Geometry at Busch Gardens
Written by student writers: Genesis Moncrieft, Sofia Smaine, Aliana Lemons
CHS Geometry teacher, Mrs. Smith, planned an exciting field trip for her class. It was not only exciting, but students learned hands on how Geometry can and is used in the real world. Mrs. Smith always gives her scholar students a well-deserved opportunity to attend the school field trip to Busch Gardens each year. To qualify, one must be diligent, and dedicate plenty of time to be a scholar. To qualify for this trip, according to a student, “First you needed to either pay the 92 dollars or 72 dollars upfront or you can earn funds by participating in the fund raiser by selling four boxers of delicious chocolate. The expense of 72 dollars covers general entry, and for an additional 20 dollars for a grand total of 92 dollars, the price includes the dining pass for the day, what a great deal!
One might assume that Busch Gardens has no correlation to Geometry. However, the multitude of roller coasters located around the park are physical representations of slopes and lines seen in day-to-day Geometry lessons. An attending student said, “It is related to Geometry because of the angles the rides form, and the structures of the different roller coasters.” For instance, the “SheiKra” coaster has a 138-foot drop. At that part of the ride, the slope is undefined since the line the coaster forms is completely vertical. The trip allowed the students to have an exuberant day, while simultaneously seeing their lessons transfer from the paper to the world around them.
The students that were fortunate enough to go on this trip created lifelong memories. A lucky attendee says that their favorite part of the trip was, “Riding the roller coasters with my friends, and the freedom of running around with friends.” In short, the trip was yet again a great experience for everyone involved, and a great way to reward a year of hard work. Who would have thought that math really is all around us.