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Bob the Builder had just finished tiling a 10x3 floor when Spud the Scarecrow
turned up and laid an electrical cable across the diagonal. Spud damaged all the
tiles along the diagonal and they need to be replaced.
Since Spud became the local electrician this situation has become all too
common. He is always coming along afterwards and ruining some of my
tiling!!! There must be a way of predicting how many tiles will be 'cracked'
destroyed for all sized spaces I have to tile. If I knew how many, I could at
least order some spares! said Bob.
Grade 7, I need your mathematical expertise to help me answer
this problem.
or
Your Task:
Your task is to investigate this situation and write a report to Bob. Your
report should include:
The aim of the investigation.
Any assumptions made.
How you went about solving the problem, including relevant grids drawn.
Your results summarized.
Any connections made need to be fully explained and justified.
Your recommendation to Bob.
Bob needs a rule that will work for all rectangular tiled spaces. It has to be easy to use and accurate.
He hasnt got time to check that it works. Any mistakes will cost him money.
To assist you Bob has provided grid paper and the following questions to guide your investigation.
Details & Conditions:
This is individual work and not to be done as a group or with another student.
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership
Questions:
1 The table below contains a list of some of Bobs previous tiling jobs. He wants you to determine how
many tiles where cracked in each situation. He has kept a record of the number of tiles that he needed
to replace and will use it to check your accuracy.
Length
Width
CrackedTiles
11
14
10
12
Find a rule linking the length and width of the tiled area with the number of cracked tiles. Express your
rule in words as well as symbolically.
Length + Width 1 =Cracked Tiles
3 Predict how many tiles would be broken for a 2x15 tiling job? Check your answer.
Predict:16 (2+15-1=16) Answer: 16
4 Bob bought an extra 13 tiles in anticipation of repairs to his 4x10 tiling job. Was he correct? (Check
your answer by using your rule and drawing the grid.)
Predict: He got exact tile Answer: 12 (1 tile more)
Bob has also provided a computer program that simulates this situation. He knew you would be tiring of
drawing grids by now.
5 Below is a list of Bobs next five jobs. Use your rule to predict the number of cracked tiles and then use
the computer program to confirm your answer.
Length
Width
Predicted number of
cracked tiles
Actual number of
cracked tiles
10
13
12
18
21
20
14
12
21
26
24
What have you found? What is different about these dimensions compared to the earlier ones? (Hint:
look for something that is common between the dimensions and look carefully at the pattern of how the
tiles crack.)
Every line, same amount of tile got broke. when length is divisible by 2 or 3, width is divisible by 2 or 3
also. Width=(Length x X) X can be any number
7 Use the computer to generate another five tiling spaces that dont follow the original rule. What logic did
you use to pick those five tiling spaces? Explain fully.
Length
Width
Cracked tile
10
20
20
9
27
27
15
15
15
4
20
20
3
12
12
I first pick a random number for Length(Not too high number) then I multiply any number from that number and I
put it as Width.
8 Challenge: Develop a rule that works for all tiled spaces, including squares. Explain why it works.
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership
Teacher
Published
Descriptors
12
12
34
34
56
56
78
78
Criterion C: Communicating
Published Descriptors
The student does not reach a standard described by any of the
descriptors given below.
The student is able to:
i
use limited mathematical language
ii
use limited forms of mathematical representation to present
information
iii
communicate through lines of reasoning that are difficult to
interpret.
The student is able to:
i
use some appropriate mathematical language
ii
use appropriate forms of mathematical representation to
present information adequately
iii
communicate through lines of reasoning that are complete
iv
adequately organize information using a logical structure
The student is able to:
i
usually use appropriate mathematical language
ii
usually use appropriate forms of mathematical
representation to present information correctly
iii
usually move between different forms of mathematical
representation
iv
communicate through lines of reasoning that are complete
and coherent
v
present work that is usually organized using a logical
structure.
The student is able to:
i
consistently use appropriate mathematical language
ii
use appropriate forms of mathematical representation to
consistently present information correctly
iii
move effectively between different forms of mathematical
representation
iv
communicate through lines of reasoning that are complete,
coherent and concise
v
present work that is consistently organized using a logical
structure.
Student reflections:
Teacher comments:
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership
Teacher
0
12
12
34
34
56
56
iii
iv
v
78
78
Student reflections:
Teacher comments:
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership
Report to Bob
Hello. This is Alex who is here to solve your problem about cracked tiles. This problem
was caused by your friend Squd.
First, the aim of the investigation is to find a tile that brake in every amount of tile. So
you could be prepare for a extra tile and replace them.
Squd always walk diagonally on the tile. So each tile he pass, it brakes. Some of the tile
number worked in this one. Length + Width 1 =Cracked Tiles But some others, this
worked. Every line, same amount of tile got broke. when length is divisible by 2 or 3,
width is divisible by 2 or 3 also. Width=(Length x X) X can be any number. I first thought
there will be a pattern for this and there actually was one. But I was not beign able to
find out the formula which will fit in the whole numbers.
I solved the problem that you gave me using drawing. I drew 1 as 1CM and it was easy
at first. But later, big number stated to spear and it was hard to draw all of them. So I
used the program called math300, Cracked tile section. This program made the work
incredibly easy and was accurate.
The formula that I find out is this.
Length + Width 1 =Cracked Tiles, when length is divisible by 2 or 3, width is divisible
by 2 or 3 also. Width=(Length x X) X can be any number I still need to work on some
more to find out the formula for every number.
Length + Width 1 =Cracked Tiles this works by the result here.
Length
Width
CrackedTiles
11
14
10
12
So you can see the formula works perfectly here. But, the problem was some other
number wasnt working on this formula. So I came up with another formula which makes
sense.
Length
Width
Actual number of
cracked tiles
10
12
18
20
12
21
24
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership
You can see(Length + Width 1 =Cracked Tiles) This dosent work here so I came up with
this formula. when length is divisible by 2 or 3, width is divisible by 2 or 3 also.
Width=(Length x X) X can be any number. This one worked well but other stuff would be
hard. I think finding a formula for every number is too look carefully into the difference
and similarities between two formula.
So sorry for not giving you a accurate formula for every number. I will directly tell you
the formula if I find it out. I also suggest you to bring more then tiles more then what
you actually need. and if have ahve something left, you could use it next.
Inspiringethical,respectful,compassionategloballeadership