How Big Really?

https://thetruesize.com

Enter in your zip code and find out how big something is (environmental disasters, historical events, famous landmarks, and so on) compared to where you live.

The Fib

Fibonacci Poems

http://gottabook.blogspot.com/2006/04/fib.html

Is this actually mathematically cool? Or just a lame crossover attempt?

Twitter's New Design + Golden Ratio

http://mashable.com/2010/09/29/new-twitter-golden-ratio/

I wonder what else follows this.

Some questions to ask:
-Which design is more pleasing to the eye?
-How do differently-sized computer screens and browser windows effect this layout?

Avoid the monthly fees

http://consumerist.com/2010/12/chase.html

Chase will charge you a $12/month fee unless you do some stuff (like use their card or keep a lot of money in your account to fund their bank). "What's the best option?" sounds like an algebra problem in the making! Everything should just be linear, right (assuming you're looking at a constant amount of money coming out of your checking account each month)? Or you could talk about piece-wise functions, especially if you look at keeping a minimum balance.

Such a good question: what does it cost you to keep money in the bank?

Grocery Shrink Ray

Dan Meyer's ideas on groceries...
http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=8713

... all came from The Consumerist website
http://consumerist.com/

So many ideas here:
-Obviously, proportional reasoning re: money
-There should be lots with different levels of math. Calc kids can look at oddly shaped bottles.

Stories vs. Statistics

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/stories-vs-statistics/

For one day when I get to do my interdisciplinary unit with an English class about how to persuade people using numbers. Brings up the good point of what do you want to sucker people in with? Will they be drawn in more by data or by a person's story?

I should probably try this before a big test

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/11/25/15-minute-writing-exercise-closes-the-gender-gap-in-university-level-physics/

Can a writing exercise on values, given before a stereotype threat situation, change the outcomes?

Facebook Breakup Stats

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2010/peak-break-up-times-on-facebook/


Peak breakup times on facebook.

Aim Here, Not Here Here or Here

http://flowingdata.com/2010/11/19/target-for-charting-excellence/

How many different titles can kids come up with for this graph? What else could you call the axes?

Joey Tribiani's Proportional Reasoning

Friends Season 3, Episode 18: "The One with the Hypnosis Tape."

1:44:10 on the DVD, Joey and Ross are trying to convince Frank Jr. not to marry his fiancee because of the age difference.

Joey: "You're 18, she's 44. When you're 36, she's gonna be 88."
Frank Jr.: "You don't think I know that?"

What not to say in your online dating profile

Subtitle: Grammar matters

http://blog.okcupid.com/index.php/online-dating-advice-exactly-what-to-say-in-a-first-message/

Buildings Shaped Like What They Sell

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/74157

Definitely something awesome for the proportional reasoning or 1-2-3-D growth units.

Double-Dipped Cookie Fairness

How could you divide up this cookie between 3+ people so that everyone gets an equal amount of frosting?

How much of the glass will it fill?

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=4276

A can of soda will fill how much of each glass?

Double or Nothing

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=5394

Parks & Recreation clip about betting on a pool game.

The questions:
How many games did they play?
How long were they playing for?

Most Expensive Liquid

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=5633 

Oil vs. Red Bull vs. Printer Ink

Will It Hit the Corner?

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=5954

The Office clip!

Parking Meter Rates

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=3001

What is the cheapest way to park for an hour?
What is the most expensive way to park for an hour?

You only have bills, so you ask the nearby store clerk for change. What is the best way for him to give you change for $1 if you want to maximize your parking time? What if the store clerk is running low and doesn't have enough change to give you all coins of the same value?

Is there a systems of inequalities somewhere in here? I can't tell.

There's No Pleasing Everybody at Once

http://thisisindexed.com/2010/11/theres-no-pleasing-or-displeasing-everybody-at-once/

Questions to ask:
Why does it go down then up?
Could you put these all on the same graph?

Rolling glasses

http://blog.mrmeyer.com/?p=4018
Which glass will make the biggest circle?

Question: would my 9th grade geo students be able to handle this? What would they do with it?

Weird Converter

http://www.weirdconverter.com

Conversions to weird units of measurement for volume, length, and weight.