T.V. Math

Suggested Grades

6+

Objective

Students will practice collecting data and transferring the data into percentages.

Materials

  • stop watch/clock
  • data record sheet similar to the one below:
DateShow
Name		Time
Show
Began		Time
Show
Ended		Total
Amount of
Time Show
Was On		Total
Time For
Commercials		Percentage of
Commercial
Time		Percentage
of Show
Time
        
        
        
        

Method

  • Have students take their data sheets home over the week-end and choose four different t.v., shows at four different times of the day, to collect data for.
  • After they collect the data, have them calculate for each show the percentage of time that was allocated for commercials and the percentage of time that was allocated for the show itself.
  • Discuss the findings: do the t.v. shows allocate the same amount of time for commercials?, which t.v. shows had more commercials?, why could this be so?