What Distance?
What Distance?
What Distance? printable sheet
Here are the distances (as the crow flies) in kilometres from London to various cities in the world:
|
Abu Dhabi 5480
|
Barcelona 1139
|
Cape Town 9680
|
|
New Delhi 6718
|
Edmonton 6805
|
Florence 1209
|
|
Gothenburg 1039
|
Houston 7812
|
Istanbul 2501
|
|
Jerusalem 3611
|
Karachi 6314
|
Launceston 17425
|
Challenge 1
Once you have travelled the first 1000km, how much further will you have to go for each of the twelve journeys?
Rather than actually performing each calculation, could you say which you think will be the most difficult and which will be the easiest, and why?
Now create some similar questions of your own.
Challenge 2
The distance from Copenhagen to London is approximately 1000km. If you always start at Copenhagen before travelling to London for all of the journeys shown above, how far would you travel in each case?
Why do this problem?
This simple challenge offers pupils the chance to find 1000 more or less than a given number.
Possible approach
You could show the map images with the associated numbers and invite children to suggest what the numbers mean. (This may provoke a discussion about how miles related to kilometres!)
Then set learners off on the challenges. You could suggest that, rather than attempting all of the calculations, pairs could decide which they think would be the easiest to work out and which would be the hardest, and why.
After a suitable period of time, you could invite pairs to join with another pair and compare their thoughts. If pairs do not agree on which is the easiest/hardest, challenge them to try to persuade the other pair that their 'ranking' is better. This will require knowledge of a range of calculation methods and sound reasoning.
Key questions
How did you work this out?
If you wrote it down to work it out can you show me and talk me through it?
Possible extension
Pupils could work in pairs to write their own similar questions, perhaps investigating the distances from London to other cities.
Possible support
Some pupils may need help with focusing on each particular map and the names that may be unusual for them.
You may also like
Chocolate
There are three tables in a room with blocks of chocolate on each. Where would be the best place for each child in the class to sit if they came in one at a time?
Four Triangles Puzzle
Cut four triangles from a square as shown in the picture. How many different shapes can you make by fitting the four triangles back together?
Cut it Out
Can you dissect an equilateral triangle into 6 smaller ones? What number of smaller equilateral triangles is it NOT possible to dissect a larger equilateral triangle into?