Three Act Math Task
So Many Pennies!
Act 1
On Thursday, September 8, 2016, Dr. Jansen was late to class! This video shows the gridlock on the freeway, including the freeway closure, which led to sidestreets also being jammed!
Look at all of the pennies that spilled! What do you wonder about this picture?
(In other words, what mathematical questions might you want to ask and answer about this situation?)
Photo source.
Act 2
What information do you need to answer your question?
Act 3
How much money was it? What was the amount of dollars and cents that were spilled?
The Sequel!
Which would you rather have?
-
a pound of dimes
-
a pound of quarters
-
a pound of half-dollars?
In other words, which is worth more?
The standard weights of coins specified by the U.S. Mint will help you decide...
This 3-Act Math Task was brought to you by Amanda Jansen. (Email comments and feedback to her!) The sequel was brought to you by Bowen Kerins. You may also be interested in how much a penny is really worth...
This task aligns with the following Common Core Standard: 4.MD.A.1 (Fourth Grade - Measurement and Data).