Everyday Applications of Math

From ancient scholars to astronauts, people all over the world have used the universal language of mathematics to solve problems and to live their daily lives. Whether you are shopping at the grocery store, making chocolate chip cookies or watching a baseball game, you make mathematical calculations and use mathematical concepts such as estimation, proportion and percentage. Discover the importance of mathematics in our world and explore ways to develop your skills through the direct links on the Times Launch Point Web site: https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint

Level 1

Plane Math Activities: Whether it’s determining the weight of a plane’s cargo or calculating how much fuel is needed for a flight, mathematics plays an important role in aviation. Put your mathematics skills to the test through this collection of fun, aeronautical exercises and meet pilots and flight engineers who use mathematics in their jobs.

https://www.planemath.com/activities/pmactivitiesall.html

Lemonade Stand: Should you set up your lemonade stand on the driveway of your friend’s house or at school? Will you make more money if it is raining or sunny? Try this online game in which your decisions and calculations determine if your business is successful.

https://www.kidspace.com/kids/games/lemonade_stand/

Jobs for Kids Who Like Math: Mathematics is critical not only for such jobs as accountants and cashiers but also for engineers, architects, mechanics and computer scientists. Explore six careers that use mathematical knowledge and skills to do everything from building a house to repairing aircraft.

https://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_math.htm

Level 2

Math in Daily Life: Mathematics is a universal language that people have used throughout history to help them in their daily lives. Find out the importance of numbers through a variety of online exercises ranging from cooking and home decorating to buying cars and using credit cards.

https://www.learner.org/exhibits/dailymath/

What Good is Math? Whether you are shopping for bargains, planning a party or playing sports, math plays a part in the decisions you make each day. Try a number of online exercises in which you perform such tasks as calculating gas mileage, balancing a checkbook and figuring out who has the highest free-throw percentage.

https://www.richmond.edu/~ed344/webunits/math/home.htm

Online Math Applications: How can you use math to make or to save money? What does mathematics have to do with music? Learn about the history of mathematics and how it is important in such fields as investing, travel and technology.

https://tqjunior.advanced.org/4116/

Level 3

Lou’s Pacific Bell Park Construction Zone: Discover how mathematics figures into the construction of a baseball park, ranging from the recipe for concrete columns to the geometry of its structures. Scroll down to the “Batter Up” section to solve some real-world problems using mathematics.

https://www.sfgiants.com/KIDS/LEARNING/archives.html

Statistics: Cast Your Vote: How do polls work? Are they really accurate? Learn about random samples, margin of error and other statistical concepts while learning how election polls are conducted.

https://www.learner.org/exhibits/statistics/

Math Whizzes Want Respect in Equation: Find out how mathematicians using equations and algorithms can help create Hollywood special effects, solve criminal cases and design virtual worlds that simulate communications satellites or nuclear weapons testing.

https://www.math.ucla.edu/newsevents/news/latimes071498.html

EXPLORER’S QUEST

The answer to this Internet quiz can be found in the sites at right.

Which shirt would cost less: a $17 shirt at 20% off or a $19 shirt at 30% off?

CLUE: See What Good is Math?

Find What You Need to Know: Have a project on California history? Need help doing a math problem? Launch Point now covers more than 100 topics for getting your schoolwork done. Go to https://www.latimes.com/launchpoint/ for the full list of subjects and direct links to the best Internet sites.

Answer to last week’s Quest: John Glenn was the first American to orbit the Earth and the oldest person to fly in space.

Launch Point is produced by the UC Irvine department of education, which reviews each site for appropriateness and quality. Even so, parents should supervise their children’s use of the Internet. This column was designed by Natalie Gratton, Roseanna Zimmer, Amy Benson and Anna Manring.