In this issue of Math in the News we look at the great Monarch butterfly migration.

1. Math in the News
Each year the great Monarch
butterfly migration from Canada
to Mexico starts in September.
This 2000-mile trek has become
an international sensation.
Scientists track the movements
of the butterflies. And we can
use their data to measure
distance and speed.
In this issue of Math in the The Butterfly Migration
News we study the migration of
the Monarch butterfly.

2. Math in the News
Watch this amazing
PBS video to learn
more about the
Monarch butterfly’s
migration from
Canada to Mexico.
http://video.pbs.org
/video/1063682334
/

3. Math in the News
There are several
Web sites that
monitor the
migration of the
butterflies. Click on
this link to see an
interactive map.
http://www.learner.
org/jnorth/maps/mo
narch_peak_fall2012
.html

4. Math in the News
You can estimate the
straight-line
distance the
butterflies have
traveled by
connecting a line
from two different
migration-location
sites. You would also
make a note of the
time period this
represents.

5. Math in the News
To calculate the average speed of the
migration divide the total distance (in
miles) by the total time (in hours)

6. Math in the News
We will be tracking
the migration of the
butterflies from
September to
November. So keep
coming back as we
gather more data!