Math Stories For Problem Solving Success

This second edition of the popular math teaching resource book Math Stories for Problem Solving Success offers updated true-to-life situations designed to motivate teenagers to use math skills for solving everyday problems. The book features intriguing short stories followed by sets of problems related to the stories that are correlated to the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Each of the easy-to-read stories is followed by three increasingly difficult groups of problem sets. This makes it simple for teachers to select the appropriate problem set for students of different abilities and at different grade levels. To further enhance student involvement, the stories feature recurring characters and can be used either sequentially or out of order. The problems in the book cover many basic math topics, including decimals, fractions, and percents; measurement; geometry; data, statistics, and probability; algebra; and problem solving.

In addition to having all the answers, an Answer Key at the end of the book offers explanations and background information about the problems that can be helpful to both teachers and students.

Math Stories for Problem Solving Success will help you show students that math is something they are already using every day.

About This Resource ix

Teaching Problem Solving Strategies x

A Sample Problem xi

Notes for the Teacher xii

Introductory Story: Time to Go 1

1. Which Way for Jake? 3

2. The Caper 7

3. A Sigh of Relief 11

4. Future Forecast 16

5. Harper’s Surprise 22

6. Our Daily Bread 26

7. Sweet Spending 34

8. The County Fair 38

9. Square Cents 45

10. Halloween 58

11. Amazing Measurements 52

12. The Metric Airplane 57

13. Take Me to Your Liter 63

14. Give a Gram 68

15. Measurement Madness 71

16. The Invitation 74

17. On to D.C. 79

18. The Job Crisis 83

19. Tickets 87

20. Baseball—Go Figure 91

21. It’s Simply Interest 95

22. An Interesting Loan 99

23. Homecoming 103

24. Train Logic 108

25. Pendulum Project 110

26. Take a Chance 114

27. 831 Monroe Street 119

28. The Pattern Game 123

29. Unlucky Friday 127

30. Lucky Seven 131

31. Busing for Bucks 135

32. Far Out Funds 139

33. Maggie’s Secret 144

34. The Frantic Drive 149

35. Tessa’s Grounding 154

36. Geometry in the Park 160

37. String Triangles 165

38. Stop on By with Algebra 172

39. Geometry Project 177

40. A Patch for Experiments 184

41. What Is the Average? 192

42. The Challenge 197

43. It’s All in the Planning 201

44. The Pro Game 207

45. Table for Eight? 212

46. Jake’s Surprise 216

47. Model Dog Houses 221

48. A Day at Clear Lake 226

49. Survey 231

50. Summer Plans 235

51. The Dinosaurs Rock 240

52. Loop or Line? 247

53. Oregon or Bust! 251

Answer Key with Explanations 259

Selected Bibliography 291

THE AUTHORS

JAMES L. OVERHOLT, Ed.D., has over 30 years of teaching experience and is currently Professor of Education at California State University, Chico, where he specializes in mathematics education for both practicing and prospective teachers.

NANCY H. AABERG, M.Ed., also with over 30 years of experience as a public school educator, is now the Superintendent of Schools for the Yuba City Unified School District in Yuba City, California.

JAMES F. LINDSEY, Ed.D., taught in the upper grades of elementary school; high school music, social studies, and mathematics; and was a principal. In addition, he served as Professor of Education for 21 years at California State University, Chico, at which he is now Professor Emeritus.

JOSSEY-BASS TEACHER

Math Stories for Problem Solving Success

Ready-to-Use Activities Based on Real-Life Situations, Grades 6 -12, 2nd Edition

This second edition of the popular math teaching resource book Math Stories for Problem Solving Success offers updated true-to-life situations designed to motivate teenagers to use math skills for solving everyday problems. The book features intriguing short stories followed by sets of problems related to the stories that are correlated to the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Each of the easy-to-read stories is followed by three increasingly difficult groups of problem sets. This makes it simple for teachers to select the appropriate problem set for students of different abilities and at different grade levels.To further enhance student involvement, the stories feature recurring characters and can be used either sequentially or out of order. The problems in the book cover many basic math topics, including decimals, fractions, and percents; measurement; geometry; data, statistics, and probability; algebra; and problem solving.

In addition to having all the answers, an Answer Key at the end of the book offers explanations and background information about the problems that can be helpful to both teachers and students.

Math Stories for Problem Solving Success will help you show students that math is something they are already using every day.

PRAISE FOR MATH STORIES FOR PROBLEM SOLVING SUCCESS

"Math Stories for Problem Solving Success is a user-friendly and interactive mathematics resource for teachers and students. The matrix used in the table of contents is effective for finding topics, content, and levels quickly and easily. Varying levels of each problem assist in meeting the needs of all students as is necessary in a differentiated classroom setting. A great resource for today's mathematics educators!"
—DANIELLE BRIGGS, middle school mathematics teacher, Tulare, California

"What a powerful teaching tool! With every activity, students see clearly the power and relevance of mathematics while developing both their numeracy and literacy."
—LAURIE KINCHELOE, mathematics instructor, Butte College, Oroville, California