Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning (4-10) At a glance Students will use math skills to plan for a bulb garden. Grade(s) Grades 4-10 Materials Clipboard (or hard writing surface) Pencil 1 copy of student page per student or pair Simple calculator Measuring tape Goal(s) To practice math calculations Objective(s) 1. Students will be able to apply the formulas for calculating the area of a rectangle and a right triangle. 2. Students will be able to calculate percentages.
Academic standards Ohio Number Sense and Operations (4: 12-14) (5: 9) (6: 4) (8: 6) (9: 4) Mathematics Measurement (4: 1,2,3a.,b.,5,6) (5: 4-6) (6: 3b.,4) (7: 2,7) (8: 3,9) (9: 2,5) Academic Geometry and Spatial Sense (4: 8) Content Patterns, Functions and Algebra (6: 6) (7: 8) (10: 3) Standards Data Analysis and Probability (4: 1) (5: 4) (Grade: Indicators) Mathematical Processes (8-10: A) Kentucky Core Content Mathematics Indiana Mathematics Standards Number Properties and Operations Number Sense MA-(04-1.1.2) (05-1.1.2) (06-1.1.3) (07-1.1.3) Number Operations MA-(04-1.3.1) (05-1.3.1) (06-1.3.1) (07-1.3.1) (08-1.3.1) (HS-1.3.1) Ratios and Proportional Reading MA-(06-1.4.1) (07-1.4.1) (08-1.4.1) (HS-1.4.1) Measurement Measuring Physical Attributes MA-(04-2.1.1)(04-2.1.2) (04-2.1.6) (05-2.1.1) (05-2.1.2) (05-2.1.6) (06-2.1.1) (07-2.1.1) (08-2.1.1) Systems of Measurement MA-(04-2.2.3) (05-2.2.3) (06-2.2.1) (07-2.2.1) (08-2.2.1) (HS-2.2.1) Geometry Shapes and Relationships MA-(04-3.1.2) (05-3.1.2) (06-3.1.2) (06-3.1.3) (07-3.1.2) (07-3.1.3) (08-3.1.2) (08-3.1.3) Data Analysis and Probability Data Representations MA-(04-4.1.2) (05-4.1.2) Algebraic Thinking Equations and Inequalities MA-(04-5.3.1) (05-5.3.1) (06-5.3.1) (07-5.3.1) (08-5.3.1) Number Sense (5.1.4) Computation (5.2.1) (6.2.3) (6.2.8) (7.2.1) (7.2.2) (7.2.3) (8.2.1) Algebra and Functions (4.3.1) (4.3.2) (5.3.1) (5.3.2) (6.3.2) (6.3.5) (7.3.5) Measurement (4.5.1) (4.5.2) (4.5.4) (4.5.7) (5.5.1) (5.5.2) (5.5.3) (5.5.7) (6.5.1) (6.5.6) (6.5.10) (7.5.1) (7.5.5) (8.5.1) (8.5.4) (8.5.5) Geometry Quadrilaterals (G.3.3) Triangles (G.4.7) Mathematical Reasoning and Problem Solving (G.8.1) Integrated Mathematics II & III Geometry and Measurement (IM2.2.7) (IM3.2.15) Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 2 of 11
Background Zoo horticulturalists use math every day, not only to accomplish their work, but also to plan ahead. It takes planning to make the landscape bloom with color and beauty each spring. Not only do the horticulturalists design which bulbs will be planted where and how many, they also have to manage the budget. Activity Have students follow the directions on their worksheets to figure out the area of the planters, the number of bulbs to be planted, and how much it will cost. Assessment Have the students turn in their worksheets and assess them. This activity illustrates how math is part of a horticulturalist s planning. It also gives students the opportunity to practice applying the formulas for areas of rectangles and triangles, and calculating percentages. Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 3 of 11
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Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning Student Page You are a Zoo horticulturalist and are designing bulb gardens to brighten up the planters in front of Guest Relations. The first task is to determine the area of the planters. 1) Measure all sides of each planter. (Planters are not drawn to scale. A indicates a right angle.) A4 A1 A2 A3 A5 2) Break up each planter into rectangles and triangles. Find the areas of each shape using these equations. w h l b Area of a rectangle: A = l x w Area of a right triangle: A = (b x h) / 2 Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 5 of 11
3) Add together to find the total area of the planters. Your answer should be in square feet (hint: 144 in 2 = 1 ft 2 ). Now imagine that you ll be filling the planters with bulbs that will grow and flower in the spring. Each bulb species needs the proper amount of space to grow and thrive in the garden. Bulb Species Number of bulbs per ft 2 Crocus 16 Miniature daffodil 6 Tulip 4 4) Your design calls for 40% of the area to be crocus, 30% to be miniature daffodil, and 30% to be tulips. Determine how many of each bulb you ll need to plant. Now you need to calculate the cost of purchasing the bulbs. The table below provides wholesale pricing for bulbs. Bulb Species Price per bulb Crocus $0.25 Miniature daffodil $0.35 Tulip $0.40 5) Calculate the total cost of the bulbs. Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 6 of 11
6) Calculate shipping for the bulbs. Shipping is 9% the cost of the bulbs. 7) Calculate a 6% sales tax on the combined bulb and shipping costs. 8) Add the sales tax to the combined bulb and shipping costs for a grand total. Congratulations! You ve completed your bulb garden planning. Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 7 of 11
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Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning Student Page (Solutions Page) You are a Zoo horticulturalist and are designing bulb gardens to brighten up the planters in front of Guest Relations. The first task is to determine the area of the planters. 9) Measure all sides of each planter. (Planters are not drawn to scale. A indicates a right angle.) 271in 237in A1 A2 192in 95in 168in A3 A4 61in A5 82in 162in 49in 10) Break up each planter into rectangles and triangles. Find the areas of each shape using these equations. w h l b Area of a rectangle: A = l x w Area of a right triangle: A = (b x h) / 2 A1 = (188 x 192) / 2 = 18048 in 2 A2 = 49 x 192 = 9408 in 2 A3 = 95 x 162 = 15390 in 2 A4 = (95 x 6) / 2 = 285 in 2 A5 = (61 x 82) / 2 = 2501 in 2 Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 9 of 11
11) Add together to find the total area of the planters. Your answer should be in square feet (hint: 144 in 2 = 1 ft 2 ). A = 18048 + 9408 + 15390 + 285 + 2501 = 45632 in 2 x 1 ft 2 / 144 in 2 = 317 ft 2 Now imagine that you ll be filling the planters with bulbs that will grow and flower in the spring. Each bulb species needs the proper amount of space to grow and thrive in the garden. Bulb Species Number of bulbs per ft 2 Crocus 16 Miniature daffodil 6 Tulip 4 12) Your design calls for 40% of the area to be crocus, 30% to be miniature daffodil, and 30% to be tulips. Determine how many of each bulb you ll need to plant. (0.4 x 317 ft 2 ) x 16 / 1 ft 2 = 2029 crocus bulbs (0.3 x 317 ft 2 ) x 6 / 1 ft 2 = 571 miniature daffodil bulbs (0.3 x 317 ft 2 ) x 4 / 1 ft 2 = 380 tulip bulbs Now you need to calculate the cost of purchasing the bulbs. The table below provides wholesale pricing for bulbs. Bulb Species Price per bulb Crocus $0.25 Miniature daffodil $0.35 Tulip $0.40 13) Calculate the total cost of the bulbs. (2029 x $0.25) + (571 x $0.35) + (380 x $0.40) = $507.25 + $199.85 + $152 = $859.10 Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 10 of 11
14) Calculate shipping for the bulbs. Shipping is 9% the cost of the bulbs. $859.10 x 0.09 = $77.32 15) Calculate a 6% sales tax on the combined bulb and shipping costs. ($859.10 + $77.32) x 0.06 = $56.19 16) Add the sales tax to the combined bulb and shipping costs for a grand total. $859.10 + $77.32 + $56.19 = $992.61 Congratulations! You ve completed your bulb garden planning. Zoo Math Days: Bulb Garden Planning, May 2009 Page 11 of 11