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Math questions / Native plants

Architectural Topic: 
Vegetation
Math skills: 
Venn diagrams, graphical analysis, data analysis

How can the vegetation and native plants around a school help minimize its negative impact on the site?

Landscape architects typically choose trees that are native, or indigenous, to a new building’s site.  Native plants grow well in local conditions and do not require additional watering, chemicals, or maintenance to thrive.  When choosing plants for a  site, three factors are important: 1) the amount of sunlight the tree will receive in a particular location; 2) how much rain the tree needs; and 3) the lowest temperature range the tree can tolerate.

These logic problems are similar to the problem-solving process that a landscape architect must puzzle through when choosing new trees for a site.

Use the information in the chart and the Venn diagram below to answer the following questions. 

TREE NAME TREE NEEDS FULL SUNLIGHT           TREE CANNOT TOLERATE TEMPERATURES COLDER THAN 20°F TREE CAN TOLERATE DRY CONDITIONS
Black Cherry X    
Black Cottonwood X X  
Hickory  X    X
Japanese Yew    
Yellow Locust       
Velvet Ash      
White Alder      
Red Cedar      
Honey Mesquite      
Water Birch      

 

1.        
The circles in the Venn diagram represent the three growing characteristics for trees show in the chart above (tree needs full sunlight, tree cannot tolerate temperatures colder than 20°F, tree can tolerate dry conditions).  Use the chart's information about Black Cherry and Black Cottonwood trees to determine which circle matches which characteristic.

2.        
Next, use the information shown in the chart for the Hickory, Japanese Yew, and Yellow Locust trees to write the tree name on the Venn diagram in the appropriate region.

3.
The Venn diagram also shows characteristics of Velvet Ash, White Alder, Red Cedar, Honey Mequite, and Water Birch trees.  Complete the chart for these trees. 

4.        
Water Birch trees do grow in the United States.  Based on the information from the chart and the Venn diagram, describe the characteristics of a Water Birch tree.