TECH - Can Popcorn Make Math Interesting? Bill Gates Shares Insights From A One-Of-A-Kind Middle School Class | Benzinga
On Tuesday, Microsoft Corporation co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates shared his experience of visiting a math class at a school in Southern California and discussed the practical relevance of mathematics, using movie theater popcorn as a real-world example.
What Happened: In his latest blog post, Gates shared his experience visiting Chula Vista Middle School, where he engaged with an eighth-grade math class led by teacher Amilcar Fernandez.
Gates recalled that Fernandez’s teaching approach was so unique that it captivated students’ interest. Instead of teaching the volume of a pyramid through abstract formulas, he used movie theater popcorn containers and challenged students to decide which one was the best deal.
“Mr. Fernandez has been trying to transform how Chula Vista teaches what is widely cited as American students’ ‘least favorite subject’—and has ...