PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES
by Dave Stahler

SUBJECT:
Topics in Math

TOPIC:
Personal Finance

Dave Stahler		 To obtain a downloadable copy of the worksheet that accompanies this bulletin board, click on the button below.

TITLE: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

SUBJECT: Topics in Math

TOPIC: Personal Finance

INTERACTIVITY: Students will attempt to cross the country on a budget. At each stop students will roll a die to continue the game. Students will be responsible for determining their own finances on the trip.

DIRECTIONS:

Instructions:
Your goal is to get from snow-covered Reading, PA, to sunny and warm San Diego, CA. You want your trip to be as fast and as inexpensive as possible.

Rules:
At each stop you will roll the die provided (single die). You are to follow the instructions on the card corresponding to the number you rolled. You must budget $40 a day for food and other disposable items.

  • You have $1000.00 to start your trip.
  • You may choose to travel by automobile or by airplane.
  • Air travel costs $0.30 per mile. The plane travels 300 miles per hour.
  • Travel by automobile costs $0.05 per mile. The average speed of the car is 70 miles per hour.
  • Anytime you are held over or spend the night counts as another day
  • You must follow all of the directions on the card you have drawn.
  • You are responsible for keeping records of your expenses and your travel on the sheets provided.
  • The winner will be the person who arrives in the least amount of time. IN the event of a tie the winner will be the person with the most money remaining.

TIME: The activity should take between 15 and 20 minutes

SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION: I used a map that I found in a bookstore.

CREDIT: The students who complete the trip will receive 10 points on a test.

Dave Stahler
2/21/03