Assignment: Maths for planning an event

Planning the works Christmas party

About this assignment
A numeracy assignment is a piece of work where you can develop and practise a number
of skills together. It asks you to think through and work out solutions for a situation in
everyday life or work.

This assignment is about using information from a survey to make judgements, and
presenting the information for others to consider. It is also about calculating costs and
budgets.

There are two parts to the assignment.

Part 1
In this part you will practise skills in finding out what people want.

Part 2
The second part is about costing and choosing a venue.

HD1/L1.1 Extract numerical information from lists, tables, diagrams and

simple charts HD1/L1.1, HD1/L1.2

HD1/L1.2 Collect, organise and represent discrete data HD1/L1.3, N2/L1.11

HD1/L1.3 Find the arithmetical average (mean) from a set of data MSS1/L1.1

N2/L1.11 Use a calculator to calculate efficiently using whole numbers,

fractions, decimals and percentages
MSS1/L1.1 Add, subtract, multiply and divide sums of money, and record

Your task is to plan a company Christmas party. You have sent out a questionnaire to find
out people’s views and preferences. Your task is to look at the results and decide what
would be the most popular option. You have also researched different activities and
venues. You will need to work out costings for your preferred options.

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 Assignment: Maths for planning an event

Part 1: Source material

This questionnaire was sent out to 180 people at work. The results have been summarised
below. Print them out so you can refer to them easily while you are working.
Christmas party questionnaire: summary of results

We are now planning our Christmas party and we would like your views. Please complete
this questionnaire to tell us the kind of Christmas party that you want.

No. of responses

1 I will definitely attend the Christmas party. (76)

I may attend the Christmas party. (25)

Count me out – I won’t be attending (4)

2 I will bring a partner. (71)

I will come on my own. (30)

3 I think the party should be on:

a Saturday night (42)

a Friday night (20)

a weeknight (10)

I don’t mind. (29)

4 I think the party should be in our staff canteen. (23)

I think we should go to an outside venue. (64)

I don’t mind where it is. (14)

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5 What kind of event would you like? (Tick as many as you would enjoy.)

A meal (85)

Dancing/disco (64)

Live music (50)

Cabaret/other entertainment (20)

Line dancing (10)

Karaoke (23)

Bowling (15)

Fancy dress (18)

6 How much would you be happy to pay? Please indicate the most you would
be prepared to pay per person.

Up to £10 (1)

Up to £15 (2)

Up to £20 (10)

Up to £30 (29)

Up to £40 (23)

Up to £50 (33)

Up to £75 (3)

Up to £100 (0)

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Finding out what people want

If you were answering questions in the numeracy National Test you would not be able to
use a calculator. However, when you are applying your skills to a task in real life and using
real numbers, it may be best to use a calculator.

You can decide if you want to use one for these questions. Round your answers to whole
numbers.

Questions with this symbol are for you to think about and perhaps to talk
about with someone else.

You do not need to write down an answer unless you think it would be helpful.

Results from the questionnaire

1 You sent out a questionnaire to all of the 180 staff. Everyone who returned the
questionnaire answered question 1.

What percentage of people in the company responded?

What do you think about this level of response?

What does it tell you about making decisions based on this questionnaire?

2 What percentage of the people who returned the questionnaire said they would or
might come to the party?

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3a If the people who answered question 2 do what they say they will do, how many party
tickets would you need?

3b If the whole company (180 people) responded in the same way as the people who
returned the questionnaire, how many party tickets would you need?

3c Last year the party was held in the staff canteen. The company had 120 staff and 148
people came along, including partners.

This year there are 180 staff. If the same proportion of the workforce attended as last
year, how many people would come?

What do you think are the minimum and maximum numbers you should be
planning for – and how did you decide this?

4 Your boss has asked you to work out the average price that people are willing to pay.

She has also said that she wants to make sure that most people are willing to pay what
the party will cost.

4a Calculate the average (mean) cost that people are willing to pay.

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4b Complete this table, showing how many people would be prepared to pay each price.

Price No. of people willing to pay

Up to £10 101

Up to £15 100

Up to £20 98

Up to £30

Up to £40

Up to £50

Up to £75

What would you say is a reasonable price that most people will pay?

5 Decide what you would recommend to your boss:

• What are the likely minimum and maximum numbers you should plan
for?

• What kind of party would be popular?

• Does it matter if it’s a weekend or weeknight?

• Give the figures to support your views.

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Part 1: How did you get on?

Self-check answers

This section gives you the answers to the numerical questions, and some suggestions for
thinking through the other questions.

1 You sent out a questionnaire to all of the 180 staff. Everyone who returned the
questionnaire answered question 1. What percentage of people in the company
responded?

58%

It is very rare to get 100% response to any questionnaire. Whatever decisions you
make are based on only slightly more than half of the people in the company. You may
think that the people who didn’t respond are less likely to come to the party, or it may
be that they are just too busy to fill in the questionnaire.

2 What percentage of the people who returned the questionnaire said they would or
might come to the party?

96%

3a If the people who answered question 2 do what they say they will do, how many party
tickets would you need?

172 tickets

(71 staff + 71 partners + 30 people coming on their own)

3b If the whole company (180 people) behaved in the same way as the people who
returned the questionnaire, how many party tickets would you need?

292

You might have worked out your answer like this:

• 96% of 180 staff would or might come to the party = 172 people

• About 70% would bring a partner

• 70% of 172 = 120

• 120 staff + 120 partners + 52 people coming on their own = 292 people at the party.

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3c Last year the party was held in the staff canteen. The company had 120 staff and 148
people came along, including partners.

This year there are 180 staff. If the same proportion of the workforce attended as last
year, how many people would come?

222 – or about 220

One way of working this out is to say that the company is about 1½ times as big as last
year, so 1½ times as many people would come:

148 × 1.5 = 222

You might also have worked this out as 148/120 guests per employee, so:

148/120 × 180 guests for this year’s 180 employees = 222

You might have thought, from the range of answers to question 3:

• minimum 150 people – some people only said they might come and the people who
didn’t return the questionnaire weren’t interested.

• maximum 250 – some people who didn’t fill in the questionnaire might want to
come along after all, although probably fewer of them than those who did respond.
If it was as popular as last year’s party it would be around 220, but you hope it will
be more popular.

4 Your boss has asked you to work out the average price that people are willing to pay.

She has also said that she wants to make sure that most people are willing to pay what
the party will cost.

4a Calculate the average (mean) cost that people are willing to pay.

Mean price is £39.

• Total amounts willing to pay: (1 × £10) + (2 × £15) + (10 × £20) + (29 × £30) + (23 ×
£40) + (33 × £50) + (3 × £75) = £3,905

• Number of people in sample = 101

• Mean = £39

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4b Complete this table, showing how many people would be prepared to pay each price.

Price No. of people willing to pay

Up to £10 101

Up to £15 100

Up to £20 98

Up to £30 88

Up to £40 59

Up to £50 36

Up to £75 3

This table is completed by adding up all the people who would pay that price or higher.

The mean price that people are willing to pay is £39, but only 59 people are actually
willing to pay £40. Although this is more than half the people in the company, you
might prefer to aim for £30, as nearly 90% of people said they were willing to pay that.

If you aim for £20 this won’t exclude anyone, but you may not be able to afford the
party that people want!

5 Possible recommendations:

• The results of the questionnaire and last year’s party numbers suggest that
between 150 and 250 people might attend.

• 84% of people would enjoy a meal, 63% would enjoy a disco and 50% would enjoy
live music. A party that included all of these would be very popular.

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• 42% of people wanted a Saturday night party and only 10% wanted a weeknight
party, so a Saturday night would be first choice, with Friday night as a second
choice.

• Only 23% of people thought the party should be held in our staff canteen, so an
outside venue would be much more popular.

• A cost of £30 per head would be acceptable to 90% of people who responded to
the questionnaire.

You may have chosen other recommendations. You could talk to a tutor or a friend to
check that they are sensible, given the results of the questionnaire.

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Part 2: Choosing and costing a venue – source material

These are the notes you have made about some different venues and options for the
party.

Using our staff canteen as the venue

• D&D Catering

Christmas menu: £14.50 per head, inclusive of VAT

They provide food, service, tables, etc. for 50–300 people.

Wine available at £4.50 per bottle.

• All Stars Mobile Disco

£250 + VAT for five hours.

• ‘The Party Band’

£550 inclusive for two 30-minute sets.

Party Planners

• Will organise the party at our venue (lighting, decorations, entertainer and disco). Fixed
fee of £1,000 weeknights and £1,250 on Friday and Saturday nights, plus VAT.

• Menus available from £15.00 per head plus VAT.

• Will provide a licensed bar (staff pay for their own drinks).

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Outside venues

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Choosing and costing the venue

1 Your boss has asked you to work out the cost of putting on a party using the company
canteen.

Work out the cost per head of using Party Planners or booking food, a live band and a
disco yourself. Work out the costs for 150 people and for 250 people and present this
as a table.

What other costs might be involved?

Would you recommend a party in the canteen?

Outside venues

Draw up a table to show the cost per head of the different venues, including VAT, what is
on offer at each and your comments about their suitability. Which venue would you
recommend?

You can check your answers in the next section.

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Part 2: How did you get on?

Self-check answers

Costings for a party in the company canteen

1 Party Planners

Party Planners – costs including disco and entertainer

For 150 people For 250 people

Party Planners fee £1,469 Party Planners fee £1,469

(£1,250 + 17.5% VAT) (£1,250 + 17.5% VAT)

150 meals at £15.00 + £2,644 250 meals at £15.00 + £4,406

17.5% VAT 17.5% VAT

Total cost (150 people) £4,113 Total cost (250 people) £5,875

Cost per head (150 people) £27.42 Cost per head (250 £23.50
people)

Drinks to be paid for separately.

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2 DIY version

DIY version – food from D&D Catering, disco and live band

For 150 people For 250 people

All Stars disco (£250 + £294 All Stars disco (£250 + £294
17.5% VAT) 17.5% VAT)

‘The Party Band’ £550 ‘The Party Band’ £550

D&D Catering £2,175 D&D Catering £3,625

(150 meals at £14.50) (250 meals at £14.50)

Total cost (150 people) £3,019 Total cost (250 people) £4,469

Cost per head (150 people) £20.13 Cost per head (250 £17.88
people)

Drinks and decorations to be paid for separately.

Both these options are reasonable, but there are hidden costs in staff time required to
book and organise, cleaning and setting up the staff canteen, decorations, etc. Also, only
23% of the staff wanted the party to be in the canteen.

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Outside venues

Venue Cost per What’s offered Comments

head

The Manor £29.95 Meal Too small – 100 people only.

The Park £64.00 Meal, entertainment and Too expensive.

Pavilion dancing – Mardi Gras
theme

The Aerodrome £41.00 Meal, entertainment and Size and availability OK.
disco – African theme

‘All that Jazz’ £30.00 Meal and entertainment – Size OK and available
Chicago/prohibition theme Fridays.

The Roxy £23.00 Meal plus crackers, etc. Up to 200 people only – may
No music or be too small.
entertainment.

Recommendations

There was a strong preference for an outside venue. The Aerodrome meets all the criteria,
but at a price that only 60% of staff said they were willing to pay.

‘All that Jazz’ is at a price acceptable to almost 90% of staff. Although it doesn’t have a
disco, it does have jazz music and entertainment, and is probably the best option
available.

You may have set out your tables differently. Check to see if you have given the same
information.

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If you want more practice with percentages, graphs and charts, averages or planning a
budget, you can look at the resources and links on the Move On Learner Route.

The skills you have practised in this assignment will help you to:

• plan an outing at work, or for your club, community group or family

• find out what people think and make recommendations about any proposed changes
at work

• do a survey in your area and use the information to petition your local council

• find the best suppliers at work or at home

• plan some home improvements.

When do you think you will be applying these skills?

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