Using Math to Understand Real Life Problems

A WebQuest

Mott Hall II

Ms. Fortier

You may really like math class, but do you think that it is just really all about moving numbers around? Is math really just made up of examples in a book or on a board in class? Can math really be useful to YOU in real life situations? Let’s see how math can be used to understand real problems that we face in our world. Math can be used to identify social problems and to evaluate the effectiveness of these social policies. Math can even be used to develop new solutions .You have been asked to serve on a committee to demonstrate how math can be used to better understand the world’s problems. The goal here is to make a presentation to middle school students of the ways math can help them appreciate the complex nature of the world’s problems and issues. Your task is an important one for your fellow students, the community as a whole, and maybe even yourself! Good luck!

You will join a group of three students from your class that will analyze the problem of HIV/AID facing the people of Africa today. Your research will involve using the Public Policy Analyst and loping a policy to deal with the issue, you will turn to the application of mathematics to the problem. Each group will shoe how a math tool or technique was used to better understand the problem or develop an effective policy to deal with the problem. Your group will then develop a PowerPoint presentation to show how mathematics helped in your quest to complete your problem analysis.

1. You will meet in groups of five. Each person with in the group will be assigned a specific role as follows:

Ø Group Leader- Who will organize the group and coordinate the group’s effort. The leader also assists all other members in completing their tasks

Ø Recorder and Secretary- Writes the results of researchers in a format that can be presented. The Recorder keeps all research materials for the group’s use

Ø Researchers- These two will look at the websites and present the data for the groups as a whole to analyze

Ø Presenter- The Presenter will describe the group’s findings to the class as a whole. The Presenter may also work with the whole group in developing a format for the presentation, which may be a chart, poster, PowerPoint, etc.

2. Your group will use the Public Policy Analyst to research the problem of HIV/AIDS infection in Africa today. Using the six PPA steps, you will be able to do an orderly analysis of the problem.

These steps are:

#1- Defining the Social Problem

What is the problem that you plan on
addressing?

#2- Gather evidence of the problem

How do we know that this is a problem?

#3- Identify the causes of the problem

What causes this problem that you plan on
addressing?

#4- Identify and evaluate the existing public
policies

What policies already exist on your problem?

#5- Developing public policy solutions

What new public policy do you want to create?

#6- Selecting the best policy solution

Decide with your group the best policy to use
for the problem

3 Your teacher will assist you in researching and applying one of the following mathematical operations to assist in completing each step in the PPA process.

· Probability

· Exponentiation

· Statistics and probability

· Geometry

· Measurement

· Algebra

· Percentages, Ratios, Fractions

4. After researching the problem of HIV/AIDS in Africa today, your group will develop a PowerPoint presentation about your research and conclusions. You must also have a slide showing how the various math operations assisted you in the completion of each step in the PPA process. Your PowerPoint should be well produced and at least 10 slides long.

The following Websites should be of assistance to you in finding answers to the questions posed on the PPA worksheets. Please note that you may have to access some of these sites in a non-school setting (home, library, etc.) since they are likely to be filtered. Be sure to get the required permission before accessing these sites.

Ø Washington Post Article (“AIDS warriors”)

Ø Washington Post Article (“AIDS in Africa”)

Ø Global HIV and AIDS Statistical information & tables 2002

Ø African AIDS Awareness Campaign -- HIV/AIDS in Africa

Ø J. Clarence Kelly Library - Penn State Greater Allegheny

Ø Aids In Africa – From Time Magazine

Ø BBC News | Africa | Aids in Africa

Ø CNN In-Depth Specials - AIDS: Africa in Peril

Ø UNAIDS: The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS

Ø Report on the global AIDS epidemic 2006

Ø WHO | WHO-UNAIDS HIV Vaccine Initiative

Your research and PowerPoint will be evaluated and graded according to the following rubrics:

Rubric for the PowerPoint

CATEGORY	4  Excellent	3 Good	2 Fair	1 Unacceptable	Score
Content - Accuracy	All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors.	Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate.	The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.	Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error.
Use of Graphics	All graphics are attractive (size and colors) and support the theme/content of the presentation.	A few graphics are not attractive but all support the theme/content of the presentation.	All graphics are attractive but a few do not seem to support the theme/content of the presentation.	Several graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the presentation.
Effectiveness	Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the topic. It is a highly effective study guide.	Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. It is an adequate study guide.	Project is missing more than two key elements. It would make an incomplete study guide.	Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies that make it a poor study guide.
Graphics Sources	Graphics are hand-drawn. The illustrator(s) are given credit somewhere in the presentation.	A combination of hand-drawn and PowerPoint graphics are used. Sources are documented in the presentation for all images.	Some graphics are from sources that clearly state that non-commercial use is allowed without written permission. Sources are documented in the presentation for all "borrowed" images.	Some graphics are borrowed from sites that do not have copyright statements or do not state that non-commercial use is allowed, OR sources are not documented for all images.
Cooperation	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively all of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively most of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively some of the time.	Group often is not effective in delegating tasks and/or sharing responsibility.

Rubric for the written report and worksheets

CATEGORY	Excellent 3	Good 2	Fair 1	Unacceptable 0	Score
Research	Your group did extensive research from the recommended and other sites.	Your group did research primarily from the recommended sites.	Your group did a minimal amount of research from sites.	No or very little research was done.
Citations	At least five citations were made from your researched sources including ones you found.	At least three citations were made from your researched sources including ones you found.	At least two citations were made from your researched sources including ones you found.	No citations were made from your researched sources including ones you found.
Arguments	Your group made very convincing arguments for the policies that you have recommended	Your group made convincing arguments for the policies that you have recommended	Your group made few convincing arguments for the policies that you have recommended	Your group made unconvincing arguments for the policies that you have recommended
Grammar/Style	There were no significant grammar or style errors.	There were few significant grammar or style errors.	There were many significant grammar or style errors.	There were very many significant grammar or style errors.
Teamwork	It was evident that all members of the group contributed to the product	It was evident that most members of the group contributed to the product.	It was evident that only one member of the group contributed to the product.	It was evident that the members of the group did not contribute to the product

Grade: 30-28=A 27-25=B 24-22=C 21- 19=D Less than 18=F

After completing this project you should have a better understanding of the problem of HIV/AIDS as it is found in Africa today. Additionally you will be able to demonstrate the use of mathematics in developing that understanding. Your work can be of real assistance to your fellow students, as they get a greater appreciation of the problem you researched and the use of mathematics in making your study effective.

This Project meets the following New York State Social Studies Standards:

Standard 3:

• plan, organize, and present geographic research projects

• locate and gather geographic information from a variety of primary and secondary sources (Taken from National Geography Standards, 1994)

• select and design maps, graphs, tables, charts, diagrams, and other graphic representations to present geographic information

• analyze geographic information by developing and testing inferences and hypotheses, and formulating conclusions from maps, photographs, computer models, and other geographic representations (Adapted from National Geography Standards, 1994)

• develop and test generalizations and conclusions and pose analytical questions based on the results of geographic inquiry

The project also meets the following New York Mathematics standard:

STANDARD 3
(Revised 2005)

Students will understand the concepts of and become proficient with the skills of mathematics; communicate and reason mathematically; become problem solvers by using appropriate tools and strategies; through the integrated study of number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and statistics and probability.