Name: __________________
Date: ___________
WebQuest Project
Miss Palino/Mrs. Moran
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
Introduction
Are you ready to join a team of animal experts? As part of your application
to be the zoo's new coordinator, you must complete several challenging
tasks. You'll make decisions about what animals to purchase for the zoo
based on financial information provided to you. You'll gather specific data
about the animals you choose, including their weight and expected lifespan.
Finally, you'll present your findings to the hiring committee. So pack up your
gear and don't forget your algebra tool kit. This adventure is going to be
wild!
Zoo Challenge 1:
For your first challenge, Animals Inc. wants you to choose the animals you
think should be in their zoo. First, you need to read the letter Animals Inc.
sent to you. Within this letter, you will find all of the information you will
need to construct your zoo.
Dear Applicant,
Hello. First, we would like to thank you for applying for the Zoo Coordinator position at
Animals Inc. As part of your application process, we have created a challenge that we want you
to tackle. Below is a description of the task.
Animals Inc. has $1,000,000 to purchase animals for their new zoo. The animals you are allowed
to purchase and their prices are listed below. You must be within $1,000 of the $1,000,000, and
you must purchase at least 10 different animals. When purchasing an animal keep in mind the
following:
•
•
•
the gender of the animal (do you want all males, all females, or an even balance?);
the number of each type of animal you would like to purchase; and
your reasoning for purchasing that animal.
Once you have chosen your animals, you will create a spreadsheet of your purchases using
Excel.
Within Excel you will write an algebraic expression for each type of animal purchased that
represents the total amount of dollars spent purchasing that animal. For example, an expression
for the total amount spent on zebras might be $15,000x, where x = total number of zebras
purchased. You will also have to create a formula in Excel which calculates the totals of each.
One of the rows in your spreadsheet might look like this:
1
2
A
B
Animal
Cost per animal
Zebra
C
D
E
Number of
Algebraic Total Cost of each
Animals
expression type of animal (y)
Purchased (x)
$15,000.00
2 y=15000x
$30,000.00
The formula for the total cost of each type of animal (y) would look like this:
=B2*C2
Good luck, be creative, but most of all, have fun!
With Sincere Gratitude,
Animals Inc. Hiring Staff
Animals and Pricing
Animal
Alligator
Price
Animal
$14,000.00 Leopard
Price
$30,000.00
Bearded Dragon
$9,550.00 Lion
$20,000.00
Boa Constrictor
$1,750.00 Manatee
$17,500.00
Camel
$17,000.00 Monkey
$5,000.00
Cheetah
$23,500.00 Panda Bear
$50,000.00
$8,550.00 Polar Bear
$32,500.00
Crocodile
$14,000.00 Pronghorn
$6,000.00
Elephant
$25,000.00 Python
$1,500.00
Emu
$11,500.00 Rabbit
$25.00
Giraffe
$18,500.00 Rhinoceros
$30,000.00
$125.00 Sea Lion
$22,500.00
Crane
Goat
Goose
$50.00 Snapping Turtle
$375.00
Grizzly Bear
Guanaco
Hippopotamus
Iguana
$15,000.00 Tiger
$6,550.00 Tortoise
$25,000.00 Yak
$27,500.00
$850.00
$3,500.00
$750.00 Zebra
$15,000.00
Zoo Challenge 2:
Once you have chosen the animals you want to purchase for your zoo, you
will need to:
a.
Use the Internet to research the average weight, the average lifespan,
and the average gestation and/or incubation period for each chosen
animal. Below are a list of helpful websites.
Animal Planet
Kids Go Wild
Oakland Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Yahooligans
b.
Within the same Excel document, you will create a chart in a new
sheet that displays all of your collected data. Your chart should include
the following:
Animal
c.
Average Weight
Average Lifespan
Average Gestation /
Incubation period
Using the Excel Chart Wizard, you will create a graph for each of the
following:
• the average weight,
• the average life span
• average gestation and/or incubation period.
You will have a total of 3 graphs. You must have a pie chart, a line graph
and a bar graph. Here is a link to help you create the graphs:
http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/c/g/chart_wiz_def.htm
Upon completing your research, use the attached Excel help sheet to find the
mean, median and mode of each of the following:
a.
amount spent to purchase each animal?
b.
c.
d.
average weight of the animals purchased?
average lifespan of the animals purchased?
average gestation period?
Zoo Challenge 3:
Now it is time to put all of your information together and create a
presentation. Your presentation should include:
•
•
•
a listing of the animals you chose and an explanation of why you chose
them;
a picture of each animal you chose in your presentation; and
your spreadsheets, calculations, and graphs.
In addition, you should make use of the following vocabulary words in your
presentation: range, scale, mean, median, upper extreme, lower extreme,
x-axis, and y-axis.