On-the-Job Math Mysteries: Real-Life Math From Exciting Careers [Paperback]

Marya Washington Tyler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2008 | ISBN-10: 1593633254 | ISBN-13: 978-1593633257

On-the-Job Math Mysteries offers exciting math problems that are taken from real-world situations. The word problems come from interviews with people in unique professions, such as circus performers, a bush pilot, and a railroad engineer, providing students with real-life contexts for how math is used in people's daily lives. Students will use information presented by the professionals to help solve their mathematical dilemmas that they encounter on the job.

The book features 22 diverse occupations that incorporate a variety of math skills on a daily basis. The problems are tied to NCTM standards, and students will use skills such as selecting an operation, determining place value, using fractions and decimals, working with geometry, applying measurement skills, estimating, and recording and analyzing data to solve the math problems. Each set of problems is presented on separate reproducible worksheets, and the book includes a comprehensive answer key.

Working with the engaging and diverse mathematics presented here by colorful professionals, students will see exactly what is at stake in problem solving, why mathematics is essential, and why accuracy matters.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Here's a fun and engaging new math book from Prufrock Press. On-The-Job Math Mysteries has 70 plus pages of math problems and solutions that are based upon standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The problems are based on real people who use math in a variety of occupations. Black and white photographs of individuals at work add to the real-life theme. Some problems include helpful diagrams and charts.

The variety of occupations covered in this book is quite diverse. In addition to those positions already noted, kids can read about how math is useful to the organic farmer, beekeeper, heavy equipment operator, software engineer, kayak guide, air traffic controller, bush pilot, and more. There are 22 occupations mentioned in all. Kids who appreciate academic work that has a purpose and real life applications will love OTJ Math Mysteries! --
    —Lorel Shea, Editor, BellaOnline, Gifted Education

About the Author

Marya Washington Tyler has a master's degree in gifted and talented education from the University of Wisconsin, and has taught gifted and talented students for 11 years.

Marya is the author of several Prufrock bestsellers, including Real Life Math Mysteries, It's Alive!, and Extreme Math, which she co-wrote with her husband Kip. They have four wonderful, spontaneous, gifted children scattered across the country.

Marya and Kip live in Ketchikan, Alaska, where they kayak, mountain climb, snowshoe, beach comb and otherwise explore, photographing and videotaping the wonders of the Alexander Archipelago and Tongass rainforest around them.

Product Details

• Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: Prufrock Press, Inc. (October 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593633254
• ISBN-13: 978-1593633257
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #405,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Marya Washington Tyler has a masters degree in gifted and talented education from the University of Wisconsin, and has taught gifted and talented students for 15 years.

"Many times the students I teach are smarter than I am. I enjoy their brilliance. I also enjoy bringing out gifts in children whose talents and gifts are less readily accessible."

Marya is the author of several Prufrock bestsellers, including Real Life Math Mysteries, It's Alive!!!, and Extreme Math, which she co-wrote with her husband Kip. They have four wonderful, spontaneous, gifted children scattered across the country.

Marya and Kip live in Ketchikan, Alaska, where they kayak, mountain climb, snowshoe, beach comb and otherwise explore, photographing and videotaping the wonders of the Alexander Archipelago and Tongass rainforest around them. Marya's most recent work is On the Job Math Mysteries, which features the mathematics faced by real Alaskans: dog mushers, float plane pilots, Native carvers, sea kayak guides, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Math Meaningful!, April 12, 2009

By 

Lorel Shea (New England) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: On-the-Job Math Mysteries: Real-Life Math From Exciting Careers (Paperback)

Here's a fun and engaging new math book from Prufrock Press. "On-The-Job Math Mysteries" has 70 plus pages of math problems and solutions which are based upon standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. The problems are based on real people who use math in a variety of occupations. Black and white photographs of individuals at work add to the real-life theme.
Some problems include helpful diagrams and charts.

This book is useful for advanced elementary and middle school students. The complexity ranges from simple equations to multi-step problems which require more thought. The math starts off easy and becomes progressively harder, so most students might prefer to work through the pages consecutively. The table of contents has a nice breakdown of what concepts are needed to solve each unit. As an example, the master carver section involves skills in diagram drawing, subtraction, multiplication, measurement in feet and inches, diameter and circumference, weight in pounds and tons, decimals, percents, time in weeks and years, and estimation.

One of the easier problems involves an eleven year old circus acrobat. Cristian performs 25 feet above the ground without a net. The student is asked to figure how many stories high Cristian's high wire is, if a typical story is ten feet high. There are three photos accompanying the problem, and a brief description of Cristian's work, delivered with some direct quotes. Math is Cristian's favorite subject!

A three page spread on Ken Benjamin, Soup Kitchen Operator, has a total of seven problems. Students must read a pancake recipe and determine how to enlarge it to feed 45 people. Another set of problems requires the calculation of guest statistics; for example, "what percentage of the people being served are girls?" The text explains why Ken decided to start a soup kitchen, and how he relies on donations to operate.

The variety of occupations covered in this book is quite diverse. In addition to those positions already noted, kids can read about how math is useful to the organic farmer, beekeeper, heavy equipment operator, software engineer, kayak guide, air traffic controller, bush pilot, and more. There are 22 occupations mentioned in all. Kids who appreciate academic work that has a purpose and real life applications will love OTJ Math Mysteries!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love it!, February 4, 2011

By 

Dorothy Kennedy - See all my reviews

This review is from: On-the-Job Math Mysteries: Real-Life Math From Exciting Careers (Paperback)

I love this book! It's a valuable resource for math teachers (primarily grades 4-8) and home schoolers. I think it's especially appropriate for gifted students and could be used to provide enrichment and challenges for them. It could also be integrated with social studies units dealing with the Pacific Northwest and/or careers.

Drawing from her adventures while living in Alaska and on the Olympic Peninsula, Tyler interviews and photographs people in jobs that are anything but ho-hum. Then she presents interview-related math problems which are aligned with standards from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Students are engaged in tasks like figuring out how many pounds of passengers a bush pilot's plane can carry, how much a scuba diver would charge to recover an anchor lost in 90 feet of water, or the total weight of a commercial fisherman's halibut catch, given only the length of each fish.

Bonus: the pages are reproducible, and the answers are in the back.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Real-World Math Makes More Sense, January 15, 2011

By 

M. de Boer - See all my reviews

This review is from: On-the-Job Math Mysteries: Real-Life Math From Exciting Careers (Paperback)

"On-the-Job Math Mysteries: Real-Life Math from Exciting Careers" is just what the title says. What a great way to show students how tricky math concepts are applied in the real world. Working with kids almost every day on their math, one of the most common complaints I hear is "Why do we have to know this? We won't ever do anything with this in real life!" This book answers that question by illustrating the many ways math concepts can be applied to every day life, as well as teaching about some unique careers that kids may not have considered, such as Dogsled Musher or Wildlife Veterinary Technician. "On-the-Job Math Mysteries" encourages kids (and teachers) to think out of the box.