The Game of Life -- Financial Literacy -- Real World Math Project

A pure real world 21st Century Math Project that can work for a lot of different ages! Real world math projects are one of the most sought after resources. In my opinion, most everything I do is a real world math projects, but when most teachers want a REAL WORLD MATH PROJECT they are looking for something like this. So of course I had to do it, right? 

Keep it as real... as possible.

Name: The Game of Life

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Basic math skills)

Math Concepts: Basic Operations, Percents, Order of Operations

Interdisciplinary Connections: Budgets, Finances, Taxes, Monthly Payments, ummm. LIFE!

Teaching Duration: 5-10 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $10 for a 61 Page PDF (1 project, 3 assignment and handouts) 

PDF Version: The Game of Life @ TPT

The Product: Students are given a career and create a budget and make many financial choices along the way. "5 years later", they'll see if they are still standing.

Alright, money, real stuff, I dig.

When are we ever going to use this. While some math teachers are perfectly comfortable espousing all of the interdisciplinary connections and are able to articulate which professionals authentically use the topic they are teaching, there are many others who just want to say... uhhhh.... YOU JUST DO! 

Keeping it real, the average person isn't going to run into systems of inequalities very often, but they will certainly need to have mastered those basic operations! Percents and data analysis will also come into play nearly every day, but any time you see, touch, taste or smell money... they are sensing the jedi powers of math. 

Apparently it took an economic crash for our country to realize 90% of people have a hard time managing their money. So what do you do? Mandate a Financial Literacy component for every graduate! If you are the lucky math teacher that this got passed to, this might be for you .

Budget? Is that a candy bar?

I've tried to make the most awesome real world math project ever created. While I'm not sure I reached those heights (it's the thought that counts, right?) I've made something pretty cool. [Hey Reader, go to TPT and download the preview, you can see pretty much everything]. Housing, transportation, food, savings, debts, extras, donations, having babies, getting married, accidents, it's all here! I'm pretty sure my brother and I played one too many games on our Life board game. 

Of course, we don't jump right into the game first. I have designed three assignments that intend to build the skill necessary to survive in the real world!

Here's pretty much the breakdown.


In “Bookkeeping Basics” students analyze the spending of different individuals and determine whether or not they have the available funds necessary to purchase an item they would like. “Can I afford this?” 

In “Budget Busters” this assignment asks students to analyze the budgets and actual spending of different individuals. Are they spending within their budget? More they can analyze a budget, students will need to determine net pay after calculating their taxes. Students will need to translate between percents, fractions and decimals. 

Can't you just do some drill and kill?!
Answer - "Um never".

In “Monthly Payment 101”, this assignment asks students to calculate monthly payments of different loans. Students will also be asked to choose between different loans. 

and this leads to the mega project --

The [simulated] Game of Life. This project is multi-faceted, but you can modify (shorten as desired).  

Students will choose between 54 career cutouts which starts them off with an annual income, income tax rate, debt and savings account. 

With this information students will…

Consolidate their Debt. Students will choose a single loan to pay it back. They need to be careful what they pick because they don’t want to have a monthly payment they can’t afford. 

Once they have their loan’s monthly payment information they will…

Complete a Budget. They will calculate their Net Monthly Income and Create a Budget for their spending.

With their budget set, it is time to make…

Choices! They will select a plan for housing, utilities, phone, food, transportation, savings and extras. They need to be sure not to spend too much money. (All data is included). 

Once they are done with these tasks, they will put your choices to the test. They will complete SIMULATED YEARS. 

You will give students an Update (30 included) which will change  information regarding their employment, family changes and unforeseen obstacles! 

Students may get married or have children. If they get married, they need to find someone else in the class that also got married and POOF they are now partners on this project. They are married. If for instance, on their next update, they get divorced, they need to split their savings and move on. 

Students will then reassess their finances, re-evaluate choices and complete their Year 2 (or 3 or 4 or 5) assignment. 

EXTENSION: There's some pretty neat Financial Literacy software popping up online, but most of them are pay sites. 

Celebrate Congressional legislation with a 21st Century Math Project! If this is interesting I can do some more financial literacy stuff. 

Correlation All-Star -- Integrated Sports Project

Bring an authentic sports-based 21st Century Math Project  to your Algebra, Algebra 2 or PreCalculus classroom with Lines of Best Fit and Correlations! In my opinion, correlations are the most under taught skill in all of high school math! I mean for a student to function in the real world, tell my 5 topics that are more important. Do it! 

Stop watching March Madness on your phone and join the pros

Name: Correlation All-Star

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Algebra 1, Algebra 2, PreCalculus skills)

Math Concepts: Scatterplots, Lines of Best Fit, Correlations

Interdisciplinary Connections: Sports and Finance

Teaching Duration: 4-5 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $6 for a 42 Page PDF (1 project, 3 assignment and handouts) 

PDF Version: Correlation All-Star @ TPT

The Product: Students do an in depth statistical analysis around the research question: "Can Money Buy Championships?"

Come over here and let me tell you
about when I saw Ralph Kiner score
the winning touchdown to win the
Stanley Cup!

Sports always seems to me to every math teachers go to engaging word problem. If it can be done with sports in it, then they'll like it. I always had a strange perspective on this because I loved sports -- but I knew who many of the people in my classes didn't. I always wondered how they felt during those problems. 

What's a football?

So here we are my largest foray into an authentic sports project. I've tried to write this in such a way that it can be super engaging for young sports fans (and old teacher sports fans!), but the problems are rigorous enough that the math takes precedent. This unit is really meant to be taught with TI-Graphing Calculators or in a Computer Lab with Microsoft Excel so if a student isn't into the yucky sports stuff, then they can grab onto an engaging technology (Graphing Calculator Instruction are included!)

Depending on when you teach lines of best fit, this fits! It could work as an advanced Algebra 1 project (I love teaching regression in Algebra 1) or a warm-up project for Pre-Calculus. Wherever correlation coefficient belongs in your curriculum -- this can go there!
Using data from the MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL students investigate correlations to some of sports most common questions like:

"Do more shots result in more goals?"
"Do hitters or pitchers have more impact on a team's wins?"
"What NFL stat is most strongly correlated with wins?"

and the grand-daddy...

"Can money buy championships?"


Those of you who work in small-markets, maybe a little surprised by the results. The assignments in this project, breakdown like this:

Hmm... could I use this type of math
when I'm doing research for my capstone
project? Oh great question, most definitely!

- In “He Shoots, He Scores!!!” students will construct scatterplots and draw lines of best fit. While using NHL shot and goal data.

- In “Offense or Defense” students will use TI Graphing Calculates to create scatterplots and determine lines of best fit and correlation coefficients using Runs Scored and Runs Allowed MLB data.

- In “Gridiron Challenge” students will look at NFL data to determine which statistics has the strongest correlation with winning.

-- AND FINALLY in “Can Money Buy Championships?” students will look at data from the four major American sports leagues to answer this inquiry question.

EXTENSION: You could encourage students to seek out their own data and figure out a correlation for themselves! You can open it up to the rest of the world of statistics -- poverty vs. education of women, ACT results vs. college GPA -- anything!

It seems around every corner there's a new STEM school popping up and 21st Century Math Projects can help! If this is interesting I've also integrated projects for an Egg Drop, Box Car Derby and Solar Oven. 

Toothpick Bridge -- STEM Project

For another smooth integration for your science and math curriculum, this 21st Century Math Project intends to bridge that gap. Hahaha get it? Bridge the gap! And it's a project about Bridges! You get it? Contest style, students will try to build the strongest bridge as light as possible. 

Name: Toothpick Bridge

Take that toothpick out of your mouth and build a bridge
with it!

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Geometry skills)

Math Concepts: Measurement, Shapes, Symmetry

Interdisciplinary Connections: Engineering, Science, Architecture

Teaching Duration: 4-5 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $5 for a 12 Page PDF (1 project, 1 assignment and handouts) 

PDF Version: Toothpick Bridge @ TPT

The Product: Students create presentations regarding their design process and the links to geometry. Oh, and of course an awesome contest.

What's all that noise?! Student
Engagement?!! Bah!!

One of my favorite high school memories was doing this type of project in Physics. I seemed to have a glue problem -- meaning that I used WAY too much glue. I still contend that the bridge didn't break, but kind of folded. So while I certainly did not invent this project, I thought the applications to geometry were really strong. Each type of design has elements of geometry built in.

Break stuff? I'm in.

In this project, teams of up to three students will construct a bridge out of only toothpicks. This toothpick bridge must be able to hold a predetermined load without failing. Teams will research the style of bridges, create a three-view diagram of a bridge, build it, test it and complete a presentation about the project and its connection to geometry and the design process. The ultimate goal is to build a bridge that is strong, but is light as possible. The bridge with the greatest ratio of load weight to bridge weight will win the contest.

I limit students to only using flat toothpicks and Elmer's glue. I find the simpler, the easier. 

As far as testing these bridges go some people like to stack free weights. In high school, I recall this falling on someone's foot so I didn't do this. I've seen a string connecting a bucket to a 2x4, but that would require having a drill press handy. I've chosen to write the project using a good ol' fashion bungee cord and a large bucket (think a 5 gallon paint can). I like to write these in a way anyone can pull them off with minimal complications. 

Who needs a consultation?

In the bucket, I fill it with water and use a household scale to determine the winner. Of course, you'll need to borrow a gram scale to measure the weight of the bridge. While it is a little bit of hunting, the payoff promises to be a blast and one that high school students will not forget.

EXTENSION: You could attach a budget to this project! Maybe charging for toothpicks and cups of glue. Maybe charge for an engineering consultation. The possibilities are endless. 

It seems around every corner there's a new STEM school popping up and 21st Century Math Projects can help! If this is interesting I've also integrated projects for an Egg Drop, Box Car Derby and Solar Oven. 

Nelson Mandela -- Systems of Equations Person Puzzle

Back with more, we have the next 21st Century Math Project Algebra 1 puzzle the one and only, freedom fighter -- Nelson Mandela! 

Eliminate Systems... while learning about eliminating systems!

Name: Person Puzzle -- Nelson Mandela

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Algebra, Prealgebra skills)

Teaching Duration: 10-30 minutes

Cost: $0.75 for a 2 Page PDF (1 assignments and answer key) 

Person Puzzle - Nelson Mandela @ TPT

Although seen by some as a controversial figure, nobody can deny the life story and work of one, Nelson Mandela. A beloved figure by many, Mandela is an individual that has certainly changed the world and now... he's in a Person Puzzle!!!

Hello, I'm a certified ninja
apartheid destroyer! And now
I'm a Person Puzzle. Learn about me

And do some systems of equations practice! It would work great in a middle school or high school class!

Person Puzzles -- Cesar Chavez -- Order of Operations

The most anxiously awaited 21st Century Math Project Algebra 1 puzzle unveiling of 2013! Come on down, Cesar Chavez! 

Farm Workers of America, Unite!

Name: Person Puzzle -- Cesar Chavez

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Algebra, Prealgebra skills)

Teaching Duration: 10-30 minutes

Cost: $0.75 for a 2 Page PDF (1 assignments and answer key) 

Person Puzzle - Cesar Chavez @ TPT

Cesar Chavez is one of those recognizable names that people seem to know, but have no idea who he actually was. Help all of your student understand what it means to take a stand for what is right, how to take action on an issue, and represent their entire culture in the face of all adversity! 

And do some order of operations practice! It would work great in a middle school or high school class (maybe even some smartie 5th graders). 

I am Cesar Chavez and I approve this so
long as no human or animal rights were
violated in the process of making this
puzzle, I'm okay with it. 

The Underground -- International STEM Project

Mind the Gap. Mind it Well.

Expand your student's international education with an exploration of the London Underground in this 21st Century Math Project. Through building skills of estimation, measurement, and use of scale, students will conclude their learning with an estimation of London's Circle Line. This is a hands-on STEM Project for hands-on learners and provides a nice departure from the grind of the daily classroom.

Name: The Underground

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Algebra & Geometry skills)

Math Concepts: Measurement, Scale, Proportion, Distance and Estimation

Interdisciplinary Connections: Travel, Global Studies

Teaching Duration: 3-5 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $5 for a 14 Page PDF (1 project, 1 assignment and answer key) 

PDF Version: The Underground @ TPT

What's a ruler?

The Product: Students develop a strategy to approximate the length of a train line on England’s famous Tube and use their approximation to find the distance between the tube stops of tourist destinations.

Whenever our math department gets disaggregated data back on standardized tests there always one consistency that we can count on – students are low in measurement. Usually they are really, really bad. It’s as if they have no concept of an inch or never touched a protractor. When the word scale is thrown in the mix – it’s every math teacher for themselves. Anarchy.

My idea behind this project was to make a creative task that would be both mathematically rigorous, but interesting. In this project, students will have to measure, use a scale, calculate proportions to estimate distances… all in a seemingly sensible way. This packs in about as many problem spots into one project as humanly possible. Buckle your chin strap and dive right in.

Haha. Gotcha. Proportion and
measurement are elementary skills!

I learned something interesting in developing this project. The Great Wall of China is in fact spread apart in many different pieces. Miles apart. I always thought it was one long wall. Uh… hey what am I talking about? Too much cough syrup? When I originally conceived this idea I planned to approximate the length of the Great Wall. When I discovered this would be nearly impossible I went for something a little more achievable. With all the math packed in, I couldn’t bear to complicate the project by estimating multiple pieces of the Great Wall.

Truth be told, the necessary level of these separate math skills (measurement, scale, proportion, distance and estimation) vary great. In the Common Core, some of these skills are listed in 5^th grade, others in 8^th grade. However as a high school teacher, these are areas of significant skills deficiency. Students can cross multiply and divide, but they have difficulty recognizing a proportion problem and have trouble setting it up. Certainly, the higher order thinking skills necessary in this project raise the level of difficulty.

Calculus? I could get used to that...

Depending on your state tests, this could be a useful prep assignment. If you are working with remedial students, it’s a more concrete assignment to help work on past skills, while pushing forward their thinking skills. Usually when I teach high school geometry, I like to slip this in after I want to review Perimeter. Perimeter is an elementary skills, but non-linear perimeter? We’re talking about Pre-Calculus and Calculus.

EXTENSION: This can get a little tricky, but an idea that I have to extend this is that you can have students find a picture from the internet of a non-geometric shape. After determining a scale, they could do the same activity. It's tricky, but maybe you could pull it off. 

However, or whenever you decide to try this 21st Century Math Project, have a jolly good time and Mind the Gaps. 

Solar Oven -- International STEM Project

Lunch the 21st Century Math Project way

If you are trying to integrate an international flair into your science and math curriculum, this 21st Century Math Project is a great place to start. Students will design, build, test, and present a solar oven design with the objective of heating a hot dog the hottest. This is a hands-on STEM project for hands-on students. This works great when integrated scatterplots, best-fit functions, with energy. There are plenty of great opportunities to extend this learning into the humanities as well! Temperature probes with TI's work great! Any will do.

Name: Solar Oven

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Advanced Algebra, Algebra II or Precalculus skills)

Math Concepts: Scatterplot, Creating, Using and Analyzing Regression Functions, Data Collection

Interdisciplinary Connections: Science, Heat & Energy, Global Studies

Teaching Duration: 4-5 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $5 for a 9 Page PDF (1 project and handouts) 

PDF Version: Solar Oven @ TPT

The Product: Students will use their solar ovens to heat a hot dog and will measure its temperature over time. And eat! 

Whoopdidoo! Like this applies to
your content area! Good grief!

At our school we had a local professor speak to an entire school body. Essentially, his work was developing large scale, efficiency solar cookers that he could then take to some of the poorest communities in Africa. To me that sure sounded like a 21st Century Math Project!

Of course I did not invent the idea of a Solar Oven project, but in most iterations I could find, most of them were science specific. As with a few of my other projects, science is the ideal fit for both mathematical rigor and real world relevancy. The challenge is to build up the mathematics side of these traditionally science activities, identify the core math concepts in play and concentrate on teaching these skills. In terms of Solar Ovens, regression functions, (exponential functions specifically) are at the core when heating or cooling. If you are teaching lines of best fit (or your students have this skill), there’s no reason this can’t be extended to work in your classroom.

An actual authentic application...?
Did I take the wrong bus this morning?

The best, simple, Solar Oven designs I have seen is with a modified pizza box. Fortunately high school kids eat pizza so these contraptions are usually available. There are plenty of possible designs that are one Google away from helping your students on their journey. I would suggest that the design component of your project should take place in a computer lab for the resources.

This is another project that can easily draw in the community. If there are local engineers that want to get out of their cubicle, walk in the sunlight and stuff, it’s a great way to get your students in contact with professionals outside of the school. I’ve been very fortunate with my engineer contacts. They always come with and provide invaluable classroom support. They also like it a lot! Give it a whirl and make the contact and I wouldn’t be surprised if they become an annual fixture!

How might we use this knowledge to
help the global community?

EXTENSION: There are endless possibilities. Creating PSAs. Entering Science Fairs. Building a large scale oven with the help of engineers to send it to a developing country. Comparing and contrasting the results of morning classes and afternoon class results. It’s a matter of how far you want to step.

If you give a man a hot dog cooked with the sun, they’ll eat it, but if you teach a man to cook a hot dog with the sun, it’s a 21st Century Math Projects. In the event of the forthcoming Zombie Apocalypse, you can’t take for granted things like grills, ovens and microwaves. This might be the only means. 

Silence the Violence -- International Take Action Project -- FREE DOWNLOAD

Empower young people to use their voice and not let policymakers forget.

Lord bless the 26 new angels

Name: Silence the Violence

Suggested Grade Level: 6-12 (Pre-Algebra, Statistics skills)

Math Concepts: Correlations (calculations or scatterplots)

Interdisciplinary Connections: Law, Policy, Peace

Teaching Duration: 2-3 Days (can be modified)

Cost: A Free 20 Page PDF 

Interactive & Customizable Version: Silence the Violence @ NextLesson.org

PDF Version: Silence the Violence @ TPT

Product: A PSA for gun control and non-violence that perhaps can make a difference.


Since the tragedy in Connecticut, it has been put on my heart to to something meaningful. I learned as much as I could about the issues at play.  Perhaps with enough teachers and enough students classroom can come together to make a clear, data-driven argument that there is a positive correlation between firearms ownership and firearms homicide.

Empower your students to take action and create a PSA. Encourage them to make something powerful and let their voice be heard!

I built this project through the use of correlations of international data. I have included content for either middle school (plotting and calculating) or high school (calculating correlation with summations).

The results are meaningful, the results are real and the data is possibly the same data policymakers are reviewing right now. It was put on my heart to make this, perhaps it will be put on a student's heart to drive this point to Congress.

I will likely be updating this file, but I wanted to get it to you before some of us go off on Winter Break.
A Spreadsheet is included for convenience.

Of course taking on a project like this depends on the psyche and maturity of your class, but feel free to use anything or pass it on.

God Bless.

Sploder -- Cool Website Spotlight

Does every student in your class want to design a video game? Sometimes I've felt that way. They certainly love playing games in the computer lab when I'm not looking. When I was tasked with designing a 21st century technology course, I knew we'd be in the lab a lot. Video Games are a natural extension and I came across this jewel of a site that is ready for students -- Sploder.

Be the favoritest teacher ever.

On this site, you are able to design one of four different model games (each with a varying degree of difficulty). Three of them are designed primarily with dragging and dropping pre-designed objects into a world of their own creation. I started my students on what I thought was the simplest game. "The Classic Shooter" this allows a student to create a game board, set up tasks and objectives and litter their world with hazards. Students created high quality games in 2-3 days.

After learning the ins and outs of this, we moved on to "Platform Creator" and this is where they fell in love. Students are able to create games that surpass the  quality of original Nintendo games. They are able to create multiple levels and customize on a more intimate level.

Enter Rambo Spongebob

It was in the middle of this that I made a surprising revelation. Students were designing, testing, redesigning, getting peer feedback, offering feedback, revising. This is exactly what you want students to do with their English paper, but they are happy to turn in a 30 minute turd. After this was completed I shared this observation with students and got some interesting reflection.

The final game we created was the "Physics Puzzle Maker" which is an animal all in itself. This is finally the point some of the kids through in the towel and others buckled down. In this game builder, you are building and defining EVERYTHING that happens in the game. As opposed to the convenient dragging and dropping in the other games, this gets very complex, but there are some high quality video tutorials on YouTube that could help with it.

How will this fit into your class? Unless you are teaching technology, I'm sorry to say this likely will not work into your lesson plans, but if you need to cater to a student's interest in games, be the cool teacher that lets your student build a video game during lunch! There just not enough options to customize it to make it work into a lesson in a content class (believe me I've though about it for a long time). There is a ton a math and science on display, but right now I can't think of a meaty enough topic that could work with it.

Pass it along to the Computer teacher in your building though! And perhaps your own children need to get away from playing six straight hours of video games, but you'd rather spark their creative juices!

It truly is a fun site that I'm surprised I'd never heard of before. Check it out!

Wiffleball -- Sports-Based Statistics Project

Take your class out to the ball game

Theoretical and Experimental Probability gets a facelift in this interactive game-based 21st Century Math Project. Tired of flipping coins and spinning spinners? Students play the role of team managers and with only player statistics they must build a team capable of winning the championship. 

Name: Wiffleball

Suggested Grade Level: 7-12 (Pre-Algebra, Statistics skills)

Math Concepts: Theoretical vs. Experimental Probability, Fractions, Data Collection

Interdisciplinary Connections: Sports, Games, Awesome Fun Stuff

Teaching Duration: 2-3 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $5 for a 11 Page PDF (1 project, 2 assignments and all game essentials) 

PDF Version: Wiffleball @ TPT

The Product: Students build their teams to compete for a championship. Bracket style tourney optional and included!

Game on, homie.

Combine together three juggernaut hobbies into one colossal  21st Century Math Project. Sports. Gaming. Mathematical Swagg. While there are plenty of class activities to teach the difference between theoretical versus experimental probability, I had to lob in my own crazy attempt.

In this 21st Century Math Project students will plays a series of Wiffleball games (6 players on a team and 4 inning games to keep things shorter) where they will keep track of statistics using a baseball/softball inspired scorebook and after the game crunch the number to see if their players performed up to their theoretical expectations. How does experimental probability match up? Students will find out together.

Did someone say drunk?... Hey, you
wanna use my spinners?!

In 7^th Grade, my math teacher (he may have been drunk or a genius) pulled out Strat-O-Matic baseball, a card game with every MLB team, a 60 sided die and told us to go at it. Of course we loved it. While I was 12 years old, I certainly do not remember doing any actual math. The much older version of me says, what a missed opportunity! Why can’t we do both?

In my trial runs with this project (during student lunches since this content hasn’t quite come up), students keep coming back for more. Nothing like having to kick your students out of your room because they are doing too much math! Now, I discovered keeping the scorebook was difficult at first. If you have any experience with baseball or softball this will probably be an easy thing to teach. I have simplified the game to have three outcomes. Homeruns, singles and outs.

EXTENSION: Perhaps a few students want to get together to create a league and play a season worth of games during lunch! It can happen.

Sometimes 21st Century Math Projects can get a little too intense. Students will get emotional. Some might cry. It’s all part of the design. But seriously make sure students don’t cry.  

Population Growth: Seven Billion and Counting... -- International STEM Project

Wait until the robots start cloning us...

As the world's population has ballooned in the past three centuries researchers wait for the other pen to drop. Currently sitting at a cool 7 billion (and counting), researchers believe (based on their models) that the world's population will top out at 9.2 billion. In this 21st Century Math Project students will analyze the same data as the experts and make their own predictions. Which model best projects the world in 2050? I guess at the class’s 38th year reunion you can find out.

Name: Seven Billion and Counting…

Suggested Grade Level: 9-12 (Basic Algebra II, Precalculus skills)

Math Concepts: Scatterplot, Creating, Using and Analyzing Regression Functions, Patterns, Evaluating Predictions

Interdisciplinary Connections: Social Studies, Global Studies, Population

Teaching Duration: 3-4 Days (can be modified)

Cost: $5 for a 20 Page PDF (2 assignments, 1 project with answer key) 

PDF Version: Seven Billion and Counting... @ TPT

The Product: After a careful analysis of population data by continent, students will use their chosen mathematical model to predict how the world’s population will breakdown in the year 2050.  

An authentic task? You're teasing me
right? Where's my drill and kill?!

Will it ever end? Most statisticians believe we will taper off our growth. They are expecting a logistic function although to date our population is freakishly exponential. In this 21st Century Math Project, students will investigate population of the different world regions over history. Students will begin by simply trying to observe a pattern, move to lines of best fit and finally have the freedom to choose their own non-linear best fit functions. This dataset yields some interesting conclusions for prediction and discussion especially in regards to the limitations of linear modeling.

Students will use the skills of patterns, constructing pie graphs, regression functions for modeling and using their equations to make predictions. What makes a model strong? Students will explore this question. This lesson is designed to work with a class set of TI graphing calculators and would work with an Advanced Algebra 1 class, Algebra 2 or PreCalculus.

That's like a lot of people, ya feel me?
People should, like, stop making babies
and stuff.

The final project is a challenging, multi-faceted task which needs certain skills to be built. To compensate, two assignments were added which help introduce the topic and skills. Thus a student’s understanding of the mathematics concepts will grow with their familiarity the topic of population.

-- "Seven Billion and Counting" -- using patterns to determine the world in 2050 and constructing pie graphs to represent 1750. 

-- "Predictive Models (the long and short of them)" -- students use linear models for global data for two different intervals (1750-2000 and 1975-2010). Students then are asked to develop their own non-linear regression functions.

Which all leads to the Mama…

This will shape the world for
generations to come. What can we do
to take action now?

-- "The World in 2050" -- students will compare the results of their 4 different results, use them to draw conclusion about modeling in general and will construct a pie graph representing the world in 2050.

I wrote this assignment relatively recently so I have only used it one time, but students were honestly intrigued by the study and the challenge of comparing their models to the experts. Others were interested in the observations that can be made in the population data by continent which certainly can generate some discussion.

EXTENSION: Population is a global issue with serious implications in terms of sustainability, natural resources and poverty. Using their models, students could create PSAs and other Presentations that can be viewed in the community.  

Will this blog go on forever? Will it live in the cloud forever? Are you someone from the year 2341, searching through Google’s cache? Did you find my laptop? If you found my laptop, there’s a really weird short with the battery that cases the screen to flicker every now and again. 21st Century Math Projects might live forever, but one day I may have to start a new company… 22^nd Century Math Projects.