Data Modeling with Nike + iPod in Mathematics

Students will use the Nike + iPod Sport Kit to gather data from walks or runs. Students then will analyze the data to make predictions about calories burned on future walks/runs. Students can either all be given Nike + iPod Sport Kits and Nike+ Shoes or they can take turns over a longer period of time if there are not enough to assign to each student. Students will be responsible for a few workouts each. Students will then analyze the information, construct a mathematical model and try to predict calories burned in future workouts.

This lesson can be used the pre-algebra student up through Calculus. With a pre-algebra class, all students enter the same weight regardless of there actual weight, and complete any distance. Students will return the iPod to class and the data will be synced to www.mikeplus.com for retrieval later. After all the data has been gathered students can plot the distance vs. calories burned and attempt to find the correlation. Students willl then develop a mathematical model for the data. Students will make predictions based on their analysis and then will make one last workout and see if their new data agrees. As the age/mathematic ability level of your students increase, you can start to let students either put in random weights or give students predetermined rates in given intervals (perhaps start 100 lbs and increase by 5 for each subsequent student). Students will then make a prediction based on a weight they have not used. All the students will then change their iPod to that weight and see if their prediction was correct. You also can begin this lesson by giving students data the teacher has collected on a few runs of varying length, and then have them move to differentiating between weights.

This can be done over 1-2 days (if the teacher provides the data) a week (if you have many system available) or can be an ongoing project through out the semester(giving each a student a few days during the semester to gather data) with the prediction happening at the end of the semester.

Materials needed for this lesson will vary. In addition to the Nike + iPod Sport Kits and Nike+ shoes, some classes may choose to plot their data on poster paper, some may use graphing calculators and some may use computers.

Students will use data to predict future events. Students will discuss linear functions and gain a real world example of slope. Students will make conjectures on the effect of independent variables and gain a concept of best fit curves. Students will learn about a healthy lifestyle in the process.

One of the major shifts in mathematics education over the last few years has been a new emphasis on statistics and data. This lesson will allow students to use data they have gathered to make prediction about future events. This is applied mathematics at its best, using math to model observed data and to predict future outcomes.

NCTM Standards on Statistics and Data Collection.
http://standards.nctm.org/document/appendix/data.htm