This is a professional development series produced primarily for mathematics teachers in the middle schools. Data and measurement are unique in the field of mathematics, in that they are used in professions that are not generally considered mathematical. In fact, most people use this type of mathematics every day. The daily newspapers contain dozens of tables, charts, and graphs that present and summarize collected information, whether it be school test scores, opinion polls, performance of sports teams, or weather information.
Measurement is used in some form in almost every profession.
In this series, we will examine how measurement relates to ratio. As it turns out, even though people come in all shapes and sizes, the ratio between the length of the head and total height is approximately the same for everyone. This similarity between ratios extends to many other objects we encounter. Regardless of the overall size of a television screen or computer monitor, the ratio between the lengths and heights of all screens is nearly the same for all such devices. This concept of similarity is used by sculptors, painters, architects, fashion designers, and people in hundreds of other occupations.