Math Walk

Trudging up the hill this morning, my backpack felt pleasantly light. My hands were tucked snugly in the pockets of my fleece jacket, trying to keep them warm from the chilly wind; the small bright red scarf draped around my neck added a bit of color to an otherwise dull grey morning.

I stepped off the bus onto the sidewalk and began my eight-minute journey up the hill.  I looked ahead tracing my path to the top of the hill. Though the end appeared so close, the steep climb always made it an arduous task.  One I never look forward to.

As always, I give myself a task to steer my thoughts away from the tiring climb that never fails to leave me breathless. Today, I decided to find something unusual.  My objective: I decided to find something math-related, as I often remind my students that math is all around us. I take note of the trees, their leaves swaying gracefully in the cold wind. Fellow travelers also make their way up the hill; some match my pace and others stride briskly reminding me of seasoned hikers. I glance at the stone wall on my left and peer at the ferns growing out of the crevices of the rock, giving the hard granite surface a life-like look.

Halfway up the climb, I cross over to the opposite side of the street and then I see it! It captures my attention. Right at my feet, my eyes are drawn to the tapestry along the sidewalk; a natural maze formed by the intertwining roots of a tall lanky tree and the pavement blocks. In their search to break free and find freedom, the roots have carefully navigated the gaps between the rocks, following the symmetrical pattern between the stones. They are woven to form lines, corners, angles, vertices, edges, planes, squares, rectangles, and more.  I quickly capture the scene with my camera.

I continue my climb, a huge smile of satisfaction on my face! My math lesson is set for the day - a perfect visual I have gained!