I went to a CD store in Arlington this past Saturday and was able to find something good to listen to -- guitarist Jonathan Butler's second album from 1987. (Yes, I still buy CDs when they're on sale.) Before I found the CD I wanted I came across another CD that was on sale-- Mariah Carey's 1990 debut album, which is already in my collection. Both CDs were in the $3.99 sale bin.
Mr. Butler's CD was marked down from $6.99.... Ms. Carey's was marked down from $4.00! That's right... one penny less! Yeah, a real sale!
So that got me thinking... Hopefully most of you know the tricks that marketing plays on us, especially when it comes to gas prices. When your station posts a price in large numbers (like $3.26) there's a small 9 after it (usually as a superscript). Just know you're really paying $3.27 a gallon and you'll have a little less in the pocketbook then intended.
Also, wait for something to go on sale... It just might drop ONE WHOLE CENT and you can get some of that gas money back!
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Happy Sequence Day!
Today is October 11, 2012, or 10/11/12. How many more times do you expect for something like this to happen again in your lifetime?
Sunday, September 30, 2012
The Final Score Predictor
It's my first post in quite some time. Maybe I'll do a little better this time around with another weird numerical observation...
So I went to the Duncanville-Cedar Hill football game this past Friday. Both teams have a place in my heart as I currently work at DHS and I spent 7 years in CH. The Longhorns won 44-27 as they stopped a late comeback by the Panthers.
I'm driving home last night and realized something.... When you add the digits in Friday's score (4 + 4 + 2 + 7), you get 17, which is equal to the deficit the Panthers had at the end of the game. I then tried other scores near to this one:
45-27 gives us 4 + 5 + 2 + 7 = 18
46-27 gives us 4 + 6 + 2 + 7 = 19
41-27 gives us 4 + 1 + 2 + 7 = 14
Notice that my scores all had 27 as the losing score and had a number in the 40s as the winning score. This works for all of them!
But how about this: what if 18 was the losing the score? What would all the inning scores have to be for this to work? The 30s!
33-18 gives us 3 + 3 + 1 + 8 = 15, which matches the deficit of the score!
How about 36? 45? Does 9 work?
Yes they do! It's amazing how much multiples of 9 play an important part in number thinking.
So next time somebody asks you for a score and they tell you that the losing score is a multiple of 9, share this with them!
And tell them Swish sent you as a winner!
So I went to the Duncanville-Cedar Hill football game this past Friday. Both teams have a place in my heart as I currently work at DHS and I spent 7 years in CH. The Longhorns won 44-27 as they stopped a late comeback by the Panthers.
I'm driving home last night and realized something.... When you add the digits in Friday's score (4 + 4 + 2 + 7), you get 17, which is equal to the deficit the Panthers had at the end of the game. I then tried other scores near to this one:
45-27 gives us 4 + 5 + 2 + 7 = 18
46-27 gives us 4 + 6 + 2 + 7 = 19
41-27 gives us 4 + 1 + 2 + 7 = 14
Notice that my scores all had 27 as the losing score and had a number in the 40s as the winning score. This works for all of them!
But how about this: what if 18 was the losing the score? What would all the inning scores have to be for this to work? The 30s!
33-18 gives us 3 + 3 + 1 + 8 = 15, which matches the deficit of the score!
How about 36? 45? Does 9 work?
Yes they do! It's amazing how much multiples of 9 play an important part in number thinking.
So next time somebody asks you for a score and they tell you that the losing score is a multiple of 9, share this with them!
And tell them Swish sent you as a winner!
Monday, January 23, 2012
Ladies and Gentleman... The Houston Worldwalkers!
Throughout this school year, I have been providing online challenges to my students. With a certain basketball team coming to the Metroplex this weekend, I decided to write a question involving systems of equations and involving families going to see the team.
Names were changed to protect the innocent and the copyrighted.
I look forward to hearing answers from some of you. Enjoy!
The Question...
The Houston Worldwalkers are a comedy basketball team that is coming to town this weekend to play against the European All-Stars. Many families will be attending the Worldwalkers’ show and must pay for adult tickets (for those aged 13 and over) and child tickets (aged 12 and under). All taxes are included in the prices for each type of ticket. The Martinez family has four adults and two children and will be paying $131 in tickets. The Griffin family will be paying $112.30 for two adults and four children to attend the show. The MacGillicudy family will also be going to the event. They have the same number of adults and children in their family. If the MacGillicudy family has $300 to spend on tickets, what is the maximum number of people (total adults and children) the MacGillicudy family has without going over their budget?
Names were changed to protect the innocent and the copyrighted.
I look forward to hearing answers from some of you. Enjoy!
The Question...
The Houston Worldwalkers are a comedy basketball team that is coming to town this weekend to play against the European All-Stars. Many families will be attending the Worldwalkers’ show and must pay for adult tickets (for those aged 13 and over) and child tickets (aged 12 and under). All taxes are included in the prices for each type of ticket. The Martinez family has four adults and two children and will be paying $131 in tickets. The Griffin family will be paying $112.30 for two adults and four children to attend the show. The MacGillicudy family will also be going to the event. They have the same number of adults and children in their family. If the MacGillicudy family has $300 to spend on tickets, what is the maximum number of people (total adults and children) the MacGillicudy family has without going over their budget?
Monday, January 2, 2012
I Promise It's True
Hey folks... first of all, Happy New Year! I hope to return to this blog to give you some mathematical insight that you can take with you through your everyday life.
Now, suppose I gave you these two mathematical statements...
1) 401 * 5 = 13 + 1998
2) 4022/2 = 1000 + 1005
I am telling you these statements are both true. Can you explain why?
Have a wonderful evening and I hope to hear some responses.
Now, suppose I gave you these two mathematical statements...
1) 401 * 5 = 13 + 1998
2) 4022/2 = 1000 + 1005
I am telling you these statements are both true. Can you explain why?
Have a wonderful evening and I hope to hear some responses.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Happy Pi Day!
Today is 3/14/2011, which is not only the first day of Spring Break for my students and fellow teachers but Pi Day for math enthusiasts. Of course, this is because the rounded value of Pi is 3.14. So go get that string and make a circle out if it. Then find the diameter of that circle and have your own Pi! (Please don't eat it!)
By the way, do you know why this date will be special in four years? I'll let you ponder that throughout the day.
Can students still bring teachers an apple?
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Geometry Online Question #4
You have until Monday, March 21, 2011 by 10:00 PM to answer the following TWO-PART question. Make sure that you use COMPLETE sentences. For example, "No", "Yes", or "I don't know" would not be acceptable for full credit.
If you submit your answers by Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:59 PM you will receive TEN EXTRA CREDIT POINTS towards a test for the fifth six weeks.
You have three options to submit your answers:
1. E-Mail me at whatsmynumber@gmail.com. Include your first and last name, class period, and your answers.
2. Send me a message through my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mathauthority. Include your first and last name, class period, and your answers.
3. Post on my blog here by doing the following...
• Click on the link above and then post your comment.
• Be sure to include your first and last name, class period, and your answer to the questions in the comment box.
• Once you finish, click the drop down arrow below the comment box and choose "Anonymous".
• If you have any problems commenting, please e-mail me at whatsmynumber@gmail.com.
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Here is the two-part question... This counts as ONE homework grade and ONE quiz grade!
a. Take the following four numbers: 293, 471, 864, 348. If I told you that one of these numbers didn’t belong with the other three, which one would it be? Explain your reasoning with at least two complete sentences.
b. The geometric mean of two numbers can be found by taking the square root of the product of the two numbers. For example, the geometric mean of the numbers 9 and 25 is 15 because 9 times 25 equals 225 and the square root of 225 is 15. So you’re here’s your question… what are two sets of numbers where the geometric mean is equal to 32?
Good luck!
If you submit your answers by Friday, March 18, 2011 at 11:59 PM you will receive TEN EXTRA CREDIT POINTS towards a test for the fifth six weeks.
You have three options to submit your answers:
1. E-Mail me at whatsmynumber@gmail.com. Include your first and last name, class period, and your answers.
2. Send me a message through my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mathauthority. Include your first and last name, class period, and your answers.
3. Post on my blog here by doing the following...
• Click on the link above and then post your comment.
• Be sure to include your first and last name, class period, and your answer to the questions in the comment box.
• Once you finish, click the drop down arrow below the comment box and choose "Anonymous".
• If you have any problems commenting, please e-mail me at whatsmynumber@gmail.com.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is the two-part question... This counts as ONE homework grade and ONE quiz grade!
a. Take the following four numbers: 293, 471, 864, 348. If I told you that one of these numbers didn’t belong with the other three, which one would it be? Explain your reasoning with at least two complete sentences.
b. The geometric mean of two numbers can be found by taking the square root of the product of the two numbers. For example, the geometric mean of the numbers 9 and 25 is 15 because 9 times 25 equals 225 and the square root of 225 is 15. So you’re here’s your question… what are two sets of numbers where the geometric mean is equal to 32?
Good luck!
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