Online Resource: Real World Problems

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2. Barry Spieler's Calculus Projects: 
   Contains problems in calculus based on real-life situations for instances you can become the Wright Brothers. and determine how dangerous is the situation when two airplanes' paths cross
3. Calculus and Disease Prediction  
   At this site the author takes a single context--an infectious disease spreading through a population--to see how calculus emerges and how it is used.
4. Circles of Light: The Mathematics of Rainbows
   How are rainbows formed? Why do they only occur when the sun is behind the observer? If the sun is low on the horizon, at what angle in the sky should we expect to see a rainbow? This lab helps to answer these and other questions by examining a mathematical model of light passing through a water droplet.
5. Connected Curriculum Project
   This site comprises Interdisciplinary Projects connecting engineering, and the physical sciences through mathematics. The projects are designed to show how mathematics relate to real world problems.
6. EggMath
   A collection of Web modules (many with interactive applets) covering different topics in K-12 mathematics related to eggs (that's right, eggs!). Symmetry, exponential growth, etc.
7. Fermi Questions Library
   Fermi questions emphasize estimation, numerical reasoning, communicating in mathematics, and questioning skills. Students often believe that "word problems" have one exact answer and that the answer is derived in a unique manner. Fermi questions encourage multiple approaches, emphasize process rather than "the answer", and promote non-traditional problem solving strategies.
8. Latitude/Longitude Distance Calculation
   Determine the distance between two points on the earth given their latitudes and longitudes. Links to a description to the math behind the calculation.
9. Learning Network
   This page sponsored by the New York Times offers learning connections for students, teachers and parents, dealing with timely topics, changes on a daily basis. Really worth taking a look at (see New York Times below)
10. Making math relate to the real world: a teacher testimony 
11. Mathematics and its applications in engineering and science
    Cooperative effort by mathematicians, engineers and scientists to develop educational materials that link mathematical topics with applications in engineering and science. The primary product of this effort is a set of interactive, web-based learning modules. Includes Applet Library
12. Mathematics and Molecules
    MathMol provides students, teachers, researchers and the general public with information about the rapidly growing fields of molecular modeling and related areas. It provide K-13 students and teachers with basic concepts in mathematics and their connection to molecular modeling.
13. Math in Daily Life
14. New York TImes
    An annotated set of lesson plans from the New York Times posted on a daily basis dealing with current topics. Extremely well written lessons. For instance during the 2000 World Series the following was posted "Math on the Mound (Grades 6 to 12) Using the World Series to Teach Math In this lesson, students will explore mathematical applications of the current intra-city World Series. After learning how one school district is incorporating the World Series in its classrooms, students will consider possible applications of the Series in their math curriculum and then create World Series math projects. (October 26, 2000)"
15. Some disasters attributable to bad numerical computing
    The Patriot Missile failure, in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, on February 25, 1991 which resulted in 28 deaths, is ultimately attributable to poor handling of rounding errors. The explosion of the Ariane 5 rocket just after lift-off on its maiden voyage off French Guiana, on June 4, 1996, was ultimately the consequence of a simple overflow. The sinking of the Sleipner An offshore platform in Gandsfjorden near Stavanger, Norway, on August 23, 1991, resulted in a loss of nearly one billion dollars. It was found to be the result of inaccurate finite element analysis.
16. Welcome to the NASA
    AMATYC -NSF Mathematics Explorations I and II are two resource books of class-ready learning modules (LTAs and Spinoffs) for you, the professor, who seeks exciting, authentic applications of two-year college mathematics for use in your classes. The materials are designed so that you can implement them to fit your teaching style and your students' needs.
17. World Series Problem
    How Many Games Does it take to Win the World Series?