Students use math to paint elderly couple's home

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Kids ask their parents when they’ll ever use the math skills they’re learning in school.

A teacher in Tampa has a practical answer that his students put to the test Friday.

Mr. Bruce Young's 7th-graders at Roland Park K-8 helped give new life to a Carver City home in need of TLC. But the project came with a lesson in practical math. 

In the classroom, Mr. Yong's students are studying things like how to calculate an object's area.

So for the project, he challenged the students to calculate the home's surface area so they could maximize the purchase of paint.

Students measured walls, windows, and doors and then used that information to determine how much paint was needed.

Parents came by to serve lunch, help kids with their painting skills, and cheer them on.

The home -  located on West Laurel Street, just blocks away from Roland Park K-8 - belongs to an elderly couple.

“The kids are totally excited,” Mr. Young said. “They all met the owner of the house. He’s very grateful and I think the kids could put some emotion with the learning, as well.”

Young says he's excited to review with the kids on Monday to see what they learned.

He hopes to do more projects like this in the future.