Many of us think of the study of weather as strictly science, but it’s really based in mathematics. After all, meteorologists need to collect data, analyze it and make predictions. And the data they collect is represented mathematically — current weather conditions, such as temperature, wind speed, and amount of rainfall, or the depth of a river and the volume of river water flowing past a certain point. And meteorologists use mathematical equations to predict how these elements may change. Weather is a great example of how math is not only used every day in business, but also how it affects us.
Many of the weather activities on the Ohio Math Works
web site are fun, and will help you learn the type of math that goes on in weather
forecasting. Try them all!- Watch a meteorologist talk about the
weather on your favorite station, and then try your hand at weather reporting at Assignment Weather:
Report, Predict - Activity 1.
- You know what happens when
there’s a deep snow — school is canceled and you have a free day. But what are
the consequences for a business, and its employees, and consumers, if a deep or unexpected
snow delays a delivery of raw materials? Mike McGrath of the Keebler Company gives some
answers at Assignment Weather: Report, Predict
- Activity 2.
- Severe weather can flood basements,
down trees and power lines, or destroy whole neighborhoods. Test your math skills on these
severe-weather problems in Twister's (Not a
Game!)
- Let it snow! You’ll be ready
with your snow gauge and reporting skills. You’ll find step-by-step instructions in Snowed Under.
- Our partners for “Weather: A
Whirlwind of Numbers” are the National Weather Service and WDTN, Dayton. Click on one of the partners, and you’ll find
information on that business and the people who were featured in the video.
- Looking for additional
weather-related information? Here are links that can take you to a
great sites with interesting photos and solid information.
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