Mathematics

Yes! GIS can be used in the teaching and learning of Mathematics. Measurement, distance, estimate, applications for formulas and more.

  1. Rates and proportions: A lost beach
    Determine the rate of coastal erosion by estimating changes in historical aerial photos.
  2. D=R*T
    Use an aerial photography to determine the distance around a track, and then calculate rate and time for each lap and the race as a whole.
  3. Linear rate of change: Steady growth
    While population growth is often associated with exponential functions this activity explores a linear model for one Michigan county.
  4. How much rain? Linear equations
    Measure the distance between two rain gauges to estimate how much precipitation an interveining town receivesd by deriving a linear function.
  5. Rates of population change
    Investigate rates of population growth and decline with US Census data.
  6. Distance and midpoint
    Site a water tower shared by two towns at the midpoint and determine the costs involvedd using the Pythagorean theorem.
  7. Coordinate plane
    Points on the surface of the earth can be plotted using a coordinate system made from lines of longitude and latitude.
  8. Euclidean vs Non-Euclidean
    Explore flat geometry (Euclidean) that is based on figures on a plane versus spherical geometry (non-Euclidean) that is based on figures on a curved surface.
  9. Area & perimeter at the mall
    Use an aerial photograph to determine the perimeter and area of the mall; consider other shape permutations.
  10. Measuring crop circles
    Use remotely sensed data to estimate and measure the area of (center-pivot irrigated) crop circles.
  11. Areas of complex figures
    Find the area of a complex figure by dividing it into simpler shapes, such as rectangles, squares,triangles, and trapezoids.
  12. Similar triangles
    By creating similar triangles, it is possible to find the distance across a river using indirect measurements.
  13. Perpendicular bisectors
    Starting with the location of all Life Flight hospitals in a state, use perpendicular bisectors to draw boundaries between Life Flight regions, which will inform first responders.
  14. Centers of Triangles
    Find the circumcenter of a triangle, which is the point where perpendicular bisectors of the sides of a triangle intersect and its equidistant to each vertex.
  15. Volume and pyramids
    Use an aerial photograph to determine the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Link to ESRI GeoInquiryâ„¢ page