Cake

Our hockey team is having an end-of-year party, and I'm supposed to bring a cake. My mom's friend often makes us a great cake and has agreed to make one for the party. We've decided that the party cake has to be 8 times as big as the usual one. Mom's friend wants to make the cake a bigger version of the usual cake. No problem. The only catch is that I always frost these cakes, so I have to get the frosting for the big one and frost it. One can of frosting covers the usual cake. How many cans do I need to get for the larger cake?

Approaches

Assume rectangular, pieced together

Can you use manipulatives or draw a picture to help imagine how many in each dimension?

Assume cylindrical

What property of cakes might"8 times as big" refer to?

Questions about frosting the bottom or between layers

Make assumptions and see where they lead.

Simulation

With some imaginary advisors, plan to teach this problem.

Your experience

Have you used this problem with a class and seen approaches other than(or more specific than) those mentioned above? Or do you have other comments or criticisms or stories? If so, please tell us!

Last updated 30 November, 2004