Math Forum: Technology Problems of the Week

Challenging problems based on our Problems of the Week that take advantage of interactive
math tools

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Balloon Booths (in English) || Puesto de Globos (in Spanish): [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Fractions]; Scale the size of a hot air balloon so you can make it fit through a narrow passage and hit a nail to pop it. [Java applet]
Beat the Odds?: [Math 5, 6, Probability & Statistics: Probability; Math 7: Probability of event, Making predictions]; Can you beat the odds and always choose the right door? [Java applet]
Box Model: [Math 5, 6, 7: Composite, Factor, Probability of event; Probability & Statistics: Probability]; Is your box model game fair? [Java applet]
Building a House: [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Geometry in space; Geometry: 2D pictures of 3D solids]; Is your box model game fair? [Java applet]; What are the largest number of cubes to make the house? What's the smallest number of cubes? [Java applet]
Cereal Boxes and Spinners: [Math 5, 6, 7: Equations and functions, Data analysis; Algebra: Functions / Relations]; User considers real-life problem of cost/reward of cereal box prizes. [Java applet]
Containers: [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Number theory, Capacity/volume]; Use two measuring cups of a particular size to figure out how to measure out other quantities. [Java applet]
Counterfeit Coins (in English) || Monedas Falsas (in Spanish): [Math 5, 6, 7: Logic and set theory; Discrete Math: Logical Form & Equivalence]; Find the fewest number of weighings that will identify which of the nine coins is counterfeit. [Java applet]
Dice Rolling Experiment: [Math 5, 6, 7: Data analysis, Probability of event; Probability & Statistics: Data and Distributions, Probability]; Which sum do you think is most likely to occur when you roll three dice? [Java applet]
Dice Sums: [Math 5, 6, 7: Data analysis, Probability; Probability & Statistics: Normal Distributions]; By using the vending machine to buy food, determine the relative values of the coins. [Java applet]; Predict how often the sums of two dice occur after 100 rolls. [Java applet]
Galactic Exchange (in English) || Intercambio Galáctico (in Spanish): [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Ratio and proportion; Algebra: Use of Variables]; By using the vending machine to buy food, determine the relative values of the coins. [Java applet]
Heads and Tails: [Math 6, 7: Probability; Probability & Statistics: Simulating Experiments, Probability]; How many times do you have to flip a coin to get at least one head and one tail?. [Java applet]
How Many Cubes? (in English) || ¿Cuántos Cubos? (in Spanish): [Math 7: 2-D nets -> 3-D figures; Geometry: 2D pictures of 3D solids]; What are the largest number of cubes to make the arrangement? What's the smallest number of cubes? [Java applet]
Math at the Snack Bar: [Math 5, 6, 7: Distributive]; Use an interactive applet for visual examples of the distributive property. [Java applet]
Mauna Loa (in English) || Mauna Loa (in Spanish): [Algebra: Graphing, Line of Best Fit; Algebra II: Functions / Relations; PreCalculus: Functions; Probability & Statistics: Data and Distributions]; Using the monthly measurement data for 1975 through 1988 from Mauna Loa, predict the CO₂ level for your birthday in the current year. [Fathom]
A Million Penny Project (in English) || El Proyecto de un Millón de Centavos (in Spanish): [Math 5, 6, 7: Large numbers, Data analysis]; Students use a spreadsheet to show when they will have collected their million pennies. [spreadsheet]
Miranda and the Rookie (in English) || Miranda y el Principiante (in Spanish): [Math 6, 7: Number sense, Algebra and expressions; Algebra: Exponential Functions; Financial Education: Earning, Income, Jobs, Wages and salary]; Use a spreadsheet to compare salaries of the star basketball player and the rookie. [spreadsheet]
Munching Bugs: [Math 6, 7: Rect coordinate geometry; Math 7: Linear relationships]; Help Sam the Chameleon use a special rule to find the bugs he can eat. [Java applet]
Patio Stones: [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Tessellations]; How many stones did Kathy need to buy to pave an area in her yard? [Java applet]
Pick a Number: [Math 5, 6, 7: Probability of event; Math 7: Making predictions; Probability & Statistics: Simulating Experiments, Probability]; For each number of dice, how many rolls might it take to arrive at your selected number? [Java applet]
Runners (in English) || Corredores (in Spanish): [Math 5, 6, 7: Rates]; Tell how a runner's step size predicts the time it takes to run from the building to the tree. [Java applet]
School Math Game Board: [Math 5, 6, 7: Ratios, Probability; Probability & Statistics: Probability]; Determine if Sam and Sharon game boards give equal opportunities for players to win. [Java applet]
Service Day Game of Chance: [Math 5, 6, 7: Equations and functions, Probability of event; Algebra: Functions / Relations Probability & Statistics: Probability]; Help the students plan for their game of chance. [Java applet]
Spinners: [Math 5, 6, 7: Probability]; Choose which spinner is most likely to have produced the given experimental results. [Java applet]
Squares in a Square (in English) || Cuadros en un Cuadro (in Spanish): [Math 5, 6: Patterns and sequences; Math 7: Algebra and expressions; Algebra II: Recursion and special sequences; PreCalculus: finite, summation notation; Discrete Math: Formula for a sequence, Summation notation]; If you have a checkerboard, how many squares will there be altogether? [Java applet]
Tangrams: [Math 4, 5: Fractions, Ratio and proportion, Geometry in the plane; Math 6, 7: Ratio and proportion]; Discover some of the relationships among the pieces in a set of Tangrams. [Java applet]
Temperature Change: [Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Integers]; Use the given information to find the temperature. [Java applet]
TI-PoW: A Phone-y Deal?: [Algebra: Linear Systems; Algebra II: Solving systems of equations]; Compare two cell phone pricing plans to determine for how many minutes of calls per month each one is the better deal. [TI-Nspire™]
TI-PoW: Caliyah's Cart: [Math 6, 7: Algebra and expressions; Algebra: Use of Variables, Linear Programming]; Use your TI-Nspire to figure out the maximum number of items Caliyah can buy, keeping in mind certain restrictions on weight and cost. [TI-Nspire™]
TI-PoW: Chirp! Chirp!: [Math 7: Formulas, Linear relationships; Algebra: Linear Equations]; Find the temperature when a cricket chirps a certain number of times a minute. [TI-Nspire™]
TI-PoW: Mauna Loa: [Algebra: Graphing, Analyzing Linear Data; Algebra II: Functions / Relations; PreCalculus: Functions; Probability & Statistics: Data and Distributions]; Using the monthly measurement data for 1958 through 2008 from Mauna Loa, predict the CO₂ level for a given month. [TI-Nspire™]
TI-PoW: Sam and Teri's Bank Accounts: [Math 7: Linear relationships; Algebra: Linear Equations; Financial Education: Balancing a checkbook, Banking, Cash flow, Spending, Saving]; Sam and Teri have bank accounts. Sam always withdraws money; Teri always saves it. When will they have equal balances, or will they? [TI-Nspire™]
Traffic Jam (in English) || Tráfico Apretado (in Spanish): [Math 4, 5, 6: Patterns and sequences; Math 7: Algebra and expressions]; Find the fewest number of moves for 10 people (5 people on each side) to end up on the opposite side that they started. [Java applet]
Train Trouble: [Math 7: Fractions, Distance-rate-time]; How fast is the train moving to allow Herman and Sheila to each escape the tunnel? [JavaSketchpad applet]
Types of Triangles (in English) || Tipos de Triángulos (in Spanish): [Math 3, 4: Classify geometric objects; Math 4, 5, 6, 7: Triangles; Geometry Isosceles, Equilateral, Scalene, Right]; Students use a GSP sketch or an interactive web page to drag and manipulate four triangles. They identify one of each type: scalene, isosceles, equilateral, and right. [GSP or JavaSketchpad applet]
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