Today from Bedtime Math: Bird's-Eye Camera

Try this fun math challenge with your kids!

Maybe you've heard of taking a "selfie," which is when you hold out a camera pointed back at you and take a photo of yourself. Well, it looks like birds want to get into the act, too. In this YouTube video, an eagle snatches a hiker's video camera and starts flying around with it, then finally puts it down and poses for the camera. Since the camera is sailing around in the air, we get an amazing view of all the mountains and scenery, as well as some feathers as the eagle's wings get in the way of the camera lens. The eagle also pecks at the camera, wondering if it's something yummy to eat. Clearly this eagle has talent - maybe he could get a job videoing the traffic for a news station. But maybe he just wants his own camera for playtime. 

Now here's today's math~

Wee ones: If the eagle took the camera for 1 minute and the hiker had used it for 1 hour, who used it for longer?

Little kids: The eagle films with the camera for 1 minute and 1 second. Since a minute has 60 seconds, how many seconds is that in total?  Bonus: The eagle picks up the camera at 3 seconds, then sets it down at 24 seconds into the video. How long did the eagle fly with it?

Big kids: If the eagle starts the trip at 500 feet up the mountain and lands 750 feet up the mountain, how many feet higher did the camera travel?  Bonus: We see the eagle's wings about twice per second when the bird and camera start flying. How many wing flaps is that in 1 minute? (Reminder: A minute has 60 seconds.)

 

 

 

 

Answers:

Wee ones: The hiker.

Little kids: 61 seconds.  Bonus: 21 seconds

Big kids: 250 feet.  Bonus: 120 wing flaps.