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The Cost of a Great Looking Floor

This lesson challenges students to construct a tile floor and calculate the cost using pattern blocks. Students will use geometric shapes, ratios, proportions, and percents. Students must rationalize inthis lesson because all cost estimates are based on the purchase of full boxes of tile. Cost also includes labor and taxes and students must weigh cost against design. this lesson provides opportunities for differentiation.

Weblink address (URL): 
The Cost of a Great Looking Floor

Standards & Objectives

Learning objectives: 

Learning Objectives

Students will:

  • Manipulate pattern blocks to create a design without gaps between tiles.
  • Accurately calculate the cost of their design using predetermined pricing structures.
  • Calculate cost using percentages, rounding, and other numeric skills.
Essential and guiding questions: 

Questions for Students:

  • What can we say about the sides of the various shapes?
  • If a hexagon tile is too expensive or the wrong color, what other tiles could you use to achieve the same shape?
  • How many triangles are needed to make a trapezoid?
  • How many triangles are needed to make a big rhombus?
  • What shape or shapes could be used in place of the small rhombus? How is the small rhombus different from the big rhombus?

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Extension suggestions: 

Extensions:

  • Flooring contractors estimate their material at 10% over the required amount. Have student recalculate their projects by adding 10% more of each tile and recalculating. Remind students that the labor costs are calculated from whole boxes, so if only part of a box is used, it's possible that they've already paid 10% extra.
  • When you calculate the cost of your design, would you calculate sales tax on materials and labor or just materials?
    • [The answer to this question will vary by state and location. If you want this activity to be as realistic as possible consider checking with a local flooring company as to how tax is calculated. You could also assign this task to a student as an extension activity.]
  • Propose to your students that the customer has indicated the cost is too high. Ask what changes they would reduce the cost of their design by 25% if possible. If a 25% reduction is not possible, what percentage is possible?
  • What would happen to the total cost of the floor if labor was 20% higher?
  • Invite a local flooring contractor to come in and talk to the students about how projects such as these would be bid and what costs are associated with a bid.

Helpful Hints

Materials:

  • Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
  • Pattern blocks or the Pattern Blocks Activity Sheet 
  • The Cost of a Great Looking Floor Activity Sheet 
  • Computers or tablets with internet access (optional)

References

Contributors: 
Ashley King
Originator: 
Ayers Institute for Learning & Innovation