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Your July 2013
ShillerLearning Tidbit
Plant division
Putting math to work to avoid starvation
When a plant runs out of energy while the sun is down, the plant shuts down.
During the day plants build up starch reserves for night use. John Innes Centre scientists showed that each night plants determine, based on how much starch they have (S) and how much time they have to use that starch (T), the rate of use (S/T) so they run out of reserves right at dawn.
To do this, plants must be performing division!
Now we just need to help our kids do the math as well as plants.
Plant humor
Q: Why was the strawberry worried?
A: Its parents were in a jam
Q: If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
A: Pilgrims!
Q: Why do melons have fancy weddings?
A: Because they cantaloupe.
July 2013 Puzzler [Grades 9-12]
Prove that there is no largest prime number.
Provide the correct answer by July 25, 2013 to be this month's puzzler winner.
Answer to previous Puzzler [Grades 9-12]
The family car breaks down. A visitor at your house happens to have some tools and in a few minutes, voila! The car is fixed. If these are the only two choices, which is more likely: a) your visitor is a math tutor, or b) your visitor is a math tutor and a car mechanic?
Solution: Some math tutors are not car mechanics but like to fix cars and carry around tools. So the answer is a): Your visitor is a math tutor. Aren't math tutors cool?
I hope you enjoyed this short math break.
Sincerely,
Larry Shiller
Publisher
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