Family Travel Math Activity

So you say your trip is taking forever? Just imagine how much slower it would be if you were walking or sailing. Then again, think about how much faster it would be if you were traveling by plane or even one at the speed of light.

Give your kids a map on which you've traced the route you're taking. Ask your children to compute the time it will take you to reach your destination based on how fast you're going and the distance. Of course, this is a great opportunity to explain the old formula, D = RT. (Distance = rate of travel multiplied by the length of travel time)

Then name a vehicle, such as a passenger jet plane. Tell your children how fast the plane can travel (about 500 mph), and ask them to compute how long it would take to reach your destination if you were flying. To continue the game, ask your children to figure out how long a plane would take if it were traveling more slowly or quickly than the original speed you named.

You can also ask your children to plan their own routes and figure out how long the trips would take based on the vehicle you specify. For example, if you're traveling by boat, your kids might plan a trip during which you stay in the water the whole time. Or you can ask your kids to map out a trip in which you take two vehicles -- say, a plane and a boat.

Whiz kids might even plan trips via imaginary vehicles that can travel at the speed of light (186,000 miles per second). How's that for efficient trip planning?!

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