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Purpose

This problem solving activity has a measurement focus.

Achievement Objectives
GM4-4: Interpret and use scales, timetables, and charts.
Student Activity

Decorative image of a plane.At 1:00pm, two planes leave one after the other, from Auckland airport.
One lands at Christchurch airport at 2:30pm and the other lands at Sydney airport at 2:30pm.

Does that mean that Christchurch and Sydney are both the same distance from Auckland?

If not, how long does the plane going to Sydney actually take?

Specific Learning Outcomes
  • Calculate using the 24-hour clock and time zones.
  • Devise and use problem solving strategies to explore situations mathematically (make a drawing, be systematic).
Description of Mathematics

This problem introduces international time zones.  

Required Resource Materials
Activity

The Problem

At 1:00pm, two planes leave one after the other, from Auckland airport. One landsat Christchurch airport at 2:30pm and the other lands at Sydney airport at 2:30pm. Does that mean that Christchurch and Sydney are both the same distance from Auckland?

If not, how long does the plane going to Sydney actually take?

Teaching Sequence

  1. Pose the problem to the class. 
  2. Ask: 
    Are Christchurch and Sydney the same distance from Auckland?
    How is it possible for the planes to arrive at the same time? 
    What time is it now in Sydney? What time is it now in Christchurch?
    If we flew to Sydney now, what time would we arrive in New Zealand's time zone?
    How many time zones are there in Australia?
    How can we write the times in 12 hr and 24 hr time? What would be more beneficial to pilots and people flying between time zones? Why do you think that?
  3. Have students research flight times and time zones.
  4. Agree on the flight time to Sydney.
  5. Have students work individually or in pairs to create their own problem for others to solve, based on flight and time zone information that they find in their online research.
  6. Have students find solutions to other's time zone problems.

Solution

A map or online information will confirm that Sydney is further away from Auckland than is Christchurch. 

Sydney and Auckland are in two different time zones. When it is 1:00pm in Auckland it is 11:00am in Sydney. When the plane lands in Sydney at 2:30pm, it is 4:30pm in Auckland. Flight time Auckland to Sydney is around 3.5 hours, and to Christchurch around 1.5 hours.

Attachments
HowFar.pdf123.09 KB
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Level Four