September “Math is Real Life” Linky! Join Us!

It’s the first Wednesday of September which means it’s time for our new linky – Math IS Real Life.  Last month was super successful!  We’ve even created a Pinterest Board of all the posts that were linked up last month.  We will continue to pin them each month to keep all of these AMAZING posts in one location!
Presenting….. math IS real life: September edition!  A monthly REAL WORLD math blog link-up hosted by 4mulaFunFourth Grade StudioTeaching to Inspire in 5th, AND MissMathDork,
So what is my real life math topic this month?  WAFFLES!

That’s right.  Waffles.  The other day my son had a friend over and one of their favorite breakfast foods is waffles.  When you are talking about teenage boys, you know that a fair amount of waffles can be consumed, so I figured I better make a batch and a half (ahhh . . . you see the math now, right?).    So I started by checking out the package to see what I needed to do.

Now, remember.  This is all happening in the morning when my math brain isn’t fully awake, but I was pretty convinced I could mentally create a recipe and a half for 4 ingredients!  As I was working, I couldn’t help but wonder how my students would do with this . . . so guess what–it’s another math problem ready to roll!
I also wondered how many waffles this would make . . . I have a round waffle maker–not one that makes “4 x 4 inch” waffles!  So . . . I quickly dumped three cups of mix into the bowl (even in the morning I could do that one!) and then countered it with the three eggs.  I then added in my 1/4 plus 1/2 of a fourth cup of oil and then prepared to tackle the milk.
So how would YOU do it?  Would you multiply 1 1/4 by 1 1/2?  Would you take 1 1/4, cut it in half and then add that back on?  Would you change it to decimals?  I decided to try the second method–I figured I could cut the 1 cup in half, cut the 1/4 in half and then add those parts on to my original 1 1/4 cup.  I am pretty convinced that would have worked–had I not started to pour the “halved” stuff in with the original 1 1/4 and gotten myself all mixed up!  Moral of the story?  Solve first–pour second!  All went well . . .
 . . . and the teenagers didn’t seem to mind!
SO . . . like I did for my last “real life” math, I created some question sheets that I will display for my students when I use this problem.  As you can imagine, this is VERY real world–and I bet students could do a very similar activity at home with their families!  If they REALLY like it, they could perhaps “recipe and a half” some cookies for the class!

We are so incredibly excited to read about how YOU use MATH in your REAL LIFE!!!

Meg

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