Fun+Ideas

Watch this video to quickly square numbers around 100. Now explain why this method works?
 * Calculating the Square of Numbers Near 100 (from Jess)**

Quick way to multiply using [|Lattice Multiplication]. It's super cool! Figure out what's going on, it's awesome!! :D
 * Calculating Complicated Multiplication using Drawing**

[|http://www.wordle.net] This is a great website to create words about a subject you may want to introduce to students or have them come up with words that they may think about if you give them a topic...E.g. "Math", they may come up with: Adding, subtraction, division, multiplication, etc.
 * Wordle Art**


 * A Simple Thought Problem (Steve R)**

Here is a fun problem to think about:

A Tibetan monk sets out early one morning on a trek up the mountain for some cleansing and meditation. He follows a narrow footpath that twists its way up the steep hill side. Along the way he intermittently pauses to smell some flowers, to pick some berries, or to just take in the wonderous scenery. His journey to the high plateau takes many hours. He sets himself down on the plateau to meditate and to sleep under the stars overnight. The next morning he rises and sets out to trek down the mountain, following the same narrow footpath. It is easier going down the hill, but he still takes the opportunity to pause every now and then to absorb the glorious natural surroundings. His trip down the hill takes a couple hours. Question: On his trip down, is there any spot along the footpath that the monk passes at the exact same time of day that he passed on his way up the previous day?

**Tagxedo** [|Tagxedo] This is like wordle except you can choose the shape, e.g.:  **Another Simple Thought Problem (Steve R)** Thanks to Harman for telling me about this one: Suppose you have a donut, and you want to cut it into 8 equal pieces. What is the fewest number of cuts that you can make? If you said 8 (or more) cuts, then you should probably change your teachable to one of the squishier subjects, like Drama. If you said 4 cuts, then you're like most people. Now, if you were to think of a bagel instead of a donut, would this help you to realize that the correct answer is 3 cuts? 

A problem of logic
(Warning: 9 out of 10 physics students, including those here, will make this problem harder than it actually is) Jack is paddling upstream. He passes two mile markers along the way. At the second marker, the water gets bumpy and his sunglasses are knocked off his head. He continues to paddle for ten minutes before noticing the glasses are gone. He paddles back down the river and fishes the glasses out of the water at the first marker. How fast is the current?

Assumptions given: Jack paddles at a constant speed. Jack's acceleration is instantaneous.