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ENERGY

MATH CHALLENGE
Use this activity to enhance math skills while learning about energy.
GRADE LEVEL
3–12

SUBJECT AREAS
Science
Social Studies
Math
Language Arts
Teacher Advisory Board
Shelly Baumann, Rockford, MI
Constance Beatty, Kankakee, IL
Sara Brownell, Canyon Country, CA
Amy Constant, Raleigh, NC
Joanne Coons, Clifton Park, NY
Regina Donour, Whitesburg, KY
Darren Fisher, Houston, TX
Deborah Fitton, Cape Light Compact, MA
Linda Fonner, New Martinsville, WV
Melanie Harper, Odessa, TX
Viola Henry, Thaxton, VA
Linda Hutton, Kitty Hawk, NC
Doug Keaton, Russell, KY
Barbara Lazar, Albuquerque, NM
Robert Lazar, Albuquerque, NM
Hallie Mills, Bonney Lake, WA
Mollie Mukhamedov, Port St. Lucie, FL
Don Pruett, Sumner, WA
Larry Richards, Eaton, IN
Barry Scott, Stockton, CA
Joanne Spaziano, Cranston, RI
Gina Spencer, Virginia Beach, VA
Tom Spencer, Chesapeake, VA
Nancy Stanley, Pensacola, FL
Scott Sutherland, Providence, RI
Robin Thacker, Henderson, KY
Doris Tomas, Rosenberg, TX
Patricia Underwood, Anchorage, AK
Jim Wilkie, Long Beach, CA
Carolyn Wuest, Pensacola, FL
Debby Yerkes, Ohio Energy Project, OH
Wayne Yonkelowitz, Fayetteville, WV

NEED Mission Statement


The mission of the NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by
creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders
to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs.

Teacher Advisory Board Vision Statement


In support of NEED, the national Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) is dedicated to developing
and promoting standards-based energy curriculum and training.

Permission to Copy
NEED materials may be reproduced for non-commercial educational purposes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Teacher Guide .................................................................. 4
Answer Key ...................................................................... 6
Elementary Math Challenge .............................................. 7
Intermediate Math Challenge ......................................... 11
Secondary Math Challenge ............................................ 15
Evaluation Form ............................................................. 19

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 3
Teacher Guide
TO STRENGTHEN STUDENTS’ MATH SKILLS WHILE REINFORCING THEIR KNOWLEDGE
OF ENERGY.

BACKGROUND
The Energy Math Challenge encourages students to recognize the interrelationship between math, science,
language arts, and social studies.

ELEMENTARY: There are four elementary questions for students to answer in groups of three.

INTERMEDIATE & SECONDARY: The questions are organized in rounds. In the first round, students working
together in small groups solve four different math problems. The same types of problems are repeated in rounds
two and three. In the fourth round, groups of students solve a Mega-Question that incorporates the four skills
targeted in the first three rounds.

TIME
ELEMENTARY: Each question takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.

INTERMEDIATE & SECONDARY: The first three rounds take eight to ten minutes, and the fourth round takes
approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

MATERIALS
ELEMENTARY:One copy of each question for each group of three students.

INTERMEDIATE & SECONDARY:


P One set of Round One and Round Two math problems for each group.
P One set of Round Three math problems for each student.
P One Mega-Question for each group.

PROCEDURE

Step One—Preparation
n There are problems at three grade levels: Elementary (3-5), Intermediate (6-8), and Secondary (9-12).
These levels are identified on the top of the problem sheets. The Elementary problems are numbered One
through Four. The Intermediate and Secondary problems are numbered Rounds One through Three and
the Mega–Questions.

ELEMENTARY:
n Divide the class into groups of three students. Each group should have one strong math student.
n Duplicate a set of the four questions for each group.
n Decide what measuring tool you want the students to use in Question Four. Cuisenaire rods are recommended
if available.

PAGE 4 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
INTERMEDIATE & SECONDARY:
n Divide students into small groups.
n Duplicate a set of questions for each group for Rounds One and Two, as well as the Mega-Question.
n Duplicate a set of questions for each student for Round Three.
n For Rounds One and Two, cut each sheet into quarters. Clip together each set of four math problems for
Rounds One and Two. Provide scrap paper for each group. Decide if you want the students to write their
answers on the math problems or on scrap paper. Decide if you will allow students to use calculators.

Step Two—Conduct the Activity

ELEMENTARY:
n Place students in groups of three and give them one question at a time, or one question a day for four days.
For Question Four, explain the method of measurement before the students begin. Discuss each question
with the students after completion.

INTERMEDIATE & SECONDARY:


n Once students are in their groups, give each group a set of the Round One problems. Begin the activity by
giving the groups the following instructions:
n I have given each group four Energy Math Challenge problems for Round One. Each of the four problems
will require your group to use a different problem solving skill. I will review the math problems with you
after each of the four rounds. Your group will receive 10 points for each problem solved correctly during
Round One. In Round Two, each problem will be worth 15 points, and in Round Three, each problem will be
worth 20 points. Groups can receive 100 points in the final round.
n Round One will last 10 minutes. Round Two will last eight minutes, and Round Three will last 10 minutes.
Before we start the third round, I will give your group 10 minutes to review the problems from the first two
rounds. During this study session, make sure everyone knows how to do all four types of problems correctly.
n In the third round, every student must solve the four problems independently, with no help from his or her
group members. Therefore, it is important that your group works together during Rounds One and Two and
during the study session. The group’s average score in the third round will be added to the points earned in
the previous two rounds.
n In the fourth round, you will work as a group to solve a Mega-Question using the math skills you concentrated
on in the first three rounds. Your group will have 15 to 20 minutes to solve the Mega-Question.
n Let’s review some energy unit terms before we begin.

Btu One British thermal unit is the heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one
degree Fahrenheit. A single Btu is quite small. A wooden kitchen match, if allowed to burn completely,
would give off one Btu of energy. Every day, the average American uses 88,900 Btu’s.

MBtu An MBtu is equal to one million (1,000,000) Btu’s. The average American family consumes 98 MBtu’s of
energy a year.

Quad Quads are used to measure very large quantities of energy. A quad is equal to one quadrillion
(1,000,000,000,000,000) Btu’s. The United States uses about one quad of energy every 3.8 days.

kWh A kilowatt-hour is the amount of electricity used in one hour at a rate of 1,000 watts. Just as we buy
gasoline in gallons and wood in cords, we buy electricity in kilowatt-hours. Utility companies charge their
customers for the kilowatt-hours they use during a month.

bkWh A bkWh is one billion (1,000,000,000) kilowatt-hours. The U.S. consumes approximately 3,500 billion
kilowatt-hours (bkWh) of electricity a year.

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 5
Answer Key
Elementary Answers

Problem 1: 1. Petroleum 2. 7% 3. 93% 4. 85% 5. 93–94%

Problem 2: 1. Feb08 2. Apr08 3. Aug07 4. 200 kWh 5. 5,400 kWh

Problem 3: 1. Compact 2. L- SUV 3. 80 mi 4. 75 mi 5. 4 gal


BONUS: 200 miles

Problem 4: 1. 3 gal 2. 3 gal 3. 3 gal 4. No, it needs 8 gal 5. 4 gal


BONUS: 6.5 gal

Intermediate Answers
Round One: 1. 56.4 MBtu 2. 1/15
3. 13.87 MBD 4. 19.9%

Round Two: 1. 14.5 quads 2. 1/40


3. 810 liters 4. 2.9%

Round Three: 1. 449.5 barrels 2. 1/20


3. 1.17 or 1 Quad 4. 65%

Mega-Question: The totals for the Today list: Renewable—6.8 quads, Nonrenewable—93.1 quads, and Total—
99.9 quads. The total for the 2030 list is 129.9 quads. There are no right or wrong answers for the 2030 pie chart
as long as the numbers add up to 129.9 quads.

Secondary Answers
Round One: 1. 19.9% 2. 83.4 million units
3. 840 units 4. 684 bkWh

Round Two: 1. 44.7 or 45% 2. 6.5 quads


3. 411.8 million 4. 2.9 quads

Round Three: 1. 36% 2. 44.1 MBtu


3. 0.66 bkWh 4. 2.13 or 2 quads

Mega-Question: The total for the 2030 list of sources is 129.9 quads. There are no right or wrong answers for the
2030 pie chart as long as the numbers add up to 100%.

PAGE 6 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
ELEMENTARY MATH CHALLENGE
PROBLEM ONE

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 7
ELEMENTARY MATH CHALLENGE
PROBLEM TWO

PAGE 8 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
ELEMENTARY MATH CHALLENGE
PROBLEM THREE

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 9
ELEMENTARY MATH CHALLENGE
PROBLEM FOUR

PAGE 10 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
1. The average American housing unit uses 45 2. Natural gas is often used for heating buildings
percent of the total energy it consumes for and homes. In fact, natural gas heats more than
heating and cooling rooms. Each month, 4.7 half of the nation’s housing units. Reduced to the
MBtu’s of energy are used for maintaining lowest common denominator, what fraction of the
comfortable temperatures in our homes. How housing units is heated by propane?
many MBtu’s of energy does the average housing
unit consume each year for heating and cooling
rooms?

Answer:______________________MBtu Answer:___________________________

3. The United States consumes more petroleum 4. What percentage of the nation’s electricity is
than it can produce. Today, the U.S. consumes generated by uranium?
20.8 Million Barrels a Day (MBD) of petroleum—
only one-third of the petroleum was supplied by
domestic production. To the nearest tenth of an
MBD, how many MBDs are imported from other
nations to supply America’s demand for
petroleum?

Answer:________________________MBD Answer:______________________percent

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 11
1. Hydropower is a renewable source of energy. 2. Renewables provide the nation with about
Hydropower provided 2.9 % of the 99.87 quads seven percent of the energy the U.S. consumes.
of energy we consumed in 2006. Energy The use of renewable energy sources to generate
experts predict hydropower production will electricity accounts for 70 % of their use. Reduced
remain relatively constant during the next five to the lowest common denominator, what fraction
years. How many total quads of energy will of the nation’s renewables is used for
hydropower provide the nation during the next transportation?
five years?

Answer:_____________________quads Answer:________________________

3. Propane is 270 times more compact in its 4. From the graph, what percentage of total energy
liquid state than it is as a gas. This makes consumption is provided by hydropower?
propane a very portable source of heat energy.
How many liters of propane gas would a three
liter pressurized tank hold for your next
camping trip?

Answer:_____________________liters Answer:_________________________

PAGE 12 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
1. The United States imports two-thirds of its 2. Coal generates half the nation’s electricity.
petroleum from other countries. The average Uranium, hydropower, and natural gas produce
daily import is 14.5 million barrels. How many significant amounts, too. Reduced to the lowest
barrels of petroleum would the nation import common denominator, what fraction of electricity
during the month of March? is provided by the other energy sources?

Answer:______________________barrels Answer:________________________

3. About 6/7 of the energy given off by the 4. From the graph, what percentage of the nation’s
splitting of uranium atoms is due to the motion consumption of biomass energy is provided by
of the splitting atoms. The other 1/7 of the wood and wood waste?
heat energy is a result of the radiation released.
Uranium provides the nation with 8.2 quads of
energy a year. To the nearest quad, how many
quads of energy are the result of the radiation
released by the splitting uranium atoms?

Answer:_______________________quads Answer:_____________________percent

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 13
MATHchallenge MEGA-QUESTION
INTERMEDIATE
Almost all the energy we use in the United States comes from nonrenewable energy sources. Using the
circle graph below, figure out how many total quads of energy we use today, and how many quads are renewable
and nonrenewable. Write your answers in the spaces below.

By 2030, experts predict that the United States will use 30 percent more energy than we do today. Calculate
how many total quads of energy the United States will use and write it in the space below.

Will we use the same sources to provide that energy or will we use different sources? As a team, discuss
how the energy picture will change by 2030. Fill in the blank circle graph using your team’s predictions. The
blank circle graph is 30 percent larger to show you what this increase looks like. How many quads of
renewable energy do you think we will use? How many quads of nonrenewable energy? Add up the figures on
your graph and fill in the total amounts.

Today
Renewable: quads
Nonrenewable: quads
Total energy use: quads

2030 CONSUMPTION 2030


Renewable: quads
Nonrenewable: quads
Total energy use: quads

PAGE 14 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
1. The United States consumes about 4,000 2. Approximately 72 % of the nation’s 115.8 million
billion kilowatt-hours (bkWh) of electricity a housing units are heated by natural gas. To the
year. Uranium fuels about 796 bkWh of this nearest million, how many housing units in the
electrical power generation. To the nearest nation are heated by natural gas?
tenth of a percent, calculate the percentage of
the nation’s electricity that is generated by
uranium in nuclear power plants.

Answer:____________________percent Answer:____________________units

3. Today’s power plants convert about one-third 4. The U.S. consumes about 4000 billion kilowatt-
of the energy stored in fuels into electricity. hours (bkWh) of electricity a year. How many billion
During these conversions, most of the energy kilowatt-hours of electricity does natural gas
is transformed into heat rather than electricity. provide?
A certain electric power plant consumes 360
units of energy every day. How many units of
electricity would the plant actually generate in
a week?

Answer:___________________units

Answer:______________bkWh

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 15
1. The United States consumes about 20.8 2. Hydropower, biomass, wind, and solar energy are
million barrels of petroleum a day. Gasoline, the all a result of the sun’s rays striking the earth.
number one product produced by the refining of Geothermal energy, which provides approximately
petroleum, consumes 9.3 million barrels of the five percent of the nation’s renewable energy, is
petroleum. To the nearest full percent, calculate the only renewable source resulting from energy
the percentage of petroleum that is refined into found below the earth’s surface. All five renewable
gasoline. sources of energy provide the nation with about
6.8 quads of energy. To the nearest tenth of a quad,
how many quads of energy are a result of the sun’s
rays striking the earth’s surface?

Answer:______________________percent Answer:_______________________quads

3. A 42 gallon barrel of petroleum is refined 4. The U.S. consumes about 99.9 quads of energy
into kerosene, jet fuel, heating oil, and gasoline a year. How many quads of energy does hydropower
(the number one product). About 18.9 of the provide the United States?
42 gallons of petroleum are refined into
gasoline. A tanker containing 920 million
barrels of petroleum has unloaded its cargo at
the refinery. To the nearest million, how many
barrels of petroleum from the tanker will be
refined into gasoline?

Answer:________________________million Answer: _______________________quads

PAGE 16 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
1. To generate electricity, a fossil fuel power 2. The average American family consumes
plant consumes 72 units of chemical energy approximately 98 Million Btu’s (MBtu’s) of energy
stored in the fossil fuel. Only 26 units of a year. Heating and cooling rooms accounts for 45
electrical energy are actually produced and sent percent of total household energy use, operating
out over the transmission lines. This loss appliances and lights accounts for 42 percent, and
occurs because a large amount of the energy heating water accounts for 13 percent. To the
stored in a fossil fuel is changed into thermal nearest MBtu, how many MBtu’s of energy are
(heat) energy during the generation of electrical consumed by the average household for heating
power. To the nearest whole percent, calculate and cooling rooms?
the efficiency of this power plant at converting
chemical energy into electrical energy.

Answer:_______________________percent Answer:_________________________MBtu

3. When uranium atoms are split, they give off 4. Biomass provides the nation with 3.28 quads
heat. This heat produces high pressure steam of energy. How many quads of biomass energy are
that turns a turbine in a nuclear power plant. provided by wood and wood waste?
Each year, the nation’s 100 nuclear power plants
generate about 796 bkWh of electricity—20
percent of total U.S. electricity production. To
the nearest hundredth of a bkWh, how many
bkWh of electricity does the average U.S.
nuclear power plant generate a month?

Answer:________________________ bkWh Answer:__________________________quads

© 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029 Energy Math Challenge PAGE 17
MATHchallenge MEGA-QUESTION
SECONDARY

Energy experts predict the nation’s total annual energy use will increase by 30 percent by the year 2030.
Which energy sources will provide that additional energy? Will all of them change at the same rate as
consumption, or will some sources increase more, while others remain unchanged? Some sources may even
decline in consumption.

Below is a circle graph showing the contribution each of the energy sources provides the nation today. As a
team, discuss what role each of the sources will play in 2030. After your discussion, complete the blank
2030 circle graph. To show you what 30 percent more looks like, the 2030 blank circle graph is 30 percent
larger than today’s circle. Make sure you include your reasons for selecting the number of quads each source
will provide in 2030.

1. Petroleum 38.76 quads


2. Coal 22.57 quads
3. Natural Gas 21.58 quads
4. Uranium 8.21 quads
5. Biomass 3.28 quads
6. Hydropower 2.89 quads
7. Propane 1.90 quads
8. Other 0.68 quads
TOTAL 99.87 quads

2030 CONSUMPTION
1. Petroleum quads
2. Natural Gas quads
3. Coal quads
4. Uranium quads
5. Biomass quads
6. Hydropower quads
7. Propane quads
8. Other quads
TOTAL quads

PAGE 18 Energy Math Challenge © 2008 THE NEED PROJECT • PO BOX 10101 • MANASSAS, VA 20108 • 1-800-875-5029
ENERGY MATH CHALLENGE
Evaluation Form

State: ___________ Grade Level: ___________ Number of Students: __________

1. Did you conduct the entire activity? Yes No


2. Were the instructions clear and easy to follow? Yes No
3. Did the activity meet your academic objectives? Yes No
4. Was the activity age appropriate? Yes No
5. Were the allotted times sufficient to conduct the activity? Yes No
6. Was the activity easy to use? Yes No
7. Was the preparation required acceptable for the activity? Yes No
8. Were the students interested and motivated? Yes No
9. Was the energy knowledge content age appropriate? Yes No
10. Would you use the activity again? Yes No

How would you rate the activity overall (excellent, good, fair, poor)?

How would your students rate the activity overall (excellent, good, fair, poor)?

What would make the activity more useful to you?

Other Comments:

Please fax or mail to:


NEED Project
PO Box 10101
Manassas, VA 20108
FAX: 1-800-847-1820
NEED National Sponsors and Partners
American Association of Blacks in Energy FPL Energy Encounter–FL National Renewable Energy Laboratory
American Electric Power First Roswell Company New Jersey Department of Environmental
American Electric Power Foundation Florida Department of Environmental Protection
American Petroleum Institute Protection New York Power Authority
American Solar Energy Society Foundation for Environmental Education North Carolina Department of
Robert Gorham Administration–State Energy Office
American Wind Energy Association
Guam Energy Office Nebraska Public Power District
Aramco Services Company
Halliburton Foundation New Mexico Oil Corporation
Armstrong Energy Corporation
Gerald Harrington, Geologist New Mexico Landman’s Association
Association of Desk & Derrick Clubs
Houston Museum of Natural Science New York State Energy Research and
All Wild About Kentucky’s Environment Development Authority
Robert L. Bayless, Producer, LLC Hydropower Research Foundation
Offshore Energy Center/Ocean Star/
BP Foundation Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation OEC Society
BP Illinois Department of Commerce and Offshore Technology Conference
Economic Opportunity
BP Alaska Ohio Energy Project
Independent Petroleum Association of
BP Solar America Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Bureau of Land Management– Independent Petroleum Association of New Petroleum Equipment Suppliers
U.S. Department of the Interior Mexico Association
C&E Operators Indiana Office of Energy and Defense Poudre School District–CO
Cape and Islands Self Reliance Development Puerto Rico Energy Affairs Administration
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension Interstate Renewable Energy Council Puget Sound Energy
Cape Light Compact–Massachusetts Iowa Energy Center Roswell Desk and Derrick Club
L.J. and Wilma Carr Kentucky Clean Fuels Coalition Roswell Geological Society
Center for the Advancement of Process Kentucky Office of Energy Policy Rhode Island State Energy Office
Technology–College of the Mainland–TX Kentucky Oil and Gas Association Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Chesapeake Public Schools–VA Kentucky Propane Education and Research Saudi Aramco
Chesterfield County Public Schools–VA Council Schlumberger
Chevron Kentucky River Properties LLC Sentech, Inc.
Chevron Energy Solutions Keyspan Shell Exploration and Production
City of Melrose–MA KidWind Snohomish County Public Utility District–
Colorado Energy Science Center Llano Land and Exploration WA
ComEd Long Island Power Authority–NY Society of Petroleum Engineers
ConEd Solutions Maine Energy Education Project David Sorenson
ConocoPhillips Maine Public Service Company Southwest Gas
CPS Energy Marianas Islands Energy Office Spring Branch Independent School
Maryland Energy Administration District–TX
Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School
District–TX Massachusetts Division of Energy Tennessee Department of Economic and
Resources Community Development–Energy Division
Dart Foundation
Michigan Energy Office Toyota
Desk and Derrick of Roswell, NM
Michigan Oil and Gas Producers Education TransOptions, Inc.
Devon Energy
Foundation TXU Energy
Dominion
Minerals Management Service– University of Nevada–Las Vegas, NV
Dominion Foundation U.S. Department of the Interior United Illuminating Company
Duke Energy Kentucky Mississippi Development Authority–Energy U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Duke Energy Indiana Division
U.S. Department of Energy
Duke Energy North Carolina Montana Energy Education Council
U.S. Department of Energy–Hydrogen,
Duke Energy South Carolina Narragansett Electric– Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies
A National Grid Company
East Kentucky Power Virgin Islands Energy Office
NASA Educator Resource Center–WV
EnCana Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals
National Alternative Fuels Training Center– and Energy
Energy Information Administration– West Virginia University
U.S. Department of Energy Virginia Department of Education
National Association of State Energy
Energy Training Solutions Officials Virginia General Assembly
Energy and Mineral Law Foundation National Association of State Universities Wake County Public Schools–NC
Energy Training Solutions and Land Grant Colleges Western Kentucky Science Alliance
Equitable Resources National Hydropower Association W. Plack Carr Company
Escambia County School District–FL National Ocean Industries Association Yates Petroleum

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