AN INTERDISCIPLINARY UNIT Math Connections: 1926 Prices Probability ProbabilityStatistics Dave At Night Dave At Night

Life in the 1920’s  How much did a meal cost back then?  Does everything increase at the same rate?  We will learn about the CPI (Consumer Price Index) and Inflation.

Compare today’s price to 1926 Find a grocery ad from the newspaper. How much does it cost for:  Five pound bag of flour?  Five pound bag of sugar?  1 pound can (16 ounces) of coffee? We will compare today’s prices to what Dave would buy in 1926!

CPI CONSUMER PRICE INDEX Using EXCEL, you can easily organize TODAY’S FOOD PRODUCTS. In another column record today’s cost.  This Internet site will assist you on your CPI formula in calculating the 1926 cost. calc/ calc/

Do you think it easier to view mathematical information on a bar graph or in a chart format?

Example if YOUR 2003 Price Was:

This data is easier to read as a BAR GRAPH Sometimes LINE GRAPHS are better to view information. Your group will research, organize, and record data into charts and graphs so it will be easier to present to your classmates.

At the Rent Party Dave At Night by Gail Carson Levine P78 “Tell for you your fortune?” Solly called. “A quarter a card,” Solly chanted. “ A quarter! Just for a card! For a quarter I could buy a hot dog and a double-scoop ice cream cone and an orangeade and a chocolate bar. A delicious meal.” (Dave thought.)

1926 Prices vs. Today’s 1926 Prices vs. Today’s  1926 A delicious meal A delicious meal  hotdog  double-scoop ice cream cone  an orangeade  a chocolate bar Total Cost: $.25 Total Cost: $.25  Today A delicious meal A delicious meal  hotdog  double-scoop ice cream cone  an orangeade  a chocolate bar Total Cost: ??? Total Cost: ???

Finding Information From 1920s  It’s fun to find information on the internet from 1926!  Recording and using statistics can be done in many ways. Excel is one great way to record data and an easy way to see it graphed!

Example 1  What have you recently bought?  Did they sell it back in 1926?  Ask your classmates, friends, family members what product they recently bought?  Write this information down.

Example 1 continued  Using EXCEL, you can list any items that were made back in 1926 in one column.  In another column record today’s cost.  There is an Internet site available where you TYPE what the item costs today and it will FIGURE OUT approximately how much this product would have COST IN You can make a bar graph to easily see the difference in costs!

EXAMPLE 2  DAVE IS AN ORPHAN.  How many orphans lived in 1926?  Does this increase or decrease over the years? Is it easier to see this information on a line graph or on a table?

This line graph shows historical data of children like Dave who live with neither parent. LATER YOU MAY BE ASKED TO RESEARCH WHY THERE IS NO DATA FOR 1930.

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At the Rent Party  Solly, as a fortune teller, might ask you to pick a card, any card, from a standard deck of 52 cards.  How would you increase the probability of picking out a certain card? We will learn about probability! We will learn about probability!

An Ace or A Red Ace?  Would you have the same probability of winning if Solly asked you to pick an ace or a red ace? You need to think:  How many red aces are there in a deck of playing cards?  How many aces are there in a deck of playing cards?  WOULD YOUR PROBABILITY INCREASE OR STAY THE SAME ?

Probability

Probability

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  Someone caused trouble at the “rent party.” All of the labels were taken off the cans. NOW ALL SIX CANS LOOKED EXACTLY ALIKE! WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT THE COOK WILL PICK THE CORRECT CAN? THE COOK WANTED TO MAKE A TUNA CASSEROLE. What information do you need to know?

So what do you think that the cook picked? Explain. What is the PROBABILITY of picking tuna?  Of course..WHAT’S IN THE CANS!  1 CAN WAS SOUP  2 CANS WERE CORN  1 CAN WAS SALMON  1 CAN WAS TUNA  1 CAN WAS SARDINES Assuming that the cook was equally likely to reach for any can of food.

Perhaps the cook could make a fish casserole. What is the PROBABILITY of picking fish?  1 CAN WAS SOUP  2 CANS WERE CORN  1 CAN WAS SALMON  1 CAN WAS TUNA  1 CAN WAS SARDINES  Your are correct if you said that the Probability of the cook picking tuna was  1/6 Not very good bet that it was tuna!

Probability of the cook getting fish?  1 CAN WAS SOUP  2 CANS WERE CORN  1 CAN WAS SALMON  1 CAN WAS TUNA  1 CAN WAS SARDINES  There are 3 cans of fish:  Salmon, tuna, sardines  The PROBABILITY of the cook selecting a can of fish is 3/6 or ½.  The expected outcome is most likely fish!

Some ideas to think about. 1. Would you rather live in the past or the present? Explain. 2. Do you think students had better math skills in 1926? Tell why or why not? This is The End of this presentation. Now it your time to start your own exploration.