Math Links for Week Ending May 15th, 2015

So last week at OAME I tweeted this out while working with @MrOrr_geek at @maryborassa's session.

It's @MrOrr_geek doing "speedy squares" at @MaryBourassa 's session at #OAME2015 then modelling on @Desmos pic.twitter.com/Xva3lfrgxJ

— David Petro (@davidpetro314) May 7, 2015

We were working on this activity where we had to time ourselves building squares out of snap cubes and then predict how long it would take to make a 26x26 square. Well he said he was going to build it. And so he did with a three Act Task for it. Below is the 1st act. How long do you think it will take to make the entire thing.
Curriculum Tags: Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P, MPM2D, MFM2P
http://mrorr-isageek.com/speedy-squares/

Speedy Squares Act 1 from Jon Orr on Vimeo.

Thanks to @mathletepearce and @MrOrr_geek we now know that Desmos can be used on EQAO. Or rather the Desmos Test Mode version of the app. Check out his blog post on the guidelines that students must use in order to use it.
Curriculum Tags: MPM1D, MFM1P
https://tapintoteenminds.com/eqao-approves-desmos-test-mode/



I thought this was an interesting use of the measurement tools on Google Earth. Using them to find the perimeter and volume of the pyramids of Egypt. Check out the values.
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MPM1D, MFM1P , MFM2P, MBF3C, MAP4C
https://sphillipyoung.wordpress.com/2015/04/14/peel21st-blog-hop-when-tech-and-numeracy-collide/




Wanna win at games? Here is the mathematical strategy to win at 14 different games. There is a lot of good probability and combinatoric discussion here as well as some interesting data visualizations. Specifically I love the TicTacToe visualization from XKCD
Curriculum Tags: Gr7, Gr8, MAT1L, MAT2L, MBF3C, MDM4U, MAP4C
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/05/08/

More data visualizations. This time using Legos to visualize the income differences in the US.
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/13/how-to-spread-the-wealth-explained-with-legos/

Not sure if vaccines work. How about this visualization about measles (and two more at the link)
Curriculum Tags: MDM4U
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/04/20/the-incredible-power-of-the-measles-vaccine-in-3-graphics/

The beautiful geometry of plants
Curriculum Tags: All
http://www.boredpanda.com/geometry-symmetry-plants-nature/