Once upon a time in a far-off land, there lived three friends: a mathematician, a builder, and an astronomer. One day, they decided to build a new house. The mathematician calculated that they needed three point seven meters of bricks to build the walls. The builder said that he could only buy twenty five per cent more if needed.

The astronomer wanted to make sure the house had a good view of the sky, so he suggested making the roof three fourths of the height of the walls. The mathematician figured out that this would be two and one third meters tall.

Next, the builder asked the mathematician to calculate the area of the floor. The mathematician said that the floor should be four squared meters. The builder was pleased and asked about the volume of the house. The mathematician replied that it would be two cubed meters.

The astronomer was impressed and asked how strong the walls would be. The mathematician said that each wall would be as strong as three to the power of five bricks. The builder was satisfied and started building the house, which was five meters by seven meters.

Finally, the astronomer set up his telescope on the roof and pointed it at the stars. He was amazed to see that the house was facing twenty three degrees north! And so, the three friends lived happily ever after in their beautiful and sturdy house.

Reflections

1. Who are the three friends in the story?
2. What was the mathematician's role in building the house?
3. How high was the roof of the house?
4. What was the area of the floor of the house?
5. How strong were the walls of the house?
6. What was unique about the location of the house?