Scout’s response to our science/math connection open response problem this week:

When Madeline’s family goes camping, they freeze water in plastic jars with lids to put in their coolers to keep the food cool.  Madeline filled three jars all the way to the top and screwed on the lids.

 Later she went to the freezer to get the jars and found that all three jars had burst open. Her mom gave her three new jars and suggested that Madeline put in just enough water, so that when it froze, ice would fill the far just to the brim.

 One jar held 500 ml, one held 1000 ml, and the third was a 2-liter bottle.  Madeline remembered from science class that when they froze 45 ml of water, the ice expanded to fill 50 ml of space.

 How can you use this information to figure out how much water Madeline should add to each jar so that, when it freezes, ice fills the jar just to the brim?

First, I read the question carefully.  Then I analyzed it to see what they wanted to know.  They wanted to know how much water Madeline should add to each jar so that when it freezes, ice fills the jar just to the brim.  Then I checked with my smart brain to see if there were any tools I could use.  I used pictures and lattice and my most valuable tool—my brain.

 I drew ten 50s to make the 500 ml jar.  I poured 45 ml in a jar 10 times.  I did it ten times because 10×50=500.  I put 450 ml in the water jar.

 I knew 1,000 ml is twice as much as 500 ml.  Then I figured that if the jars were twice as big, then I would need two amounts.  So I used lattice to do 450×2=900 ml.

 Then I knew that a 2-liter jar is two times the size of 1,000 ml.  I did 900×2=1,800 ml. 

 Then I checked my work by reading it over to two wonderful teachers—Miss Blessing and Mr. Van.  That is how I did my work today.  To all the younger students reading this problem, just think and you will do your math perfectly.

 500 ml jar:  450 ml                        1,000 ml jar:  900 ml                        2-liter jar:  1,800 ml