Middle School Math Projects by Kristen Jusiak This is a collection of 4 different math projects that can be used to help reinforce specific math skills throughout the school year. Activity #1: Realtor Project (Topics: Percents, Commission, Simple Interest) Activity #2: Menu Project (Topics: Operations with Decimals, Sales Tax, Gratuity) Activity #3: Create an Ad Project (Topics: Find Sale and Original Price, Find Percent Off) Activity #4: Numbers in My World . (Topics: Number Sets, Scientific Notation, Exponents, etc. Great Back to School Activity!) Hope you enjoy this introductory activity! Name_______________________________________ Date________________ YOU-BE-THE-REALTOR Directions: You have just been hired as New York’s premier Real Estate Agent. Your first assignment is to create a listing to be published for a local house for sale. Your listing needs to be attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness and include but not limited to the following information: Checklist of Minimum Requirements FRONT of Listing: _______Picture of House and Original Asking Price _______Address (Street, City, State, and Zip Code) _______Name of Realtor (your name) _______Three Descriptive Numerical Phrases (ex: Four bedrooms, …) BACK of Listing Information and Work Space: Determine how much commission you would make if the house sold for the original price and you get paid a 6% commission. ______________________ x ___________________ = __________________ Determine the commission if you sold the house after a 10% decrease of the original cost. Determine how much the new buyers will actually pay for the house when you factor in simple interest (x) for (y) years. (A standard mortgage is generally 30 years, you may select an appropriate interest rate.) Name__________________________________________ Date_______________ MENU PROJECT Let’s Eat at __________________________’s Place! (fill in last name) Directions: As America’s top new chef, you just became the proud owner of your very own restaurant! Complete each part below to prepare for the opening of your restaurant. Part 1: You are in charge of creating an appetizing menu with a minimum of 10 items and the cost for each of the items. Your menu needs to be attractive and designed to catch the eye of potential diners. The menu has to boldly identify the sales tax rate and gratuity. Part 2: Before the Grand Opening of _____________________(your last name) Place, you need to treat your family and friends to a night out at your new restaurant. Record what you and your guests will be ordering on an attached guest check and how much each item costs. Then add the total cost for the meal, including tax, gratuity, and the final total. Bon Appetit! Part 2: Guest Check Use the following guest check to keep track of your family’s bill and to calculate the total including tax and gratuity. **You can re-write this information on the back of your menu or attach this worksheet with all required calculations to the back of your menu.* Work Space: Sub-total: $______ Tax: $_______ Gratuity: $_______ Total: $________ (Image from www.guestcheck.us) Name_______________________________________ Date_____________ CREATE-AN-AD Directions: You are now in charge of designing a sales advertisement for your favorite store. Your favorite store is having the “Sale of the Century” and you need to create an ad for at least 3 of the stores hottest items! Include the name of your store, minimum of 1 picture per item and required sale information. Be creative and have fun! Be sure to utilize sources such as magazines, newspaper ads and the internet for inspiration! Required Sale Information and Work Space: Sale Item #1 _______________________________ Give Original Price $_______________ Show % Off ________% Customer Price $__________ Sale Item #2 _______________________________ Give Sale Price $_______________ Display Percent % Off ________% Find original price of item $__________ Sale Item #3_______________________________ Give Original Price $______________ Give Sale Price $ ____________ Find the percent % off _________% **You can re-write required calculations on the back of your Sale Ad or attach this worksheet with required calculations to the back of your ad.** Name_________________________________________ Date_______________ NUMBERS IN MY WORLD Find each of the following numbers in a magazine, newspaper, or on-line. This assignment is due by ________________ in order to receive credit. Each question will be worth 1 pt. and must be cut out and placed on the given line. 1) A real number less than 1 ________________________ Write the reciprocal of the number. 2) A number bigger than one million _______________________ Write the number in scientific notation. 3) A number in exponential form_________________ Write the number in standard form. 4) A whole number greater than twenty-five___________________ Find the square root of your number and round it to the nearest tenth. 5) A two digit perfect square number__________________ Find the sum of the digits. 6) An integer _______________ Evaluate your integer to the third power. 7) A decimal _________________________ Write your decimal as a fraction in lowest terms. 8) A mixed number __________________ Write your mixed number as an improper fraction.