Travel Math

Children's Literature

Travel presents many opportunities to use mathematics. This book contains some of them. An interesting theme throughout the book is the comparison of amount of time spent traveling by various modes of transportation from walking to jet airplanes. Division and multiplication are used to calculate speeds and time required to travel specific distances. Then subtraction is used to compare the time necessary for a particular journey. Some modes of transportation are not possible for travel over water—such as driving a car from New York City to London, England. Incredibly fast speeds might be possible for future travelers by way of "space planes," which could travel at three miles a second. In mankind's search for faster travel, "teleporting" instantaneously, as seen in science fiction movies, might be a goal. A comparison between the use of miles per hour and kilometer per hour shows how to change from one to the other. This is part of the "Math and My World" series. 2004, Rourke Publishing LLC, Ages 8 to 12.
—Sally Niezgoda