Real-Life Math -- Solution
So here's the situation with the tree-thinning project:
You
need no more than 4,000 trees per 43,560 square feet (1 acre). Your trees
are spaced about 22.6 square feet apart in the 1-acre area.
There are
a couple of ways for you to approach this:
Number One
Figure
out the spacing for the ideal tree density.
43,560 square feet / 1,619
trees per acre = 26.9 feet ideal density
22.6 feet existing tree
density - 26.9 feet ideal density = -4.3 feet
You will need to
send in a crew to thin these trees. They are 4.3 feet closer to each other
than they should be.
Number Two
Figure
out the number of trees you have in the area
43,560 square feet /
22.6 feet (between trees) = 1,927 trees per acre
1,927 trees per acre
- 1,619 trees per acre = 308 trees per acre
You will need to send
in a crew to thin these trees. There are 308 trees per acre more than there
should be.
"Math is an essential part of forestry," says
Terrance W. Clark. Clark is the associate director of science and education
for the Society of American Foresters. "We use statistics, trig, algebra and
calculus."
Clark says that most U.S. foresters use imperial
measurements. Those involved in international trade use the metric system.