Introduction  |   Task   |   Process   |   Evaluation   |   Conclusion

Introduction

Dear MSI Agent,

Congratulations on a wonderful year of problem solving. Your reward for your hard work is a summer vacation. Your vacation must be for at least three nights to somewhere in the United States. You and two other agents are going to drive to your chosen vacation destination, stay in a hotel and budget for eating expenses. You have $2,000.00 for your trip. Using your problem solving journal, you will complete an itinerary and explain your work to the Math Mission Commissioner who will approve your trip.

Grab your journal or print a copy - summer vacation journal - and start planning your well deserved vacation!

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        The Math Mission Commissioner

Task

You and two other M.S.I. agents will form a task force to plan your vacation. Working as a team, you are to complete in full a case file report explaining your vacation details as well as your math step by step problem solving skills. To share your work, your team will submit a map depicting your trip.

 Process

Task 1

1. Brainstorm a location in the United States that you and your fellow agents would like to visit. Browse the following travel sites, or use yahooligans travel site.

2. List three reasons for your choice.

3. Choose your vehicle for your road trip. Below are two vehicle information sites. The vehicle must be valued less than $25,000.00 dollars and have room for three passengers. Record the vehicle information including miles per gallon for highway driving.

Task 2

1. Using a mapping search engine, calculate the distance from your office (the school –the address is 301 East Evans Blvd., Brigantine, NJ  08203) to your vacation spot.

2. Using one of the gasoline pricing sites, find the price per gallon of gas in your local area.

3. Calculate the amount it would cost to drive to your vacation destination.

Formulas

Miles divided by number of miles per gallon = number of gallons needed.

Multiply gallons by price per gallon = cost to destination.

4. Deduct the gasoline cost from your $2,000.00 budget.

Task 3

1. Refer to the amount you have left for a room and food.
2. Decide how many days you plan to stay then estimate how much per day you expect to spend on breakfast, lunch and dinner. Explain how you estimated this. Subtract from your remaining funds.
3. Search for a hotel in your vacation area. Use some dates for sometime this summer. (make sure your room has enough sleeping space for three people)

4. Calculate the cost for your stay.

Task 4

1. Re evaluate your trip itinerary if there would be a drastic change in gasoline prices. If the price went up a dollar a gallon what would you do differently?
2. If the price of gasoline dropped a dollar a gallon, what would you do differently?

Task 5

1. Using the large United States Map, construct a poster showing-

§         your travel route

§         specifications on your vehicle

§         food expense

§         hotel information

§         anticipated final cost

Each member of your group should evaluate your work using the given rubric.
Your team will meet with the Math Mission Commissioner to finalize your grade.

Conclusion

With the completion of this Web Quest, I hope that you have gained valuable real life experience planning and budgeting for a trip. Also, that by completing the process of searching for information and using your mathematical skills you have confidence in your work.  Hopefully your research was an overall practical and enjoyable experience.