Category Archives: Math Mini Sparks

#54: Multiplication Tricks

Math Mini Sparks

Multiplication. It is one of the four types of operations you learned in math (along with addition subtraction and division). There are many different ways to multiply numbers. However, sometimes, multiplying really big numbers can be a challenge. Luckily, there are many different techniques you can use to solve large multiplication problems.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #54: Multiplication Tricks
  2. Watch this video about multiplying using lines. Take some notes as you watch to track the process.

3. Print out (or have your teacher print out) this worksheet. Use the method in the video to come up with answers to multiplication problems. You can check your answers on the second page of the worksheet.

4. If you feel comfortable with those problems and want to try multiplying bigger numbers, then print out this worksheet.

5. Share your math mini spark recording page and Explain EDU project with your teacher/EY coordinator.

*Lesson inspired by multiplication lessons from East Asian schools

#53: Cribbage

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

My family enjoys playing pitch,  31, sevens and trash.  However, my absolute FAVORITE game is cribbage!  It involves strategy and math, which is why I like it so much!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #53: Cribbage
  2. Read about cribbage and record some details.
  3. What is one “thing to remember” when playing cribbage.
  4. Record this information. In cribbage, the Jokers are removed from the deck. The Ace is worth 1. The face cards (Jack, Queen, and King) are each worth 10. The other cards (2 through 9) are each worth their number value
  5. Here are some of the ways you can earn points when playing cribbage.
One of the ways to earn points in cribbage is to have cards that add up to fifteen.  In the picture below, the King and one of the 5’s make 15 so that is 2 points.  The King and the other 5 also make 15, which is another 2 points.  You might notice that there is a 5 that is face up on the deck.  This can also be paired with the King for 15 for another 2 points.  Finally, the three 5’s (2 in the hand and one on the deck) add up to 15.  This is an additional 2 points.IMG_8825When you have a pair of the same card, you earn 2 points.  The pair could be in your hand, or one of your cards could be paired with the card that is face up on the deck.  If you have 3-of-a-kind, that is worth 6 points.  In the picture above, there are two 5’s in the hand and one 5 face up on the deck.  Not only does that make 15, but it is also 3-of-a-kind which earns you 6 points.
A “flush” is when you have 4 or more of the same suit (clubs, spades, hearts, or diamonds).  If you had 4 hearts in your hand, you would earn 4 points.  If the card that is face up on the deck is also a heart, you would get 5 points.  The hand below shows 5 clubs so you would get 5 points.
Hand7
A “run of 3” is when you have 3 cards in numerical order.  You could also have a run of 4 or 5 cards.  Let’s say you had a 3, 4, 5, and 6 in your hand.  You would have a “run of 4” which is 4 points.  If the card on the deck was a 2 or 7, you would have a run of 5.  The hand below shows a run of 5.
RunOf5

6. The pictures below show several cribbage hands.  See if you can add up the points correctly!  Record the “hand #” and an explanation of the total points.

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7. What are other ways you can earn points in a cribbage game?  Do a little research and to find some.

        8. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

Check out the Cribbage Master Badge from the EY website.

#52: Super Egg

Math Mini Sparks

Numberphile is a YouTube channel that posts many videos about many different math concepts. The channel has numerous videos on many real life examples. It is a great channel to learn about concepts not necessarily taught in school. One video that the channel contains is about a super egg, or a superellipse.

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #52: Super Egg

2. Watch the Numberphile Video and share something new you learned about math, geometry, and engineering on your recording sheet.

3. After watching the videos, click on this link and answer the questions. Write how you think you did on the quiz on your recording sheet.

4. Write 3 things you liked about the video and 2 questions you have and 1 thing you did not like about the video.

5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

*Lesson inspired by Numberphile video about superellipses.

#50: Pandigital Numbers

Math Mini Sparks

Why is 361,654,729 awesome? Dive into this math mini spark and find out!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #50: Pandigital Numbers
  2. Check out this video about pandigital numbers.

3.  Check out the 3 levels of the Pandigital  Number Quiz  at Transum.  Pick the level that suits you. Keep playing your level until you earn a trophy. Add a screenshot of your trophy to your recording page.

Level 1 – Basic questions about pandigital numbers

Level 2 – More challenging questions about pandigital numbers

Level 3 – Excruciatingly difficult questions about pandigital numbers

4. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#49: Cool Jobs that Involve Math

Math Mini Sparks, Uncategorized

Yep! That job requires math! Math is so much more than a bunch of problems on a worksheet or even a series of problems on a website or app.  Begin to imagine the creative ways in which mathematics plays a role in a variety of careers!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #49: Cool Jobs that Involve Math
  2. Read Cool Jobs: Math as entertainment from Science News for Students.    Pick out one of the jobs mentioned in the article and write about how math is involved in this career.
  3. Read about high school seniors who are getting a head start on their math careers at Society for Science.  Summarize 4 of the projects that were awarded money prizes at the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2024.
  4. How about being a magician for a career? Arthur Benjamin has a super cool TED Talk.

5. Magician Arthur Benjamin mentions that his favorite number is 2,520 because it is the smallest, yes I said smallest, number divisible by all the numbers 1 through 10.  Prove this by doing the math on your recording sheet.

6.  Robotics might be an area of interest for you. Read this article about a few robotics career options. Make a note taking page about these options.

7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#51: Movie Math

Math Mini Sparks

Today’s age is filled with a wide variety of forms of entertainment. Television shows and movies are some of the most common forms today. Usually we don’t associate math with these however there have been some movies and episodes with a focus on a math topic. One such movie is Good Will Hunting. The movie has a particular math problem in which an MIT professor claims it took him years to solve. The problem basically is to draw all shapes that fit the description. There are ten shapes in total. MIT is one of the best universities in the world. Are you able to solve the problem that supposedly took an MIT professor a long time to solve in a day or less? Find out!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #51: Movie Math.
  2. You are going to watch the video that introduces a problem and explains how to solve it.  Pause around 2:30 so you don’t see the answers until after you attempt the problem. Good Will Hunting Math Problem

3. After pausing the video, try drawing all 10 trees. You can check your answers near the end of the video in which he shares the answers

4. On your recording page, write about something new you learned. 

5. Share this video with your parents, friends, and/or adults and ask them if they can solve the problem as well

6. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

*Inspired by the movie Good Will Hunting

#48: Music and Math

Math Mini Sparks

Music is a powerful communication tool–it causes us to laugh, cry, think and question.  Music is also connected to math!

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page:#48: Music and Math
  2. In this You Tube video,  drummer Clayton Cameron breaks down different genres of music and shows how different styles of music rely on math. Watch Clayton Cameron’s video and write about something new you learned.

3. Read this Kennedy Center article about math showing up in music and record a few new ideas.

4. Watch this video about the Fibonacci Sequence and how it shows up in music. Record 3 ideas on your recording page.

**Advanced option-this article goes into much more detail music and the Fibonacci Sequence.

5. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#47: iPad Math

Math Mini Sparks

Go ahead…play some games on your iPad! For this mini spark, we want you to play some games.  That’s right, games!

Spark your math thinking!

1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #47: iPad Math

NOTE: For this mini spark you need to get your teacher’s permission before you start.

2. Make 4 sections on your recording page.

3.  This site has several math games intended for the iPad.  You will choose 4 games to play for this mini spark. For each game you play you will follow the same process

  • Set your timer for 5 minutes
  • When the timer goes off, write a short review of each game
  • Include this information for each game:

The name of the game you played               

The grade level you think the game is appropriate for

The hardest part about the game.

The easiest part about the game.  

Did you like the game?  Why or why not?

4. Share your math mini spark recording page  with your teacher/EY coordinator.

#46: Coding Polygons

Math Mini Sparks

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 8.29.21 PM

Several of you have caught the “Hopscotch Bug” and are creating AMAZING things in Hopscotch!  For this week’s Math Minute, you’ll be using Hopscotch to draw some polygons. Please email the EY coordinator in your building about creating a Hopscotch account.

How can you spend your Math Minutes this week?
  • Start by watching this video
  • Copy the chart from the video onto a piece of paper, or create the chart on your iPad.  NOTE:  You can go past a 12-sided figure if you want.
  • As the video suggests, fill in the chart with the remaining information (polygon names and angles).
  • Send a picture of your completed chart and a screenshot of the polygons you created in Hopscotch.

Screen Shot 2015-04-28 at 9.23.47 PM

  • Explore this website by increasing and decreasing the number of sides on a polygon.  Watch the angles change as you do this.  While on the website, explore and find the answers to the following questions:
    • What are regular polygons?
    • What are convex and concave polygons?
    • What are supplementary angles?  What does that have to do with this activity?
    • How did you figure out which number to enter for the degrees in the Turn Command in Hopscotch?
  • Leave a comment with the answer to one of the questions above and/or post any new information you learned/observations you made.   Remember when leaving a comment to include your first name, grade, and school (i.e. Trevor, 3, Sunset).
Happy Coding!

#45: High Tech Cars

Math Mini Sparks

Car brands are making impressive advances in the field of self driving cars. These breakthroughs combine advanced safety systems to help reduce driver fatigue by assisting with acceleration, braking and steering. There are also high tech adaptations that can help people with disabilities accommodate their driving needs.

Spark your math thinking!

  1. Set up your math mini spark recording page: #45: High Tech Cars
  2. Read this article about self driving cars. Record the level names and a short definion for each.
  3. Check out this video of Sam Schmidt’s High-Tech modified corvette!  The 3 minute video is chock-full of speeds, measurements, and high-tech components!  Imagine being able to drive a car without the use of your hands and legs! On your recording sheet, document any numbers mentioned in the video (speeds, measurements, etc.).

5. Read this article to find out more about Sam Schmidt and the semi-autonomous motorcar he drove.  Write about something new you learned or a new question you have after reading the article.

6. Read about flying cars at Wonderopolis.  Make a list of 3 pro and 3 cons of having flying cars in the city you live in.

7. Share your math mini spark recording page with your teacher/EY coordinator.