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STANDARDS
CCSS: 6.SP.B.4, 6.SP.B.5, 7.SP.B.3, 8.SP.A.1, MP1, MP5, MP6
TEKS: 6.12A, 6.12B, 6.12C, 6.12D, 6.13A, 7.6G, 7.12A, 8.5C, 8.11A
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Balloon Bonanza
On October 1, hundreds of hot-air balloons—some round and brightly colored, others shaped like animals and objects—will fill the sky above Albuquerque, New Mexico. This annual mass ascent marks the start of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest hot-air balloon festival!
The Fiesta began in 1972 as a small local event with just 13 balloons. It has since grown into a nine-day celebration that draws thousands of spectators from around the world. Not only do hot-air-balloon pilots launch their crafts every morning, but the Fiesta also features live music, fireworks, and balloon-piloting competitions.
Pilots control hot-air balloons using a small gas burner attached to the top of the basket. When the air inside the balloon heats up, it becomes less dense than the air outside. This creates an upward force called buoyancy, which allows the balloon to rise gracefully. To descend, pilots lower the gas to cool the air in the balloon.
Hot-air balloons were invented by French brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier. In 1783, they successfully launched the first unmanned hot-air balloon made of paper and silk. Although people have been flying them for more than 200 years, balloons continue to captivate the public.
Paul Petrehn, the Fiesta’s event director, thinks the low-tech quality of hot-air balloons is part of their charm. “It’s the simplicity of hot-air balloons—their bright colors and unique shapes—that appeals to kids of all ages,” he says.
Answer the following questions using the information in the charts and graphs above.
By volume, how many Master Yoda balloons would fit inside the Old Lady in the Shoe balloon?
A) 1 B) 2
C) 3 D) 4
How many of the Fiesta’s 59 events this year are fireworks?
A) 1 B) 3
C) 5 D) 7
About how many more balloons were registered in 2000 than in 1988?
A) 200 B) 450
C) 775 D) 1,020
What’s the difference between the volume of the Pirate Ship balloon and that of the rest of the balloons above combined?
A) 112,000 ft^3 B) 118,000 ft^3
C) 242,000 ft^3 D) 382,000 ft^3
What was the approximate average number of balloons registered for the Fiestas in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016?
A) 200 B) 400
C) 700 D) 1,000
Between which two years listed below did the number of registered balloons decrease?
A) 1976 and 1980 B) 2012 and 2016
C) 1992 and 1996 D) 2004 and 2008
When heated, 1 ft^3 of air inside a balloon weighs 0.0593 pounds. How much does all of the heated air inside the Splash balloon weigh?
What is the ratio of the width of the Master Yoda balloon to its height in simplest form?
At the Fiesta, about how many more balloon launches are there than balloon competitions?
The Fiesta became so popular that organizers had to limit the number of balloons. Of the years in the bar graph, which occurred after the limit was imposed? Explain.