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Matchsticks

This task is designed to assess how well students understand:

  • Using the formula for the volume of a cone
  • Converting between measurements

For this task, a tree trunk is thought of as being approximated by a cone. Students are given the formula for a cone, and the dimensions of a matchstick. The task is to calculate an approximation of how many matchsticks can be made from a single tree trunk.

This task is from the Mathematics Assessment Resource Service, a collaboration between UC Berkeley and the Shell Centre team at the University of Nottingham. A full rubric is given for the task, together with examples of student work and suggestions for helping students overcome misconceptions. Further information on the collection is given here.

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Subject(s)Mathematics
Age11-14
Published2010 to 2019
Published by

Direct URLhttps://www.stem.org.uk/rxfg9p

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