Real-World Data Collection & Calculations: Make sure you have scissors and a graduated cylinder because this project is based on the density of your scissors
Budget: $10 – $30 USD
For this project, you will need to make calculations based on real-life data you'll gather yourself. Here are the steps you'll take:
Decide what quantity you want to calculate. It should be something that will involve multiple measurements you'll need to combine somehow: for example, the speed at which a houseplant is growing, the volume of your kitchen, or the density of your pair of scissors.
Decide what measurements you'll need to take, and how you'll need to combine them. For example, you could divide the difference between the plant's heights divided by the number of days between your measurements; or you might need to multiply the length, width, and height of the room; or you might need to weigh the scissors and divide by the difference between the volume of water with no scissors and with scissors added. Aim for your calculation to involve at least two of the operations +, -, *, /.
Take those measurements! Record them with an appropriate rounding place value for the measuring device you used.
Calculate your quantity! Make sure to use the sig fig rules to round your final answer correctly.
Convert the quantity to some other units. How fast is the plant growing in feet per year? How many gallons would fill the kitchen?
Type up your calculation in google docs, word, pages, or some other typesetting software that can include equations. Your report should include:
An "Introduction" explaining what you chose to measure and calculate, and what units you chose to convert to.
A "Methods" section describing how you took your measurements and what precision the measuring devices are able to have.
A "Results" section where you show your calculations and unit conversions, and explain how where you used sig fig rules. Be sure to display your calculations nicely - use your app's equation editor if it has one.
A "Discussion" section where you describe the limitations of your measurements and future directions someone could research: what ended up having the biggest effect on the precision of your final answer? what would you have to do to get a more precise measurement? what's something related someone could calculate later?
Decide what quantity you want to calculate. It should be something that will involve multiple measurements you'll need to combine somehow: for example, the speed at which a houseplant is growing, the volume of your kitchen, or the density of your pair of scissors.
Decide what measurements you'll need to take, and how you'll need to combine them. For example, you could divide the difference between the plant's heights divided by the number of days between your measurements; or you might need to multiply the length, width, and height of the room; or you might need to weigh the scissors and divide by the difference between the volume of water with no scissors and with scissors added. Aim for your calculation to involve at least two of the operations +, -, *, /.
Take those measurements! Record them with an appropriate rounding place value for the measuring device you used.
Calculate your quantity! Make sure to use the sig fig rules to round your final answer correctly.
Convert the quantity to some other units. How fast is the plant growing in feet per year? How many gallons would fill the kitchen?
Type up your calculation in google docs, word, pages, or some other typesetting software that can include equations. Your report should include:
An "Introduction" explaining what you chose to measure and calculate, and what units you chose to convert to.
A "Methods" section describing how you took your measurements and what precision the measuring devices are able to have.
A "Results" section where you show your calculations and unit conversions, and explain how where you used sig fig rules. Be sure to display your calculations nicely - use your app's equation editor if it has one.
A "Discussion" section where you describe the limitations of your measurements and future directions someone could research: what ended up having the biggest effect on the precision of your final answer? what would you have to do to get a more precise measurement? what's something related someone could calculate later?