Source: Cyberchase: “Less Than Zero”
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Inventing Negative Numbers
(Video)
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In this video segment from Cyberchase, the CyberSquad is trying to rescue the Cyberspace Council, which is being held captive by Hacker. Motherboard has let the squad know that the council is on the 18th level of a very tall building. The squad has to figure out which floor that is without entering the building.
Download and ShareHere are some Frame, Focus and Follow-up suggestions for using this video in a math lesson.
What is Frame, Focus and Follow-up?
Frame: If you’ve ever looked closely at a thermometer you may have noticed how the numbers on it are arranged in what might be called a number line. Have you ever seen number lines used in other measurement instruments? If the temperature measured on a thermometer starts at five degrees and then it gets seven degrees colder, what is the new temperature?
Focus: In this segment, the CyberSquad receives information from Motherboard about the moves Buzz and Delete are making with the Council. How does the squad finally keep track of these changes and figure out which floor the Council is on?
Follow Up: When they figured out their mistake, the CyberSquad talked about how a ruler doesn’t start with a "1." What does that have to do with finding out which floor was the 18th? Inez says that "zero is a quantity too." What does she mean by that? Why did she say it?
MATT: I think we just might have a chance to save everyone!
INEZ: What level did you say they were on?
DIGIT: Eighteen.
JACKIE: Only 18... great! The elevators aren't working - the stairs are blocked...just how are we supposed to get up there?!
MATT: Can you say...'window washer'?
MATT: Everybody strapped in tight?
INEZ: You okay, Didge?
DIGIT: Who, me? I'm a cyboid, remember? I've flown over treetops, mountains, canyons--
INEZ: Don't sweat it, Didge. I'm a little nervous, too. Hey, level eighteen is a long way up! Just don't look down.
DIGIT: Thanks, Nezzie.
JACKIE: Come to think of it, we'd better keep track of the levels as we go. We don't want to end up on the wrong one.
MATT: No problem! We'll just number them as we go. Here, we'll start with number one - and then work our way up.
JACKIE: Makes sense to me. Here we go!
HACKER: Well?...Well?
MECHANIC: That recharging chair is the least of your problems, pal. Your fusion drive is rusted, your brake pads are shot-
HACKER: Just fix my chair, you longwinded monkey wrench! I don't care about that other stuff. I want my chair fixed!!! Please?
MATT: There we go. Ten, and counting up the line!
INEZ: I just hope we aren't too late!
DIGIT: Take 'er up, Jax!
BUZZ: Will you cut that out?! What if you accidentally press a button? Hah? What then?!
DELETE: It's popsicle time!!!
KING What are you doing?
MARBLES Sending Motherboard a signal.
DELETE: Hey, Buzzy, you should see this! There's all kinds of neat stuff to do here. They got a gym, bowling, swimming...they even have a disco! I love disco! Boogie! Oh!
BUZZ: Knock it off, twinkle toes. Hacker told us to stay put, remember?
MATT: Ladies and gentlemen, thanks to the window washing wonder, may I present ...the 18th floor!
INEZ: Only one problem - how do we get inside?
DIGIT: Stand aside, earthlies! Make room for the master! Don't try this at home.
JACKIE: Now that is totally cool!
MATT: I'll go in first!
DIGIT: Allow me. I can take care of Buzz and Delete myself!
MATT: Didge?
DIGIT: Unless the council is having a mud bath - we've got the wrong floor!
DIGIT: I don't get it! What went wrong?
INEZ: I don't know. We numbered the building so carefully. We probably made the world's biggest ruler.
MATT: Motherboard said Level 18. And, that's where we are, right?
JACKIE: Wrong! It just hit me: we may have made the world's biggest ruler - but we made a big mistake, too!
DIGIT: What? What did we do wrong?
JACKIE: When you use a ruler to measure, does the ruler start at one?
MATT: Well, it, uh...hang on a sec. Let's find out. You're right, Jax! You start your measurement at zero!
DIGIT: Hold the phone here. Zero's a number? How can nothing be something?
JACKIE: Look at it this way, Didge. How many baseballs do I have?
DIGIT: Two.
JACKIE: Now how many?
DIGIT: One.
JACKIE: Now?
DIGIT: None. Zip! Hey...you got zero baseballs!
INEZ: See? Zero is a quantity, too.
MATT: And speaking of baseball, get ready for a monster homerun! Check this out! Because we didn't start our numbering with zero...we never got to Level 18 - we actually stopped at 17! We were on the wrong floor all along. Come on!
MATT: There we're back in business!
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