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Using the compass for outdoor mathematicsAuthor(s): JEFFREY P. FEIFERSource: The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 20, No. 5 (MAY 1973), pp. 388-389Published by: National Council of Teachers of MathematicsStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41188292 .
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No more than one row or column may have the magic sum.
This procedure can be extended to any п-Ъу-п array with any numbers whatsoever
heading the columns and rows. When each cell is filled with the sum of the numbers heading its row and column, each of the 2n diagonals will have a magic sum equal to the sum of the outside numbers.
Using the compass for outdoor mathematics JEFFREY P. FEIFER
Summit Park Elementary School, New City, New York
W e are all aware of the importance and value of using the child's environment in his mathematics program. One way of ac- complishing this is to use a compass. Such an activity is a particularly good experi- ence for intermediate-grade children. It can provide practice in estimation, in linear and angular measurement, in division of ra- tional numbers, and in geometry.
Teacher preparation for the activity 1. Set up two rockpile markers exactly
100 feet apart. (Each child will use this measured distance to determine the length of his pace.)
2. Select at least five starting points and number them consecutively.
3. For each starting point, select a land- mark on the school grounds - monkey bars, a tall tree, an unusual rock, the flagpole, or the like.
4. Map out a compass route from each starting point to the selected landmark. Re- cord each route on a card. (See fig. 1.)
Starting point no. 4 * Direction Feet
325° 40 140° 50 90° 20
* All directions indica ted a re directions from north.
Fig. 1
Procedure for children
1 . Each child determines the number of feet in his pace. He walks the measured distance of 100 feet three times, counting the number of paces each time. He finds the average number of paces for his three walks. Then he computes the length of his pace by dividing 100 by the average num- ber of paces. Once he knows the number of feet in his pace, he can determine how many paces he must take to equal the dis- tances indicated on his card. (For example, if the card tells the child to walk 40 feet and his pace is 2 feet, then he knows that he must take 20 paces in the given direc- tion. )
388 The Arithmetic Teacher
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2. Children are given cards and asked to follow the directions on the card. They must know how to -
a. read a compass; b. determine direction in terms of degrees
from north; c. divide with fractions.
3. Directions for using the compass. The compass needle always points to magnetic north. Hold the compass so that the needle and the N for north are aligned. (See fig. 2. ) Degrees from north are marked on the circumference of the face of the compass.
This activity can be modified and ex- tended by the teacher to suit the particular needs of the children. Once the cards are made up, they can be shared by many classes. Teachers may work cooperatively with other teachers in making the cards. Some teachers may wish to alter the format
If *V 1/ VC4
N'X, 135° *Sy//
Fig. 2
of the activity and present it as a treasure hunt with group competing against group or class against class.
Children enjoy this activity. They find pleasure in the adventure of discovery, they use the outdoors, and they get enrichment through the application of basic computa- tional skills.
^' J v. it's Time for ff I f ) Metrication ^Ä^ И The National Bureau of Standards has de- ^^Mj veloped a 3l/2 -by-2y2 -inch plastic Metric Con-
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only tnrouSn tne Superintendent of Docu- fJr'
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•j àtk General information about the progress of «OW •j
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May 1973 389
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