Wolverhampton City Learning Centre (CLC)

Today, I’ve been leading a Maths in Motion session with Y8 students from Smestow Specialist Sports College. Maths in Motion uses the context of Formula One Racing to engage students in a variety of mathematical concepts. Students teams create and test a virtual racing car before competing against one another in a race.

• Maths in Motion Challenge website

View the album of pictures from the session:

• Session Album - Smestow Maths in Motion

Hope you enjoy the students’ report of the day!

Richard Anderson, eLearning Coordinator, Wolverhampton CLC

Race Report

Here’s our report of the day:

Q. What mathematics did you use today? What did you have to do with it?

Today we did racing; driving an ‘F1′ car. We measured the size of a track, then worked out the measurements and calculated the amount of fuel we needed. We planned the angles, lengths of the corners and straights, to say the safe speed able to go round the track without crashing or running out of fuel. We used percentages to work out our speed and we also used Algebra to find out how much fuel we needed.We interviewed a few people about the day they had designing their own f1 car!….

Student Vox Pops
Madison : “It was extremely enjoyable , especially when we watched the end race. At the end of the day the cars all came to have a big race, and it was very exciting and once again ; extremely enjoyable!!”

Phillipa : “I thought it was very enjoyable and was so much better than being in a classroom at school. It was fun watching the main race”

Sharn: “My opinion of the day was … it was very enjoyable and was great fun , I worked in a group with my friends who were very supportive and complimentary of my work , overall the day was a huge success with the pupils and staff as we ALL enjoyed ourselves.”

David : “It was all good, really cool, I enjoyed making the car and testing it on a real life track.”

Oliver : “In all fairness there was not much to do if you don’t find your self amazed by the world of maths , however i had a great day and it was good fun.”

Daniel : “The day was so, so enjoyable i really was proud of my work and our car came 2nd which was a great result as we perhaps had to not argue with each other and work together as a proper team!

And finally we interviewed Jumaane about his day at the City Learning Centre! He had this to say: “Today was great it was so much fun, I had a great time!”

Overall i think everyone enjoyed their selfs racing their cars and watching the final result ‘THE END RACE!’

Race 1: Interlagos (Brazil) - 42 laps

Here was the front of the grid

Followed by:

Mr. Bloor - Toys R Us - 78.2 secs
Jonny Depp - Devil’s Angels - 79.74 secs

The result of the race was:

1. Netto (The Red Devils)
2. Rocky Balbao (The A Team)
3. Mr Bloor (Toys R Us)
4. TJHS (Bruno Racing)
5. Jonny Depp (Devil’s Angels)
6. Devil Man (F1 Racing) - crashed on lap 21
7. Mr Blobby (The Blobbies) - ran out of fuel on lap 15

Race 2: Interlagos (Brazil) - 57 laps

We raced again on the same track over more laps and with a different weather forecast. Here was the race result:

1. Netto (The Red Devils)
2. TJHS (Bruno Racing)
3. Mr Bloor (Toys R Us)
4. Mr Blobby (The Blobbies)
5. Rocky Balbao (The A Team)
6. Devil Man (F1 Racing) - crashed on lap 15
7. Jonny Depp (Devils’ Angels) - ran out of fuel on lap 20

Congratulations to Netto on winning both races!