Math Links for Week Ending Aug. 23, 2013

One of the things that Dan Meyer did this summer is called "Makeover Monday"
where he and his readers take various bits of textbook work and retool them. Here are the results:
Bedroom Area (Area, Rates) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17230
Checkerboard Boarder (Quadratics, Patterning) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17257

Bedroom Carpet (Composite Area, Rates) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17348
Internet Plans (Systems of Equations) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17391
Meatballs (Composite Volume) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17442
Tire Marks (Root Functions) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17499
Postage Rates (Piecewise Graphs) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17502
Ferris Wheel (Periodic Functions) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17501
Shipping Routes (Systems of Equations, Patterning) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17500
Boat Race (Vectors, Geometry) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17503
Penny Circle (Quadratics) http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=17153

Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P, MPM2D, MFM2P, MCR3U, MCV4U

Here is a neat activity that links equilateral triangles and quadratics (or root functions)

http://www.cut-the-knot.org/arithmetic/algebra/ParabolaAndEquilateralTriangles.shtml

Curriculum Tags: MCF3M, MCR3U

One dot, one person. That is, over 300 million dots representing each person in the US. All plotted out and colour coded by race. Neat visualization. Here is the link to the large zoomable map.
http://www.coopercenter.org/demographics/Racial-Dot-Map
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U

I must be fascinated by these things because I know I have pointed them out before. These pictures made of curves are neat. But unrelated to this is a new feature of Wolfram Alpha to "Analyze My Facebook Data". To do this you have to give Wolfram Access to your Facebook page but then it does its magic. Give it a try. 

http://blog.wolframalpha.com/2013/08/12/set-the-curve-with-wolframalpha/

Curriclum Tags: MDM4U, MCR3U

From Edudemic, a nod to McGraw Hill's Eglossary of math
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/2013/08/eglossary-math-glossary-for-middle-high.html

Curriculum Tags: All

A whole pile of I Have, Who Has cards already premade for math.
http://www.mathwire.com/whohas/whohas.html
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8

Here is a really cool algebra puzzle that requires only generating and solving linear equations. Take a look here
http://letsplaymath.net/2013/08/22/puzzle-algebra-on-rectangles/
Curriculum Tags: MFM1P, MPM1D

In this video the boys from Top Gear (UK) take a look at how models scale down in size but actually scale up in durability
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioYE_6Lx_hA
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P

The Big Bang Theory has no shortage of math references. Here's one that could be used as a Minds On for solving linear equations or speed
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s9td5kvK5c

I still don't know what the 2nd guy says but this is still kinda funny "street math"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stXG3np-BWE
Curriculum Tags: All

I love this one from XKCD dealing with the idea of small probabilities and statements that sound sensational but really aren't 

http://xkcd.com/1252/
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U