Careers involving algebra

Hannah Fry: Algebra

Quality AssuredCategory:MathematicsPublisher:Head STEAM

In this video, from Head Steam, Hannah Fry gives an overview of the power of algebra. She explains how the same formula can be applied in a variety of situations and gives an introduction as to why it is important that students are able to understand and use algebra.

Real life maths - Hannah West

Quality AssuredCategory:STEM AmbassadorsPublisher:STEM Learning

Lieutenant Commander Hannah West is a Requirements Manager in the Air Platform Systems Project Team in the Royal Navy. Hannah has been responsible for managing a maintenance department, supporting the flying operations of three helicopters. Her role involved coordinating the medium/long-term planning of helicopter maintenance. In particular, when a fault emerged on a helicopter that was outside the remit of the maintenance manuals, it would be her responsibility to determine a safe way to proceed and ultimately decide if the aircraft was safe to fly.

This challenge explores the wear and tear on the airframes of Royal Navy aircraft. Students will organise and interpret data on how crack lengths correlate with flying time and use a line of best fit to predict when parts are likely to need to be repaired or replaced.

Real life maths - Roma Agrawal

Quality AssuredCategory:STEM AmbassadorsPublisher:STEM Learning

Roma Agrawal is an Associate Structural Engineer at engineering company WSP. She is responsible for making buildings and bridges stand up.

In this resource students explore how to protect tall buildings from the wind force that acts on them. Students will use a flow diagram and use their calculations to chose a suitable structural option to ensure the building won't sway in high winds.

Real life maths - Sayara Beg

Quality AssuredCategory:STEM AmbassadorsPublisher:STEM Learning

Sayara Beg is a Data Scientist and STEM Ambassador. Her role involves project management (monitoring all aspects of a project, from the initial planning to the very end, to ensure it runs efficiently and achieves what it set out to do) and statistical analysis.

In this challenge students will explore variables, build and test a simple formula designed to help a smoothie company model demand for their product. The lesson plan includes three tasks that help students to explore the application of linear equations.

Air Miles

Quality AssuredCategory:MathematicsPublisher:More Maths Grads

This More Maths Grads resource, from the Maths Careers website, investigates the maths used in transport and is based on the travelling salesman problem.

Students are given a table containing information on the cost of air travel between nine different cities and asked to plan a route that visits each destination at the smallest cost. Possible approaches are discussed and links to further materials are also included.

Fire Hydrants

Quality AssuredCategory:MathematicsPublisher:Nuffield Foundation

This Nuffield activity asks students to experiment with the placing and number of fire hydrants required in a city with square blocks that form a rectangular grid.

F1 in Schools: Mathematics - Calculating Speed

Quality AssuredCategory:MathematicsPublisher:F1 in Schools

Using the F1 in schools curriculum resource students will need to to apply their knowledge of speed, time and distance to calculate the speed of an F1 car using real race data. Students are presented with a circuit map of Monaco showing speeds in mph and Kph, the gear used and target times at different points on the circuit.