Pumpkin Math – How Big is Your Pumpkin?

When it comes to fall, one of the most popular things to do is go pumpkin picking and pumpkin craving. But have you ever stopped to think about the math behind pumpkins? Let’s take a look at the pumpkin math behind one of fall’s favorite fruits.

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Pumpkin Math – How Big is Your Pumpkin?

It’s pumpkin season! And that means it’s time to get out your rulers and tape measures to find out just how big your pumpkin is. Whether you’re entering your pumpkin in a contest or just want to impress your friends and family, knowing the math behind pumpkins can help you grow the biggest one possible. Here are some tips on pumpkin math and how to calculate the volume of your pumpkin.

Measure the height of your pumpkin!

Use a ruler or blocks to see how tall it is and record it on the printable.

You can also use string to figure out how tall your pumpkins are. Have children hold string next to their pumpkins from the top of their stems to the bottom of the body.

You can help cut the strings so they are about the right length of the height of the pumpkin.

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How Much your Pumpkin Weighs

This is a great estimation activity for kids. I’ve always found that children can provide better estimates if you give them something to compare it to.

Have them lift up their pumpkin and compare it to other items – then put it on a scale and see how close your ‘estimation’ was to its actual weight.

Measure the Circumference of your Pumpkin

If your kids haven’t heard this term yet, let them know it means the distance around your pumpkin.

The first thing they might notice is that a ruler doesn’t bend, so you can try using a flexible measuring tape. Or you could just cut a piece of yard or thread, wrap it around the pumpkin and then use the ruler to measure the thread.

Count the Number of Seeds in a Pumpkin

Estimation is a tricky concept, and one that is often not covered at great length in math.

Apparently, each rib represents a row of seeds, inside. The color of the pumpkin can be another indicator. Darker orange pumpkins, have likely had longer to develop on the vine, and therefore might have more seeds.

Guess how many seeds are in your pumpkin – write down that number. Then scoop out all the seeds and count them to see how close you were to the actual number.

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