Calling All Experts: Stump the Students
- WYNM
- Dec 3, 2019
- 1 min read
Updated: Jul 31, 2022
Here is where field experts can pose job-related math problems for students to solve. Students will work independently, with small groups, or through research to try to come up with the answers. They will put some of their answers in the BAD IDEA BOX, and some of their answers in the DECENT IDEA BOX. I encourage you to check out both boxes.
Submitted by a floor installer for veterinary hospitals, kennels and animal owners:
1. Betty has a 6’x4’ dog house. She needs wood laminate squares, so her dog can keep cool. If the area is 24’, how many 2’ squares do I need? Show me how you solve this!
2. Mary has a dog kennel that is 10’x5’, so the area is 50’. How many 10’ rubber squares of matting should I order for this job? Show me how you solve this! Thanks!
3. John’s 4 goat sheds need new wooden boards. We will need a total of 20 boards, so how many boards will each shed need? Show me how you solve this! Thanks!
4. Don has a chicken coop…
Submitted by a tax driver:
City Initial Charge Mileage Charge
Cleveland $1.80 40¢ per mile
Chicago $2.25 20¢ per mile
Houston $2.50 30¢ per mile
Los Angeles $2.20 20¢ per mile
Honolulu $3.00 75¢ per mile
Hello! My name is Bob, and I drive a taxi, because I like meeting and helping people. My brothers and sisters are also taxi drivers all over the country, and we all work for the same company. Every day we meet new people, and we go to new places. Our company computers broke this morning, and that’s what tells us how much our customers owe. Each customer pays an initial charge, and then pays an amount per mile of the trip. Sometimes there are…
Submitted by a beauty salon owner:
Hi! My name is Linda, and I own a beauty salon. It took me a while to get enough regular customers to open up my own shop, but I did it! I provide haircuts, perms (curls), hair coloring, manicures, pedicures and hair products. I’m so busy today, and I need to figure out how much money the shop made this week. Can you help me?
Haircut $8
Perm curl $30
Hair coloring $50
Manicure $10
Pedicure $15
Beauty products $10
1. On Monday, I gave five haircuts, two perms, one hair coloring, three manicures and two pedicures. How much money did the salon make?
2. On Tuesday, I gave 7 haircuts, I sold 4…
Submitted by D.M., machine shop owner who is redesigning rooms at home:
I am doing hardwood flooring. The room is 14x15 feet, how many square feet of flooring do I need?
Then the boards are 4.75 inches wide by 48 inches long. How many pieces do I need to run the boards 48" with the 15-foot direction and also the other direction, which way gives me the least amount of scrap wood?
I also have a 12x16 foot room and a15x13room to do the same way if you want to break up into teams. So I need a total square foot of flooring to buy and then the best way to run the wood, per room.
Submitted by S.M., a licensed insurance agent:
I work for Farmers Insurance as a licensed agent...I use Math daily to figure out insurance rates how they would differ with a claim or an accident with full coverage versus liability only. How one drivers age, sex or driving record can affect their insurance premiums and such.
· Here is the example....
2005 Honda Accord 4 door LX (full coverage) 6 month premium
30 year old married male perfect record w/home 356.72 same driver no home owners 445.90 same driver w/home 1 accident 495.84 same driver w/home 1 accident and hes a teacher 426.43 same driver no home 1 accident 570.21 same car 16 yr old male driver w/home under parents 713.44 …