Real World Maths Adventures
The space station supply question prompts
Adult prompts and extension questions for plan oxygen, food, time and storage using junior maths.
Quick answer
You can use maths to work out how much food, water, and oxygen a space station needs by counting, sharing, and measuring supplies.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will be able to use maths to work out how much food, water, and oxygen a space station needs for its crew, and how long supplies will last. Success signs:- You can count how many people are on the space station
- You can calculate how much food each person needs each day
- You can add up all the food needed for a week
- You can work out how long supplies will last
Why this matters
Space stations are like tiny cities floating in space! They need food, water, and oxygen for the astronauts who live there. If they don’t plan how much they need, the astronauts might run out of food or air. This is where maths helps. You can use maths to make sure the space station has enough supplies to keep the astronauts safe and healthy. This kind of maths helps astronauts, engineers, and scientists solve real problems in space.How it works
Think of a space station like a small town. The astronauts need:- Food for meals
- Water to drink
- Oxygen to breathe
Examples you can see
Let’s imagine a space station with 3 astronauts. Each astronaut needs:- 2 meals per day
- 1 litre of water per day
- 0.5 litres of oxygen per day
- Each astronaut eats 2 meals
- 3 astronauts × 2 meals = 6 meals
- Each astronaut drinks 1 litre
- 3 astronauts × 1 litre = 3 litres
- Each astronaut needs 0.5 litres
- 3 astronauts × 0.5 litres = 1.5 litres
- Meals for one week = 6 meals/day × 7 days = 42 meals
- Water for one week = 3 litres/day × 7 days = 21 litres
- Oxygen for one week = 1.5 litres/day × 7 days = 10.5 litres
Try it as a mini adventure
Adventure: The Space Station Challenge You are a space station commander. You have 4 astronauts on your station. You need to plan supplies for 10 days. Each astronaut needs:- 3 meals per day
- 2 litres of water per day
- 1 litre of oxygen per day
- 4 astronauts × 3 meals = 12 meals per day
- 12 meals × 10 days = 120 meals
- 4 astronauts × 2 litres = 8 litres per day
- 8 litres × 10 days = 80 litres
- 4 astronauts × 1 litre = 4 litres per day
- 4 litres × 10 days = 40 litres
- 120 meals + 80 litres of water + 40 litres of oxygen = Total supplies
Common mistakes
- Mistake: Forgetting to multiply by the number of people.
- Why it happens: Kids might add instead of multiply when working out how much food or water is needed for more than one person.
- Fix: Use repeated addition or arrays to help understand multiplication. For example, 3 astronauts × 2 meals = 2 + 2 + 2 = 6 meals.
- Mistake: Mixing up units like litres and meals.
- Why it happens: Kids might not understand that meals are counted and litres are measured.
- Fix: Always label your answers clearly. “12 meals” is different from “12 litres”.
- Mistake: Not checking if the total makes sense.
- Why it happens: Kids might make big calculation errors and not realize it.
- Fix: Double-check your work. Ask: “Does this seem like enough?”
Parent and carer guide
Parents and carers can help by:- Using real-world examples like cooking or shopping to show how maths helps plan supplies
- Playing games where you count how much food or water someone needs for a day
- Encouraging children to write or draw their own space station plan
- Checking that the child understands what each number means
- Using the mini adventure as a fun activity to do together
Practice questions
- How many meals do 5 astronauts need for 3 days if each eats 2 meals a day?
- A space station has 2 astronauts. Each needs 1.5 litres of water per day. How much water is needed for 5 days?
- How much oxygen do 6 astronauts need for 7 days if each needs 0.5 litres per day?
- How many meals are needed for 4 astronauts for 10 days if each eats 3 meals a day?
- A space station has 3 astronauts. Each needs 2 litres of water and 1 litre of oxygen per day. How much of each do they need for 4 days?
- 5 astronauts × 2 meals = 10 meals/day × 3 days = 30 meals
- 2 astronauts × 1.5 litres = 3 litres/day × 5 days = 15 litres
- 6 astronauts × 0.5 litres = 3 litres/day × 7 days = 21 litres
- 4 astronauts × 3 meals = 12 meals/day × 10 days = 120 meals
- 3 astronauts × 2 litres = 6 litres/day × 4 days = 24 litres of water
- 3 astronauts × 1 litre = 3 litres/day × 4 days = 12 litres of oxygen
FAQ
What is the most important thing to calculate for a space station?
The most important thing is to make sure there is enough food, water, and oxygen for all the astronauts to stay safe and healthy.
How do astronauts know how much food to pack?
Astronauts use maths to calculate how much food each person eats per day and then multiply by the number of people and days.
Why do astronauts need oxygen?
Astronauts need oxygen to breathe. Without it, they would not be able to live in space.
Can astronauts eat the same food every day?
Yes, but they plan meals so they get all the nutrients they need. Astronauts often eat the same food for a few days to make planning easier.
How does this help in real life?
Planning supplies helps in many places, like schools, hospitals, and even your home. It helps you make sure you have enough food and water for everyone.