Water Tank

Task Card Water Tank

Task Card

TASK: As a group, determine how long it will take to fill up the water tank.

Directions:
1. Discuss as a group, multiple ways the problem on the student
worksheet could be solved.
2. Determine what additional information is needed to solve the problem.
3. Work together and help each other solve the problem.

Individual Final Product:

Each person will individually solve a follow-up task to determine how long it
will take the tank to empty.

Group Product:
One or more group members will randomly be selected to present their
group’s process and solution to the class.

Multiple Smartnesses Task: Someone is the group is strong at:

1. Making and justifying conjectures
2. Understanding volume
3. Thinking creatively
4. Relying on others
5. Reasoning logically
6. Managing the group’s time wisely
7. Simplifying big ideas for group members who are confused

No one person will have all of these skills but all of you have some of them to contribute to the
success of our group. Together you are smarter.

Norms:

Listen to each group member’s ideas.

Persevere
The group is not finished until everyone understands the mathematics.
Groupworthy Task: How Long to Fill a Water Tank?
10th grade, Geometry
State Standard: Geometric Measurement and Dimension (G-GMD)
G.G-MG-A.1 – Use geometric shapes, their measures, and their properties to describe objects
utilizing real-world context.

For this task the students will be grouped with a new set of peers. The students will randomly
choose a card when walking into the classroom. Three or four students will all have different
equations on their cards but the same solution.

The low floor for this task is that everyone can watch the video and estimate how long it will
take to fill up the water tank. The video is action grabbing. The high ceiling it that no equations
are given to solve the problem. It takes multiple steps to get to a solution and the calculations
are lengthy.

The task is challenging even if it seems simple. An octagon is a common shape but determining
it’s area can be difficult. The area can be calculated using multiple different methods. The task
also requires converting units. There are many places where a little error can greatly affect the
answer. There is the satisfaction of watching the end of the video to see the real-world
outcome.
by Dan Meyer

G-GMD.3 G-GMD.4 DOWNLOAD

1. How long will it take the tank to fill up?

2. Guess as close as you can.
3. Give an answer you know is too high.
4. Give an answer you know is too low.

video — the tank begins to fill

5. What information will you need to know to solve the problem?

image — the side length of the octagon

image — the distance across the octagon

image — the height of the octagonal prism

image — conversion from cubic centimeters to ounces

video — filling up 16 ounces

video — the tank fills up completely

 6. How long will it take the tank to empty?

video — the tank begins to empty

video — emptying out 16 ounces

video — the tank empties completely

CC BY-NC 3.0