Resources
Fermi problems: a secret of bees
‘A secret of bees’ is a series of 7 problems that looks at an interesting feature of the family tree for bees. The series shows how to take a complicated problem and break it down into manageable parts. It is recommended that the sheets are given to students one at a time.
Initially a family tree for bees is...
Fermi problems: ball bouncing
‘Ball bouncing’ is a series of 7 problems that looks at what happens if you put a tennis ball on top of a basketball and then drop them both. This is done through mathematical modelling. The series shows how to take a complicated problem and break it down into manageable parts. It is recommended that the sheets are...
Fermi problems: Fermi challenge
Fermi problems: interstellar flight
‘Interstellar flight’ is a series of 7 problems that plan for establishing a base in another solar system. The first four problems involve getting to the base, the final three focus on what to bring and whom to take along.
The mathematics required for the first problems include use of the formulae for...
Fermi problems: moving Mount Fuji
This problem serves as an introduction to the ideas of Fermi problems. The question posed is ‘how many dump trucks would you need to move Mount Fuji, a major mountain in Japan?’
The topics required to complete this problem are calculating the volume of a pyramid, working out mass from density and volume, and...
Fermi problems: the top-notch burger joint
This question asks us to consider a person opening a burger bar, doing all of the cooking themselves, and then estimate how much space should they rent?
The main topics required are rates (number of burgers per hour that one person could cook, number of customers per hour), and areas.
Ferries
This Cre8ate maths activity allows the opportunity to discuss the modelling function of mathematics. The tasks allow students to develop their own strategies and to consider the idea of an ‘efficient’ algorithm. In addition, 'First fit and full bins' activity involves work on ratio and pie charts.
Fertilisers
A Catalyst article about what happens as plants grow. During their growth, plants remove compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from soil which need to be replaced to maintain the soil’s fertility. For centuries farmers have used organic manures, crop rotation or ploughed in specially grown crops; today...