McGraw-Hill Mathematics: Grade 6, Chapter 6

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Before You Start Sawing

Building Nest Structures, Feeders, and Photo Blinds for North Dakota Wildlife
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/tools/ndblinds/ndblinds.htm

Making projects from wood can be a lot of fun. But you need to think and plan before you start sawing away. Get some thinking and planning practice for future woodworking projects at this site.

• Scroll down to "Table of Contents."
• Click the name of the nest structure project found in each problem below to see plans for building it.
• Notice the different nest structure pieces and their sizes. Scroll to the bottom of the page to see how these pieces would be laid out on a board for cutting.
• Use this information to help you solve the problem.
• Click Return to Contents to look for the next plan.
• Multiply, estimate a product, or divide to solve these problems. Some problems require more than one operation.

1. You and 5 friends decide to build 6 Tree Swallow and Eastern Bluebird birdhouses as a team. Your job will be to cut out all 6 back pieces. How many complete back pieces can you cut from a 5 1/2-inch wide and 6-foot long board? What is the total length of these pieces?
   
                    pieces
   
   Total length:                 
   
   
2. Estimate how long a 5 1/2-inch wide board would have to be for you to cut out 16 complete back pieces for the Tree Swallow and Eastern Bluebird birdhouse.
   
                   
   
   
3. Sarah is making 12 Northern Flicker Nest Box birdhouses. Can she cut out all 12 floor pieces from a board that is 4 feet long and 7 1/4 inches wide?
   
                   
   
   
4. Frank is making 5 Northern Flicker Nest Box birdhouses. He has three 7 1/2-inch wide boards with lengths of 53 inches, 55 inches, and 60 inches. Which board will allow him to cut out all 5 roof pieces with the least amount of wood left over?
   
                   
   
   
5. Michael is making 9 Northern Flicker Nest Box birdhouses. He thinks that a 7 1/4-inch wide and 8-foot long board will allow him to cut out all 9 roof pieces. Is he right or wrong? Show why or why not.
   
                                                                                                   
   
   
6. Tania is making 9 Wood Duck and Hooded Merganser Nest Box birdhouses. She wants to use one 11 1/4-inch wide board to cut out all 9 floor pieces. Estimate the length of the board she will need.
   
                   
   
   
7. What is the length and width of the roof piece for the House Wren, Black-capped Chickadee, and White-breasted Nuthatch birdhouse? How many complete roof pieces can you cut out from a 5 1/2-wide and 8-foot long board?
   
   Length:                 
   
   Width:                 
   
                    pieces
   
   

Math at Home

Today I explored a Web site with plans for nest structures for birds and other wildlife. I pretended that my friends and I were planning to cut some pieces of wood to make nest boxes. I multiplied and divided by mixed numbers to figure out the best length for each piece of wood. For instance, I figured out that you could cut out                  complete roof pieces for the house wren, black-capped chickadee, and white-breasted nuthatch birdhouse from a 5 1/2-wide and 8-foot long board.

You can find out more about this topic by asking your teacher or parents to show you other Web sites.