Math and beautiful food

To continue on with how math can be used to create beautiful food, I discovered this amazing web site
(http://vihart.com/food/) that depicts how if strategically used, mathemeatical formulas can create art with food.

Candy Corn Sierpinski's Triangle

Sierpinski's Triangle is a neat fractal that can be made out of all sorts of materials. Candy corn, being roughly triangular themselves, make a lovely version! Sierpinski's original triangle is equilateral, but candy corn has more of an acute iscosoles shape that makes a nice elongated Sierpinski's triangle.
This is a perfect example of how mathematical formulas or theories can be used to create images from real life objects.  There are many more examples and pictures on the link above. Enjoy!

Why making cakes is mathematical!

The cake in this picture is a perfectly baked and structured cake.  It is not leaning and very sturdy which is a very planned out mathematical process.  As you will see in the later picture, things can go awry if exact measurements are not followed.

I would have to say that I am an amazing baker (not so much a cook though), so I realise the importance of using exact measurements.  There is no such thing as approximating or estimating numbers when baking a cake.  It just will not work-guaranteed. Not only are measurements important, but many people do not realise the significance of such factors as speed of mixing and the length of baking time.  All of these factors although they are pre-determined in most recipes are calculations that sometimes take years to perfect.With the first batch of cupcakes I ever made, I remember that I left the mixer on for too long and I had the wrong shaped paddle and the cupcakes as a result were not much denser than I would have preferred.  Same thing with the frosting. If you don't stop whipping and mixing at the exact moment required the entire consistency will be a flop!!! I actually attended a week long course on cake baking at The Bonnie Gordon School of Cake Decorating and that was one of the first things we learned.  Numbers, speed, mixing time and baking time must be exact.  One second can ruin an entire batch of cupcakes. Estimation is not allowed and creativity is only limited to decorating.  The following picture depicts what may happen if the angles and sizes of cakes with many tiers can be destroyed if they are not properly constructed.

Math and Beauty!

Many mathematical principles are based on ideals, and apply to an abstract, perfect world. This perfect world of mathematics is reflected in the imperfect physical world, such as in the approximate symmetry of a face divided by an axis along the nose. More symmetrical faces are generally regarded as more aesthetically pleasing.


This image that many women and men have about what the perfect face should look like is something that I see everyday in my job.  I work for a very reputable make-up company that may subliminally endorse this perfect ideal.  We have a face chart (blank template of a perfectly symmetrical face) that wer follow when we recreate make-up looks.  This gives many people the wrong impression or unrealistic ideal in which they beleive they must have the same face in order to have the perfect face.  The distance between their eye brows, the contours of their cheek bones, the length of their eye lashes, the shape of their lips are all math related!


The above picture is a template we use of the 'perfectly symmetrical face'.  Clients often refer to this template as a guideline to guide their desired symmetrical look throught the use of make-up.

Geometry and real life!

This week in my grade 4 I had the opportunity to teach art and math both in the same day, so I thought a cross-curricular activity would be beneficial.  For art class the specific expectations that I had for the students were learning how to use shapes and lines to draw pictures.  I found a great activity online in which the students are asked to draw and paint an old Victorian home, which was very fitting due to their many shapes and sizes.  They turned out amazing.  I was very impressed at the use of various shapes and sizes, and also the painting techniques.  The next class just happened to be math and we were starting a unit on geometry.  I used the classes house designs and asked the students to identify the various shapes and sizes in their Victorian homes.  They had a blast and they also realized how geometry can be related to real life.  It was an awesome transition, and the students will probably pay closer attention to shapes in homes as they observe the scenes in the back of their parents car on the way home.  Or better yet, for all the young aspiring architects in the class, they may have the desire to design their own future homes!

The Odds of Winning the Lottery

I just purchased my annual Heart & Stroke Lottery ticket that I will become a winner once again! My family members and friends often discuss their 6/49 tickets and Lottario, but for some reason I feel like I am wasting my money by purchasing the tickets every week.  One Heart and Stroke lottery ticket is $ 100.  In the past 10 years I have won 4 times!  Not huge prizes, but cool ones like a watch, $250.00, an ipod docking staion and even a toaster oven.  The fact that I win keeps my hopes high.  Why are these lotteries so attractive to me? For one thing, when I get my yearly flyer in the mail the first thing I notice is ODDS OF WINNING 1 in 3!!!  This always gets me.  And the fact that I have won so many times is my main motivation. I have never won the 649.  I dont know anyone that has ever won to be honest.  My biggest question would  be who decides what the odds are? Is there really a formula?  If there is a formula for the odds of winning, why is there not a formula for winning.  If only I could choose a very practical mathematical formula to create- that would be it!! I would love my math talents to help me win the lottery!

Teaching Math with Base 10 Blocks

Now that I am a pro at teaching math (3 days in) I can comment on how successful base 10 blocks can be when teaching math.  I did a grade 4 lesson today using the base 10 blocks.  I had the entire grade 4 class meet me on the carpet so I can explain to them how to subtract 3 digit numbers.  I honestly had so many aha moments even before I began to teach the lesson.  I practiced the problems at home before I began and the entire time I wished that I had learned it the same way when I was a student.  I had a lesson on mental math the day before and I noticed many of the students confused on how to subtract mentally.  It seemed as if they did not want to subtract anymore!  When I got them on the carpet and began to demonstrate how to trade blocks etc. I could almost see the light bulbs going off on their head.  The room was bright!  To physically see how to take away the blocks and get a remaining number made more sense to the students.  Next class I will attempt place value.  I can't wait!
Here is a great video that really helped me grasp the concept of subtracting with base 10 blocks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1CfyICcEfo&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

Teaching Mental Math

Today I taught a grade 4 class how to subtract mentally- it was quite the challenge.  Even with all the strategies listed in the text book I still had a difficult time understanding that it is even possible to teach someone how to do math in their head.  I do not remember learning such mental math strategies in my math classes as a young student-maybe I blocked it out.  However, I do use mental calculations on a daily basis in real life for so many situations, such as; calculating tips,making sure I received the correct change from a purchase, figuring out taxes, keeping score when I play golf, adding calories I eat throughout the day, and so on.  It's actually a math strategy I use constantly, but I didn't realize that it was actually a strategy that was in the curriculum.  I always thought i just had a natural talent for doing math in my head.  Teaching students to use mental math with definitely be something that will be helpful for them in many everyday situations.

Keeping students active durinig math class!

So, I am anticipating teaching my first math class next week (all week).  I am a bit nervous but I have had the opportunity to observe the teachers methods for the last 2 weeks.  It is very interesting to see the different techniques she uses to engage the students.  The lesson is done on the carpet, and then the students move to their desks.  Once this is done, each student that volunteers goes up to the board to demonstrate how why got answers from their homework the night before.  Then, the students sit at their desks to do text book questions independently.  So, I have observed that in the course of one period, the students have moved around the classroom and done various activities in order to keep their interest peeked.  At one point, the teacher even noticed a couple kids getting bored and asked the class to do 15 jumping jacks.  It worked!  It seems as though the children do not dread math class (like  I did when I was young).  Stimulation is the key to success! I am looking forward to seeing if I can keep them interested for a whole 50 minutes!!!