Contextualization
Mathematics is a discipline that is present in all aspects of daily life, and the ability to understand and use Mathematics correctly is extremely valuable. One of these aspects is the ability to understand and interpret graphical representations of physical environments, such as a floor plan of a house or an aerial view of a neighborhood.
A floor plan is a scaled diagram, viewed from above, showing the structure of a building, such as a house, a building, or a commercial establishment. In it, we can see the different rooms, doors, windows, and other architectural elements as if we were looking from above, like on a map. On the other hand, an aerial view is a graphic representation from a high point, either from a camera or a drone, that allows us to see a space as a whole.
The ability to interpret and draw floor plans and aerial views is an extremely useful skill. In the real world, this skill is used by a variety of professionals such as engineers, architects, urban planners, and landscapers. Furthermore, in everyday life, when buying a house or apartment, it is common to have to analyze a floor plan to better understand the space and layout of the rooms, making it an essential skill for practical life.
Therefore, in this project, we aim to provide you with the opportunity to develop this skill, applying mathematical concepts such as measurements and area calculation, while working in teams, planning, and structuring a project.
Some useful references for this activity are:
- Drawing and Architecture Design: Floor Plans
- How to Read Floor Plans
- Aerial Views and Area Calculation
Practical Activity: Learn More About Floor Plans and Aerial Views
Project Objective
The objective of this project is to apply mathematical concepts, specifically measurements and area calculation, to the creation and analysis of floor plans of residences and aerial views of a neighborhood.
Detailed Project Description
Groups will be formed by 3 to 5 members and will have one month to complete the project.
Each group will have two main tasks:
- Develop a floor plan of a house.
- Create a representation of an aerial view of a fictional neighborhood where the house is located.
The project will be divided into three phases: Research and Planning, Creation and Analysis, and Finalization and Report.
Necessary Materials
- Graph paper
- Pencils and erasers
- Ruler
- Colored pens
- Software for digital drawing (optional)
- Books or online resources on architecture and urban planning
Phase 1: Research and Planning
During this phase, each group must research floor plans and aerial views. The group must also decide on the characteristics of their house and neighborhood, and plan how they will be represented in the floor plan and aerial view.
Phase 2: Creation and Analysis
In the second phase, groups must draw the floor plan of their house and the aerial view of their neighborhood. After drawing, groups must calculate the area of the different rooms in the house and the area of different parts of the neighborhood (e.g., total area of buildings, parks, etc).
Phase 3: Finalization and Report
In the final phase, groups must finish their drawings and calculate all necessary areas. They must also start writing their report on the project.
Report
The report should be divided into four main sections:
- Introduction: Should contextualize the theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.
- Development: Should explain the theory behind the central theme of the project, explain the activity in detail, indicate the methodology used, and finally present and discuss the results obtained.
- Conclusion: Should summarize the main points, explain the learnings obtained, and draw conclusions about the project.
- Bibliography: Should indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project such as books, web pages, videos, etc.
At the end of the project, each student should have learned to interpret, describe, and draw simple floor plans of residences and aerial views, as well as recognize measurements and calculate areas in floor plans. Additionally, they should have developed skills in time management, communication, problem-solving, creative thinking, and proactivity.
