Tumalo Week 2: Math

Tumalo Week 2: Math

Students creating a right triangle to help create a 82X82 foot sample plot.

"The Only Way To Learn Mathematics, Is To Do Mathematics". --Paul Halmos 

The purpose of this activity was to collect and track data about carbon storage in individual tress and the forest near the creek over all. We created a 82X82 meter square using right triangles (and the Pythagorean theorem) to create a sample plot. We used 3 4 5 right triangles to find the corners of the plot, we then measured 82 feet out to the next 3 4 5 triangle. 
We then broke into teams and measured tree DBH (Diameter at Breast Height), tree height and Down and Dead wood (wood that is dead and beginning o decay on the forest floor). Now we have the carbon percentages from the sample plot we can estimate the total carbon storage for the whole forest. We can now covert the large numbers into scientific notation that we can compare to other ears of the creek. 

What is Carbon Storage? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_capture_and_storage 

What is the Pythagorean Theorem? http://math.about.com/cs/pythagorean/g/pythagdef.htm

Data sheet/recording form of  measurements (Special Right Triangles For Determining Tree Height)