Mathematics gets an “extreme makeover”

Alexandra Wladich  //  Apr 14, 2015

Mathematics gets an “extreme makeover”

What are two things you need to build a house? We’ve teamed up with Ty Pennington, best known for hosting ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, to show students in grades 4 and up that along with the proper materials, you also need strong math skills.

Learning to become a carpenter not only opened my world up to incredible opportunities, but it taught me the importance of math skills beyond school,” said Ty Pennington.

In the new 15 minute “Math@Work: Math Meets Homebuilding” webisode hosted by Ty Pennington and set in New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, two local students are paired with experts from Make It Right, an organization founded in response to Hurricane Katrina by Brad Pitt in 2007 to build environmentally-friendly homes for people in need. Along the way the students (and viewing classroom audiences!) are challenged to think about the mathematical skills they need to install solar panels and a front walkway for the home.

Check out the “Math@Work: Math Meets Homebuilding” webisode here: