Hands-On Math

University of Massachusetts > STEM > May 2008 | Hands-on Math

HANDS-ON MATH | Statistics in Farming

There are over 2.1 million farms in the U.S., totaling over 900 million acres.  And those millions of harvests aren't only producing food; they're also producing data--a lot of data!  That's where statisticians like Sarah Hoffman and Jackie Brown of the USDA come in.  The information they collect, analyze and distribute helps keep our agriculture industry growing strong.  Show your students where their crops come from and the vital role played by statistics.

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HANDS-ON MATH | Building Custom Guitars

Your students know what an electric guitar is--some probably play them--but do they know how a guitar is made? Whether it's the type of wood, the number of strings or the hundreds of choices in between, the custom guitar makers at Alembic use precision, care and skillful manipulation of numbers to craft some of the finest guitars in the world. Take them inside the workshop!

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HANDS-ON MATH | Orion Space Capsule

NASA is planning to send humans back to the Moon in 2018, and they're already working on the spacecraft to get them there.  NASA Engineer Robert Howard takes viewers inside the Habitability Design Center at Johnson Space Center for a look at the new Orion space capsule--and the math, engineering, and problem-solving skills his fascinating career demands.

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HANDS-ON MATH | Gems and Jewelry

Lines, curves, polygons and planes--gemstones and jewelry are rich in geometry.  A jewelry appraiser, a jewelry historian and a Brazilian gem cutter give your students an inside look at the many facets of this dazzling subject.

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HANDS-ON MATH | Flowers by the Millions

With Mother's Day just around the corner, this week is one of the busiest for local florists.  Have your students ever stopped to think about where all those flowers come from?  Take them on a tour of one the largest wholesale florists in the country, where they sell more than 100 million stems each year.

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