Welcome to
Double Churches’
MATH TRAIL
Math
Trail Station # 4
Check that you have
everything you need for this station:
pencil - paper - ruler - meter tape -
calculator - chalk
MATH TRAIL
# 4
At this station you will
be working with ratios and proportions. Ratios are comparisons of two numbers. A proportion is an equation which tells that
two different ratios are equivalent or equal.
For example, using the numbers 3 and 5, you could write a comparison
like this - 3:5 or 3/5. To find an equal proportion or an equivalent
fraction to 3/5 you would multiply both the numerator (top number) and the
denominator (bottom number) by the same amount to get something like 6/10.
To talk about a ratio and a proportion you might say 3 is to 6 as 5 is to 10.
YOUR TASK:
WOW!!!!! Something big
must have been here and left these gigantic paw prints!!!!! Your task is to find out how big the
creature (we think it is a wildcat) is that made these paw prints! First, measure the length of your foot (you
can keep your shoe on if you want) in
centimeters and record that as the first measurement in your ratio. Next, using the meter stick and some chalk
measure your height on the brick wall and record that measurement, IN
CENTIMETERS, as the second measurement in your ratio. Now you have a ratio of your foot size to your height! Next, measure the length of one of the paw
prints IN CENTIMETERS and record that
as the first measurement in another ratio.
In order to find the second measurement, or the height of the wildcat
that made this print, find the number
that you would multiply your foot measurement by to get the wildcat foot
measurement. Now take that number (it will not be any of your measurements) and multiply it by your height to get the
proportional height of the wildcat. We
are assuming that the wildcat is in the
same proportion as you. Record your
findings on graph paper and draw a picture of
how you think the animal might look.