Numbers: Zero to Infinity

Numbers: Zero to Infinity is a Baby CTY course that students go beyond just numbers and figure out the scaling of them. This course is offered at:

First Session Only: Brooklandville and San Mateo

Second Session Only: Alexandria

Both Sessions: Los Angeles (Windward), New York and Sandy Spring

Course Description

From the CTY Summer Catalog:

What does a subatomic particle measured in femtometers have in common with a galaxy measured in light years? Both are a part of the uniquely human effort to quantify the world around us. In this course, students explore numbers, from the very small to the unimaginably large, and learn how numeric representations help to explain natural phenomena such as time, distance, and temperature.

Moving beyond traditional arithmetic, this course centers on hands-on activities that develop understanding of the scope and scale of numbers. Students consider such questions as: if your dog were the size of a dinosaur, how much dog food would you need? They develop approximation and computational strategies to determine whether answers to problems are reasonable. In examining the diversity of measurement systems, students learn the origins of some familiar and unfamiliar methods of measurement, and invent their own units of measurement. Additionally, students use dimensional analysis to investigate conversions between different scales or systems of measurement. They apply concepts of ratio and proportion by constructing and analyzing scale models of our solar system, the human body, and other objects in our natural world.

Note: For many aspects of this course, students are asked to work without a calculator. Calculators are used only when extensive computations are needed.

Students must have completed grades: 4 or 5