Disaster Response: Packing a Mobile Medical Unit Using Volume Calculation
Interactive Volume Optimization Activity | CCSS 8.G.C.9
In this engaging real-world math activity, students step into the role of disaster response planners responsible for packing a mobile medical unit after a major emergency. Using volume formulas for cylinders, cones, and spheres, students make critical decisions about medical equipment under realistic space constraints.
Rather than completing disconnected calculations, students apply geometry concepts to a meaningful optimization problem where every choice affects how many lives can be helped.
What Students Will Do
- Calculate volumes of cylindrical, conical, and spherical medical equipment
- Analyze different equipment sizes and their space requirements
- Use interactive sliders to choose how many units of each item to load
- Track total storage volume and remaining capacity in real time
- Optimize their loadout to help at least 100 patients
- Revise decisions to stay within strict storage limits
- Reflect on tradeoffs between space, capacity, and medical impact
Key Math Concepts Covered
- Volume of a cylinder: V = πr²h
- Volume of a cone: V = (1/3)πr²h
- Volume of a sphere: V = (4/3)πr³
- Understanding how radius and height affect volume
- Applying geometry to real-world decision making
Why Teachers Love This Activity
- Fully aligned with Common Core Standard 8.G.C.9
- Interactive and auto-graded
- Supports randomization, so students receive different dimensions
- Prevents answer copying while preserving discussion value
- Encourages reasoning, experimentation, and optimization
- Multiple correct solutions supported
- Ideal for classwork, independent practice, or assessment
- Strong real-world relevance tied to emergency response and logistics
Grade Level and Use
- Designed for Grade 8 Geometry
- Works well for STEM and real-world math applications
- Can be completed in one class period or extended for discussion
Learning Objective
Students will calculate and compare the volumes of cylinders, cones, and spheres and apply those calculations to make real-world decisions about packing medical supplies under space constraints in a disaster response scenario.
Randomization Available
This worksheet supports randomization, meaning students may receive different dimensions for each piece of equipment. As a result, calculated volumes and optimal packing combinations can vary from student to student. This encourages independent problem solving and prevents answer copying.
💡 Tip: When assigning this activity to your classroom, you can optionally enable randomization to give each student a unique version of the problems. When you re-assign the same worksheet, each student will get a new set of questions, helping them master the content through repeated practice.
