When the weather gets nice and school gets out it means it's time to take the math learning outdoors! Sometimes practical application can make the best kids math program, which is why our weekly word problems have a basis in real world math problems such as gardening!

This word problem challenge gives students an opportunity to practice their elementary school math skills such as fractions, conversions, multiplication and division. Are you ready to “grow” your skills? Take a look and give it a try. When you're ready, read further below to check your solution against ours!

Question: Harrison has a full 3–gallon watering can. He uses 5/8 of the water on the gardenias in his garden. How much water did the gardenias get?

Solution: First we converted the amount of water from gallons into pints because a pint is 1/8 of a gallon. Harrison had 24 pints of water. Then we found 5/8 of 24 and determined Harrison used 15 pints of water.



(Photo above by Bill Ward on Flickr.)

Hypatia was a Greek mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, and lecturer, and one of the first female mathematicians in recorded history. She taught classes in how to construct astrolabes and hydrometers, and her public lectures drew record crowds for the time. As a charismatic mathematician, Hypatia is an inspiration for math teachers and tutors in math!

This week, your favorite kids math program has a word problem challenge that will inspire you! Practice your elementary school math skills such as addition, subtraction, and conversion from hours to minutes. Read the question below and take your time working it out. We know you can do it! Check below when you're ready to check your solution against ours.

Question: In the morning, Hypatia gave 2–hour lectures about mathematics. Midday, she lectured about philosophy for 2 hours and 45 minutes. In the afternoon, she gave hour–and–a–half lectures about astronomy. In the evening, she again lectured about mathematics for 2 hours and 50 minutes. How much time did Hypatia spend lecturing each day?

Solution: If we add the number of whole hours Hypatia lectured, we get 2 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 7 hours. If we add the minutes, we get 45 + 30 + 50 = 125 minutes, or 2 hours and 5 minutes. That means that Hypatia lectured for 7 hours + 2 hours + 5 minutes = 9 hours and 5 minutes.

When summer comes, the knowledge your child worked hard for all school year is in danger of slipping away. This is especially true for math: On average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of math learning over the summer. This summer learning loss can have long-lasting effects, including lower test scores and self-confidence, and a lower chance of success in high school and college.