Think math careers are more practical than remarkable? Find out how you can use math to learn about the wonders of the world, or of your own backyard.

To find out just how mathematical exploring the wonders of the world can be, learn how you can use math in archeology. Meet Matthew Rooney, an anthropology and history major at University of South Florida (USF), and find out how he uses math in archeology class.

Matthew Rooney, Archeology Student

Math & Archeology

“In the archaeological field, math is an absolute necessity. This week in archeology, my professor tasked my class with estimating the length of time necessary for a prehistoric society to build a structure with the same volume as our Sun Dome at University of South Florida (USF).

First, a classmate and I walked around one quarter of the Sun Dome and counted 155 strides. We then used multiplication to determine that the circumference of the Sun Dome is 620 strides. We decided that since the average stride is 80 centimeters, the circumference of the Sun Dome is 496 meters.

We did not have the capability to measure the height of the Sun Dome, but we discovered through building specifications that it measures 35 meters high. In this way we were able to take these numbers and plug them into a complex equation for volume: V = HC ² / (4 π). From this equation we learned that the volume of the Sun Dome in 685,226.802 cubic meters.

Next we determined that 1.5 person hours (PH) would be required to procure one cubic meter of earth. Therefore, the Sun Dome would have required 1,027,840.2 PH to procure the earth. Using the determination that 0.65 PH are required to move one cubic meter of earth 30 meters and in turn calculating that 13 PH are required to move the earth the specified 600 meters (a distance provided by Dr. Murakami for this situation), we used our volume approximation to determine that 8,907,948.43 PH are required to move the earth over the 600 meters required to build a structure the size of the Sun Dome.

When we added both figures together, we found that 9,935,788.63 PH would have been required to build such a structure. However, our work was not finished. Our professor wanted to know how long it would take 100 workers who worked 8 hours each day to build such a structure. We divided our estimate by 8 to learn that the structure would need about 1,241,973.58 days of construction and then divided that figure by 100 to learn how many days it would take for this specific number of workers to complete the project.

In the end, we stated that 100 workers could build a structure with the volume of USF’s Sun Dome in 12,419.7358 days or approximately 34 years! My immediate reaction to hearing that I must use complicated math to solve a problem such as this was disappointment, but I think that the practical application here is interesting and fun considering that we had to literally perform the ‘footwork’ ourselves.”

Get the Math on Alleyoop

Or Learn More About Archeology

What is an archeologist?
Despite the countless movies and books about time machines, taking a ride in one probably won’t happen any time soon. The next best thing is archeology. Archeologists take a step back in time to uncover everything from dinosaur fossils and ancient tombs to hidden riches on land and sea. Get out your pick and shovel and start discovering.

How much education do you need?
Most archeologist careers require a master’s degree or Ph.D., M.D. or J.D. (law degree).

Does this career fit your personality type?
This career is great for investigative, realistic and artistic types.

SKILLS YOU NEED

Writing Good writing skills are essential to documenting archeological finds. Some archeologists even write books! Brain Power Uncovering historical artifacts and piecing together historical events requires a lot of digging and a ton of research. Time Mastery Many archeologists work on tight deadlines, which requires properly managing their time and their team’s time. Science Archeology, anthropology, geography, history and sociology are all fields that archeologists must understand to do their job well. Creativity Piecing together clues and solving problems of the past requires creative thinking. Math Archeologists need math to take measurements, create maps and use various laboratory equipment. Teamwork Being a good team player in this career means working well with  other archeologists and staff members to find the next discovery! Leadership Knowing how to influence people’s decisions helps archeologists lead their digs and keep team members on track.

Instructions

Find one more fact about this career and share it in the response box.

Posted In: Everyday Math, Math Help, Use Math, Why Math