www.tootsie.com

Dear Students:

In an attempt to satisfy the recent nationwide demand for patriotic items, our company decided to market the “I Love USA” Tootsie Roll^Ò. In a rush to get the product out to the consumer, several batches were shipped to stores without passing through our random quality control checkpoint. We are considering a recall of this candy. As you can imagine, this would be costly to our corporation and an inconvenience to our customers.

At the advice of our technical department we are sending these samples in hopes that you can aid us by doing some random product testing. Please check the mass to volume ratio for each of the samples we have sent you. Compare the same sizes of Tootsie Rolls^Ò to each other, and also check to see how the different sizes compare to each other. Report your data in table form and organized into graph(s) as well. We will compare your data with that from other test sites and our own standards to determine if the flag Tootsie Rolls^Ò meet those standards.

We are sending candies to schools across your state in hopes of collecting a great deal of data at low cost. We appreciate your help and although we cannot compensate you monetarily, we hope you will accept these samples of other products we make.

Yours truly,

Matt Matiks

Director Quality Control

Notes to the teacher:

Level Algebra 1

Objective: The students will discover the linear relationship between mass and volume. They will find the line of best fit two ways by hand and linear regression.

• Materials: You will need 2 or 3 sizes of Tootsie Rolls, for each group of two to three students. If you can’t find a third size of TR you could cut large ones into smaller pieces.
• 100 ml Graduated cylinders and water if you will measure the volume by water displacement.
• 2 or more electronic or triple beam balances (borrow them from the science dept)

You probably won’t be able to find the American Flag TR. You could just take regular tootsie rolls and change the story, or unwrap them. You could also rewrap regular tootsie rolls in colored Saran wrap or Aluminum foil. Again, change the story.

Procedure:

1. Distribute the letter to engage the students.
2. Have a class brainstorming session to determine what should be done and what procedure should be followed. Keep in mind the supplies you have brought to class to determine the mass and volume.
3. Have the students collect their data in groups.
4. Graph the points on the coordinate plane and draw a line of fit.
5. Find an equation of the line drawn.
6. Enter the equation in Y1 and graph with their stat-plot.

While the students are completing the activity the teacher could collect the data from each group and enter into an overhead calculator and later find the regression line for the class’ data.

I would not give the students all of the instructions in the beginning. After a majority of the groups have completed a step put the next instruction on the board.

Reflection Questions:

1. Predict the volume of a tootsie roll that weighs 20 gram.
2. What does the y-intercept represent?
3. What does the slope represent?
4. If the Tootsie Roll company has this same problem with some of their other products Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies, Charms Blow Pops, Junior Mints what, if anything do you expect to change and why?

If you provide “product samples”, Tootsie Roll makes Dots, Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies, Charms Blow Pops, Junior Mints and other stuff. Check out their website. www.tootsie.com

Variation:

Use marshmallows, mini and normal size or compare different brands of marshmallows.

Submitted by R. Bishop