We love to holiday at Hawks Nest and frequently see dolphins in the surf off Bennett’s Beach, in the Myall River and in the bay at Jimmy’s Beach. Did you know that this area, Port Stephens, is home to 120 bottlenose dolphins, one of the largest pods in the world?
Some interesting mathematical facts about dolphins:
– they are a type of “toothed whale”
– they grow up to 4 m in length
– they can swim for up to 100 km each day
– they get fresh water from their food (squid, fish)
– they can close down one half of their brain to “sleep” for 8 hours a day
– they can travel up to 35 km per hour and breathe through their blowhole
– this breath can help them dive for up to 4 minutes
– they can also hold their breath for up to 20 minutes
– they live for up to 40 years
Imagine all the wonderful classroom discussions with your students about these maths facts.What else can your students discover? Encourage your students to work in pairs to create a mathematical challenge based on these facts.