Contextualization

Introduction

Percentage is one of the most important parts of mathematics and is used in our daily lives. It represents a proportion based on one hundred parts and is a concept closely related to fractions and decimals. Percentage can be written as a decimal or a fraction of the number 100.

Percentage is a way to express a fraction of 100 or a proportion that considers the whole as 100. The word percentage comes from Latin and means 'per cent,' or 'per hundred.' Percentage is a fundamental concept in many disciplines, including physics, economics, and, of course, mathematics.

Percentage can be used to express relationships, increases or decreases, comparisons, etc. For example, if we say that something has increased by 20%, it means it has increased by 20 for every 100 of its initial value. Or, if we say that 30% of the people in a room are women, it means that, for every 100 people in the room, 30 are women.

Contextualization

Percentage is an essential tool in our daily lives. It is used to calculate discounts in stores, interest on loans, taxes, tips in restaurants, and even to understand the statistics we see in the news. In short, percentage helps us better understand the world around us.

One of the most common applications of percentage is in financial education. Learning to calculate percentages is essential for effective money management. It is essential to understand the value of compound interest, the rate of return on an investment, the cost of a loan, among others. Therefore, learning about percentages is a fundamental step in the formation of conscious and capable citizens.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: 'Percentage in the Real World'

Project Objective

The objective of this project is to apply the theory of percentages to the real world through the creation of a 'Finance Fair' where students will develop and manage a series of activities involving the use of percentages.

Detailed Project Description

Groups of students (3 to 5) will have 1 month to plan and organize a 'Finance Fair.' Each group will be assigned to a different station at the fair, where they will be responsible for explaining a specific concept related to percentage through fun activities.

Suggested stations:

1. Discounts Station: Here students can create a mini-market with products (simulated or real items) and offer discounts at different percentages. The students visiting the station need to calculate the discount amount and the final price of the product.

2. Tips Station: This station can be a simulation of a restaurant where students need to calculate tips based on different percentages.

3. Investments Station: In this station, students can explain how compound interest works. They can present different investment scenarios, and the audience needs to calculate which option would yield the highest return based on the percentage.

4. Taxes Station: Here, students can prepare an activity where the audience needs to calculate different types of taxes such as IPI, ICMS, and ISS on products or services.

Required Materials

• Cardboards, colored papers, pens, scissors, and glue for creating the stations and support materials;
• Calculators;
• Objects to simulate products in the mini-market;
• Internet access for research.

Step by Step

1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.
2. Each group chooses or is assigned to one of the stations.
3. Students should research and delve into the theme of their station.
4. Plan and create activities for their station. The activities should include various percentage problems to be solved by the students visiting the station.
5. Conduct the 'Finance Fair.' Each group member must be prepared to explain the percentage concept that their station covers, as well as assist visitors in solving the problems.

Throughout this project, each group should prepare a written document in the form of a report, which will be submitted to the teacher at the end of the project, containing the following topics:

1. Introduction: In this section, students should contextualize the theme of their station, its relevance and real-world application, and the objective of their project.
2. Development: Here, students should explain the theory behind the theme of their station, describe in detail the activity they created, explain the methodology used to solve the proposed problems, and discuss the results obtained.
3. Conclusion: In this part, students should summarize their main points, explain the learnings obtained, and draw conclusions about the project.
4. Bibliography: Students should indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project.

By the end of this experience, students should have learned not only how to calculate percentages and apply them in daily life but also have developed skills in teamwork, time management, problem-solving, creative thinking, and proactivity.