Maths In Jobs
Be a junior doctor for a day maths challenge
An imaginative role-play challenge where children use time, measurement, charts and careful number reading like a real doctor.
Quick answer
You can be a junior doctor for a day by using maths to measure patients, read charts, and keep track of time – just like real doctors do!Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to use time, measurement, and charts to help a pretend patient feel better – just like a real junior doctor! Success signs:- You can tell the time to the nearest 5 minutes
- You can measure a patient’s temperature and height
- You can read and understand a simple chart or graph
- You can use maths to decide how long to wait between medicine doses
Why this matters
Doctors use maths every day to help patients feel better. When they check a patient’s temperature, they need to measure it correctly. When they give medicine, they need to know how often to give it. When they keep notes, they use charts to track a patient’s health. By pretending to be a doctor, you’ll learn how important maths is in real life.How it works
Being a junior doctor for a day means using maths to:- Check how long a patient has been unwell
- Measure their temperature and height
- Read charts showing how they’re feeling
- Plan when to give medicine
Examples you can see
Let’s imagine you are a junior doctor in a hospital. You have a patient who has been feeling unwell for a while. Here’s what you need to do: Step 1: Check the time You look at the clock and see it is 3:15 p.m. The patient started feeling sick at 11:45 a.m. How long have they been unwell? Step 2: Measure the temperature You take the patient’s temperature and it is 38.5°C. That’s a bit higher than normal (which is about 37°C). Step 3: Measure the height You measure the patient’s height and it is 120 cm. Step 4: Read a chart You look at a chart that shows how the patient’s temperature changes over time. It helps you see if the medicine is working. Step 5: Plan medicine time The doctor tells you to give medicine every 6 hours. If you gave the medicine at 3:15 p.m., the next dose will be at 9:15 p.m.Try it as a mini adventure
Adventure: Be a junior doctor for a day You are the junior doctor in a busy hospital. You have a patient who is not feeling well. You need to help them by using maths. Task 1: Check the time The patient started feeling sick at 10:30 a.m. It is now 2:15 p.m. How long have they been unwell? Task 2: Measure temperature You measure the patient’s temperature and it is 39.2°C. Is this high or normal? Task 3: Measure height You measure the patient’s height and it is 110 cm. Is this a normal height for a child? Task 4: Read the chart Look at this chart showing how the patient’s temperature changes:| Time | Temperature (°C) |
|---|---|
| 10:30 a.m. | 38.0 |
| 12:30 p.m. | 38.5 |
| 2:30 p.m. | 39.2 |
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Thinking that 10:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. is 4 hours.
Why it happens: Children often count the hours without thinking about minutes.
Fix: Count the hours and minutes separately. From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. is 4 hours. Then count the extra 15 minutes to get 4 hours and 15 minutes. - Mistake: Confusing 39.2°C with a normal temperature.
Why it happens: Children might not know that 37°C is normal.
Fix: Remind them that 37°C is normal and anything above is a fever. - Mistake: Reading a chart and thinking the patient is getting better when they are not.
Why it happens: Children may not understand what a chart shows.
Fix: Show them how to read the chart by looking at the numbers and seeing if they go up or down.
Parent and carer guide
As a parent or carer, you can help your child by:- Setting a timer to practice telling time to the nearest 5 minutes
- Using a thermometer to measure the temperature of water or food
- Creating a chart with your child to track something like how many steps they take each day
- Playing a game where you ask your child to tell the time or measure something
- Encouraging them to explain how they solved a problem
- “What time is it?”
- “How long has it been since we started this activity?”
- “Can you read this chart for me?”
- “How can we measure this?”
- It’s okay if they make mistakes – they’re learning!
- Don’t rush them – let them think through the problem
- They don’t need to know all the medical terms – just focus on the maths
Practice questions
- It is 4:20 p.m. The patient started feeling sick at 9:45 a.m. How long have they been unwell?
- A patient’s temperature is 37.8°C. Is this normal or a fever?
- You measure a child’s height and it is 130 cm. Is this taller or shorter than average?
- If medicine is given every 8 hours and the last dose was at 7:00 a.m., when is the next dose?
- Look at this chart:
What does the chart tell you about the patient’s health?Time Temperature (°C) 8:00 a.m. 38.0 12:00 p.m. 38.5 4:00 p.m. 39.0
- It is 4:20 p.m. The patient started feeling sick at 9:45 a.m. How long have they been unwell?
Answer: 6 hours and 35 minutes - A patient’s temperature is 37.8°C. Is this normal or a fever?
Answer: It is a fever - You measure a child’s height and it is 130 cm. Is this taller or shorter than average?
Answer: It is taller than average - If medicine is given every 8 hours and the last dose was at 7:00 a.m., when is the next dose?
Answer: 3:00 p.m. - Look at this chart:
What does the chart tell you about the patient’s health?Time Temperature (°C) 8:00 a.m. 38.0 12:00 p.m. 38.5 4:00 p.m. 39.0
Answer: The patient’s temperature is going up, which means they are not getting better.
FAQ
Why do doctors need to use maths?
Doctors use maths to measure things like temperature, height, and time. They also use charts to track how a patient is feeling. All of this helps them give the best care.
Can I be a doctor if I’m not good at maths?
No, doctors need to be good at maths because they use it every day to help patients. But you can practice and get better!
What does a junior doctor do?
A junior doctor is a doctor who is still learning. They help with patient care, check temperatures, and give medicine. They also learn how to read charts and use time.
How can I practice being a doctor at home?
You can use a toy thermometer, a timer, and make up charts to track your own health or the health of a pet.
What’s the most important thing about being a doctor?
The most important thing is helping people feel better. Maths helps doctors do that by keeping track of time, measuring things, and reading charts.