Math in the News
Real-World Math from Today’s Headlines
Issue 96: The California Drought
March 2014
The Impact on Farming
In California’s Central Valley, rows of almond trees stand silent. With reservoir levels at historic lows and rainfall nearly nonexistent, California enters one of its worst droughts in recorded history. In this issue we explore real data from the 2014 drought.
Math in the News
Real-World Math from Today’s Headlines
Issue 77: Voyager Breaks Free
July 2013
What Is Voyager?
Launched by NASA in 1977, Voyager 1 is now the most distant human-made object in space. In 2012 it crossed the heliopause, the boundary where the Sun’s influence ends. In this issue we analyze that historic milestone.
Math in the News
Real-World Math from Today’s Headlines
Issue 114: Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping
November 2016
How Much Does Thanksgiving Cost?
Americans eat an estimated 276 million pounds of turkey every year for the holiday, and the cost of that bird has changed over time. In this issue we track the price of a 16-pound turkey and work out the price per pound.
Math in the News
Real-World Math from Today’s Headlines
Issue 25: Did E-Mail Doom the Post Office?
September 2011
The Decline of the U.S. Postal Service
The U.S. Postal Service is losing money every year and may end up going bankrupt. What factors contributed to its financial struggles? In this issue we look at a century of mail volume, revenue, and expenses.
Math in the News
Real-World Math from Today’s Headlines
Issue 47: The Rising Cost of Gasoline
February 2012
Gas Data
The price of gasoline is going up, with various predictions of what the price will be. How can we get a handle on what the price might be in the future? In this issue we analyze the average price of gasoline from 1990 to the present.