners draw blueprints of a coal pillar in the shape of a composite figure. They find the volume of material from the coal pillar...
Radford University
Choosing the Best Cylinders
Don't be fooled: the taller glass doesn't always hold the most. Given the dimensions of different cylindrical containers for beverages and popcorn, pupils calculate the volumes. They see how changing the dimensions affects the volume and...
Radford University
Lemonade Business - Investigating Surface Area and Volume of Containers
Boost lemonade sales by using the perfect container. For a given volume, future entrepreneurs design a container that will have the least surface area and by extension, the least cost of material. They create a two-dimensional net of...
Radford University
Swimming Pool Dilemma
Different shape, same volume—that's quite a challenge! Scholars design a pool for an imaginary client using three-dimensional figures. They must then create a second pool for another client with the same volume, but using different shapes.
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...