Play Ball

We use math in baseball. First of all we measured the field to layout the pitches mound and all the bases. Then the game is played and our scores are tracked and records are set.

Fishing for Math

I like to use math when I go fishing. I have to estimate when I cast the line. I have to measure when I catch the fish, and I have to weigh the fish too.

Muffins and Mom!

When I was having trouble in math my mom started to teach me how to bake and we would double the recipes and I would have to calculate how much ingredients I needed in my recipes. I love making banana muffins.

Building a Tee pee

I build tee pees in my backyard with branches and long sticks that fall from the trees! Sometimes I make a tee pee with one room, and sometimes I have enough branches to make a tee pee with more than one room. I don't use anything but tree branches — no ropes or nails to hold it together.

In the Style of M.C. Escher

M.C. Escher was a Dutch graphic artist. We viewed his art work on the web before we studied transformational geometry. At the beginning of the chapter in our grade 5 text there were a couple of pieces of his art and this inspired me to take it a step further. We made our own art and called it "In the Style of M.C. Escher" but I didn't tell the students this was math! They were happily doing transformations, reflections, rotations etc. and were amazed to learn they had spent their Friday afternoon art class doing math!

Math Tag

I use math in games. I play a game called Math Tag. In this game, there is an answerer and a questioner. The answerer would pick a questioner to tag. That questioner would pick a place to stay in, also the answerer. The questioner asks a challenging problem to the answerer. You have only 45 seconds to answer the problem. If it is incorrect or if time runs out you can not walk closer to the questioner. If you tag the questioner you win. Also, the questioner wins for teaching math and learning at the same time.

Scout Math

We use math in our boy scout troop to calculate attendance ratios, service hour ratios, and scout participation.

We also use math in our merit badges, such as physical fitness. We measure our chest, thighs, arms, and legs to determine our physical fitness improvement after we have completed a 90 day fitness program.

We also use math in our personal management merit badge. We keep a 90 budget and a calendar to improve our time management skills.

Adding up the Savings

I help my mom cut out and organize the coupons she uses to save money on the foods she buys for us. She has to save a lot because we eat a lot after our sports. My brother takes two of everything for school lunches. It is the best when she saves enough to buy two of everything. We even get coupons for our dad who is a paramedic and works 24 hours and has to eat at work. The bigger the amount on the coupon, the more we get for less money. I count what is left over and tell her how much she saved.

The Math of Drawing

One time I was drawing a portrait of myself. At first, I have trouble sketching out the picture. The left and the right side of my face don't balance out. But because I LOVE math, I applies the concept of symmetry into my drawing. On a 11x8 in. graphing paper, (using a ruler) I draw a symmetry line (The paper has two lines of symmetry). What I did is divide my paper into four congruent squares. I start by drawing the right side of my face, and using the concept of reflection/proportion, I am able to work it through. For example, if the right side of my lip ends at the coordinate (3,2) then the left side have to ends at (-3,-2).