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Activity 11

A Foot is a Foot–Or is It?

Students investigate how their own foot measurements compare to the customary measurement of a foot

(12 inches).

Probability and Statistics

♦mean

♦conversion of fractions to decimals

♦measurement

Materials

♦ruler

♦student activity sheet (provided)

♦TI-73 ³

Setup

♦Tell students that the dictionary defines foot, as it relates to measurement, as a measure of length equal to 12 inches based on the average length of a human foot.

♦Have students investigate this definition to see if the average human foot is equal to 12 inches, or a foot.

Ask questions to guide the students to determine how they will investigate this definition. Decide as a class your answers to these questions:

How will we find out if this statement is true? Who will we survey (measure)?

What will we ask them?

Should we only survey students? (You will probably want to include adults in the survey.)

How many people should we survey?

Could we find out this information without a survey? Where could we find it?

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