Math Links for Week Ending July 17, 2015

Here is a loaded question: Is Math Important? This is what these 5 panelists discussing over the course of an hour or so. They make their case for (and against?). I was hooked as soon as I heard Steven Strogatz started with takedowns (kind of) of the standard reasons to say "Yes". Take some time to watch and listen. Thanks to @profkeithdevlin for this
Curriculum Tags: All
http://video.pbs.org/video/2365521689/

I love cool uses of data. Here is a dynamic visualization of sunset/sunrises created realtime from scraping Instagram for images tagged with #sunset or #sunrise and then mapping them onto the globe. Check out the link below to see the dynamic visualization.
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/06/29



I really like this very simple tweak to questioning that @k8nowak has on a recent post. She was having trouble with students not answering questions about other student's work. She got around it by changing the question she asked to "would you explain your understanding of Bianca's Solution?" I like it because it is a little more friendly than "Does anyone have any questions about Bianca's Solution?"
Curriculum Tags: All
http://function-of-time.blogspot.ca/2015/07/a-magical-incantation.html

The Nardo Ring is a circular test track in Italy and here is a 3Act task on a problem about two cars driving around in it. Certainly any class dealing with circumference and rates could make use of this.
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P
http://whenmathhappens.com/2015/07/08/nardo-ring/

It's summer time so why not have a mathematical parody about factoring quadratics. Thanks to @k8nowak for this one
Curriculum Tags: MPM2D, MFM2P, MCF3M, MBF3C, MCR3U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhSjD5nLkjY

When ever I see a fountain I see a quadratic. This time, at the corner of Queen and University in Toronto, it was a great paraboloid.
Curriculum Tags: MPM2D, MFM2P, MCR3U, MBF3C, MCF3M
https://twitter.com/davidpetro314/status/621116745428901888

As always #fountains are #parabolic #mathchat #parabola #quadratic pic.twitter.com/iFJ8sUvYRG

— David Petro (@davidpetro314) July 15, 2015

It is always nice when @JohnAllenPaulos continues his books on innumeracy via twitter. This time on a menu and dealing with rates and area of a circle.
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P
https://twitter.com/JohnAllenPaulos/status/620339094137217024

Usual pizza pricing. 1 small for $17, 1 large (~ 2 small) for $20. Why? Innumerate customers, dieters, crafty owners? pic.twitter.com/We5ntyTaRR

— John Allen Paulos (@JohnAllenPaulos) July 12, 2015