Believe it or not, you use math everyday and in many different ways.     ways. Math is all around you, from the geometric traffic signs you see,      to the advertisements you read in the daily paper, to the calculations       you have to make when sewing, cooking, driving, buying groceries,       or even telling time. In this project, you will look at math in a variety      of ways. Enjoy yourself as you see how math is an important part     of our lives each day!          Think about a career that you might want to pursue someday.  If you                         are not an accountant or a math teacher, you might think that you wouldn't            really use math all that much. Think again! Using this easy example, look at how math is used on a daily basis at the airport. * Pilot - calculating distance; reading gauges; determining latitude and longitude for navigation; figuring weight for fuel, cargo and passenger distribution; figuring the speed of the aircraft so that it can takeoff and land. Can you think of more? * Flight Attendant - figuring passenger capacity for meals; selling items like headsets on board; determining the amount of time remaining on flights. Can you think of more? * Ticket/Reservation Agent - calculating fares; coordinating flight times; determining passenger capacity; and weighing bags at check-in. Can you think of more?             Mentor: Briefly describe your job to the student. Student: Read through the description and ask your mentor any questions you have       to clarify what your mentor does. After you have a clear understanding of your mentor's       job, generate a list of ways you think your mentor uses math everyday in his/her job. Mentor: Check the list and see what you can add!

Together generate a list of 5 occupations. Choose at least one that you think would have very little connection to math on a daily basis. Discuss and share real world, practical applications of math that each of these occupations requires. The student should begin the list and send it to his/her mentor. The mentor should then add to the list and return it to you. Which occupation had the most connections to math? Which had the least? Were there any surprises?

Have you ever head, "Have I got a deal for you?" Each day you are overwhelmed with so-called bargains. Television, radio, print advertisements, and even the Internet constantly bombard you with promises of the best deal ever! In this project, you will not only determine the best buy using your math skills, but you also will distinguish between a real deal and a not-so-real deal! To get started, you and your mentor should solve this problem together: You have to buy a pair of jeans. There are three different stores that are advertising great deals this week. At the Pocket Place, a pair of jeans regularly costs $30.00, but this week only, jeans are 20 percent off. At Denim Blues, a local discount store, jeans are always sold below retail cost. The cost of a pair of jeans there is $25.00. At Just Jeans, you can buy 2 pairs and get one free for only $68.50. Together, determine the price of jeans at each store and then decide where you will get the best buy. Other considerations besides price that you may want to think about as you make your decision: * Do all stores carry the same brands? * How many pairs of jeans do you need? * Is the lowest price always the best buy? Why or why not?

If you really look around your own community, you will be amazed at how geometry is used all around you. Think about the architecture in your city or town; take time to notice traffic signs, billboards, the track and football fields at your local high school, even items in your home. In all these places, you find geometry. In this activity, you and your mentor will go on a scavenger hunt to find as many geometric shapes as you can. Before you start, make a list and share it. How many shapes did you find? What was the most unusual? Had you ever noticed these shapes before this exercise?

How good are you at solving math word problems? In this activity you are going to practice by writing math problems. Think about problems that stump you and then try to write some. Your mentor will work through the problem and then explain how he/she solved it. You get to check their work!

We all know that there are always tons of jobs to be done around the house. Have you ever considered how many of them involve math? In this activity, you will find as many examples as you can that involve math around the house! Building a deck, measuring a refrigerator to make sure it fits, budgeting for groceries, or even baking a cake all require math. How many more household activities can you think of? Make a list and share it with your mentor! Your mentor should add to the list. Think creatively -- you use math more than you think!