A prime time detective show in which investigators use mathematics to solve crimes has inspired a series of online lesson plans.
Working with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Texas Instruments has developed a series of math-education activities based on the CBS program “NUMB3RS.” The show depicts an FBI agent in Los Angeles who recruits his mathematically gifted brother to help him to crack tough cases.
The student activities, billed as “We All Use Math Every Day,” are available on the “NUMB3RS” Web Site.
The activities, generally gauged to grades 8-12, are based on the mathematical strategies used in each episode. The developers hope that tie-in will show students the practical relevance of advanced math concepts.
“By emphasizing the real word applications of math, we hope to motivate students to go further and learn more challenging mathematics while raising their awareness of how ‘we all use math every day,’” Cathy Seeley, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said in a statement.
