Jaimenayelybrandon

Name: nayely, Jaime, Brandon Partner (s): Period:
MathematicalExplorationofSTAIRS
Introduction:
This activity concerns the mathematics involved in the design of a flight of stairs. The purpose of the activity
is to understand that slope describes steepness and is defined as rise over run using stairs as real-world
examples of slope. At the end of this activity, you will be answer the following question: How could you
mathematically describe the steepness of a set of stairs?
Important vocabulary to know when describing stairs:

Tread: The tread is the actual step, the part that your foot rests on while going up the flight. It is the
horizontal distance that you step on
Riser: The riser is the board that holds one step above another. And this is the vertical distance that you step
on.
Each step will consist of a tread and a riser. It is possible to measure both the tread and the riser of a set of
stairs. In addition, the total run and the total rise of a flight of stairs are the important facts that help
determine its steepness or slope. Here, the total run is the total horizontal (tread) length of the stairs and the
total rise is the total vertical (riser) length of the stairs.
Tasks:
You will choose and observe 3 sets of stairs around the school out of the following four options of stair locations.
to 3rd
Location #1: Stairs in front of the library that rises up from 2nd floor
Location #2: Stairs near the cafeteria by the auditorium
Location #3: Stairs behind the auditorium
Location #4: Stairs by the middle school (the one that everyone takes to get to class)
By following the guideline listed in Part II, measure the steepness or slope of each flight of stairs. Then
compare to find the flight of stairs that is the steepest out of the three stairs you observed.
Part I: Brainstorming
Before we begin collecting data to figure out which of several flights of stairs around our school is the
steepest, please answer the following questions to begin brainstorming our ideas.
1. How do you think we can measure the steepness of a set of stairs or ramp?
To measure the flights of stairs we can use rise/run, which is the mathematical term for
slope.
Rise=2
Run=3
example:
I think the steepness of a set of stairs or ramp can be measured by using the ratio rise over
run.
2. Based on the pictures of flights of stairs from four different locations shown in class, which one do you
think would be the steepest? And why do you think that is the steepest?
Just by looking at the flight of stairs it looked like location 4 was the steepest
Part II: Data Collection
The 3 locations my partner(s) and I chose:
1. Location 4
2. Location 2
3. Location 1
Location of # of Length of # of Length of Fractional Decimal

Stairs Riser each Riser Tread each Tread TOTAL RISE TOTAL RUN Slope Slope
(choose 3) s (RISE) s (RUN) (rise/run)
Example:
246.9 = 165.6 249.4 = 225.6 166 83
Location 24 6.9 in. 24 9.4 in. 226
= 113
0.73
About 166 About 226
#1
99/230=
#1 18in 5.5in 18 12.8 18x5.5=99in 18x12.8=230in 0.43
.4304
18 x 5.5=99
#2 18 5.5 in 18 12 18 x 12=216 in 99/230 .458
in
13 x 5.5=72
#4 13 5.5 in 13 12 in 13 x 12=156 in 72/156 0.46
in
Part III: Data Analysis
1. Which of the flights of stairs is the steepest out of the three you measured? (You can give the location
number) And how do you know?
Location #4, these stairs were the steepest because when we measured the stairs the final
measurement was, Slope = .46
2. How did you calculate the slope of each flight of stairs from three different locations?
We measured the slope for one step so when we found the slope for one step its basically
the same slope for the entire flight of stairs
3. Was the ratio of the RISE to the RUN ( rise

run
) of the entire staircase the same as that of each step? Explain
your answer.
Length of each rise T otal rise
(Hint: Compare the ratio Length of each tread
to the ratio T otal run
of any flights of stairs you measured)
Yes it is because the slope for one step is the same for the entire staircase
Example: the slope for one step 5.5/12=.46
The slope for two step 11/24=.46
Slope for the entire staircase 5.5/12= .46
4. Based on this activity, how can we mathematically describe the steepness of a set of stairs?
Using the ratio Rise/Run is the mathematical term for slope

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Name: nayely, Jaime, Brandon Partner (s): Period:

Important vocabulary to know when describing stairs:

Location of # of Length of # of Length of Fractional Decimal

3. Was the ratio of the RISE to the RUN ( rise

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