Project Overview:
To start off this chain of projects we started off with the "Scaling Your World." After that project we started "Measuring Your World." In the "Measuring Your World" project we learned about volume and area, and how to find the area and volume of any shape by using equations. We started off with 1-D shapes, then 2-D, and if we were comfortable enough we tried out spheres. To follow with this project we also created our own with partners. We picked a shape or object of our own and we had to find the volume of it.
"Design Your Own Project"
For my project me and my partner decided to find the volume of a home plate then try to find the volume of the infield. At the end we created a powerpoint presentation to show the class what we found.
Math
At first my partner and I didnt know where to started with figuring out the volume of home place since it was an odd shape and we didnt have a equation for it. We looked to see what shaped were within it and we saw that we can split it up into a rectangle and a triangle. Once it was split up the equation was pretty simple, we just did length X width for the rectangle and then we added that to L*H/2 to figure out the whole shape. One we got the formula we just plugged in the numbers. But we realized that we were wrong so instead of L*H/2 we did L*W+(b*h)/2 , this equation made more sense and was correct. We also decided to try to figure out the volume of the infield of a softball field. We came up with a formula and how we would of solved it, but we couldn't find the dimensions and we were unable to actually go to a field so we were unable to finish it. This is the formula: Area of infield= 1/4 3.14 r^2.
Reflection:
Some success we had in this project was being able to figure out how to find the volume of an odd shape that didn't already have an equation. One thing that challenged us was figuring out the right equation. One way this will help us in the future is that there will most likely be questions like this on the SAT and now we are extra prepared because we can figure out how to find the volume of an odd shape.
Overall Reflection:
This project really helped me because when I took the PSAT in the past I noticed that there were problems like this and now for the real SAT I will be able to do them. The Habit of a Mathematician I used in this project was "Conjecture and Test". While solving all the volume and area worksheets and the "Design Your Own Project" I had to be able to look at the shape and find what formula would work the best for that and try it out. With the design your own project my partner and I tried out many different formulas until we found the one that best fit. This will help me a lot with the SAT and for 11th and 12th grade because I know we will be expanding on this in those grades.