Weights of Metal
A box containing a block of aluminum weights 8 lbs. When a steel block weighing 3 times the aluminum block replaces the aluminum block inside the box, the weight is now 20 lbs.
What is the weight of the box?
What is the weight of the box?
Reflection:
Everyone has a favorite mathematical problem and this is just one of mine. It involves both problem solving and procedural knowledge and has a solution you would never expect. After working through the problem, and possibly using a few hints, you may be surprised by the outcome. Students were able to come to a solution while still learning new concepts along the way and applying the old. This particular problem gets to students to understand and recognize that math also involves problem solving. They are not always just going to be handed formulas and numbers to simply plug into one another. Instead, hands-on and possibly tricky problem solving based questions are incorporated to allow students to formulate their own conclusion that will later be more meaningful to them.
Everyone has a favorite mathematical problem and this is just one of mine. It involves both problem solving and procedural knowledge and has a solution you would never expect. After working through the problem, and possibly using a few hints, you may be surprised by the outcome. Students were able to come to a solution while still learning new concepts along the way and applying the old. This particular problem gets to students to understand and recognize that math also involves problem solving. They are not always just going to be handed formulas and numbers to simply plug into one another. Instead, hands-on and possibly tricky problem solving based questions are incorporated to allow students to formulate their own conclusion that will later be more meaningful to them.