First, you’ll watch a video to learn about Chloe Dao, season 2 winner of Project Runway, and how she uses math in fashion design. At the end of the video Chloe sets up a fashion-related algebra challenge. You will work with a partner to solve the challenge.

Record your name(s).

After you’ve finished this activity, you will know:

• Some of the ways math is used in fashion design;
• How to explain the difference between the wholesale and retail price of an item and how to determine the elements that influence the retail price;
• How to solve problems using rates (percents), ratios and proportional reasoning; and
• How to use algebraic and numeric expression, equations, and inequalities that are interconnected and build on one another to produce a coherent whole.

Vocabulary

Read these words and their definitions. When you see them, you may click on them to read the definition again.

• Wholesale cost
• Retail price
• Markup
• Labor cost
• Percent

Most of us have gone clothes shopping — some more than others — whether it’s for back-to-school essentials or for a school formal. When shopping, we often look for the latest styles, the best quality, good prices, popular designers, and so on.

Discuss these questions with your partner, then record your answers in the box below. Don’t forget to save your work!

• Think about your wardrobe. Which clothes are your favorites?
• When you go shopping, do you pay attention to the cost of the clothing you purchase?
• How do you think mathematics might be used in connection with fashion?
• When you look the price tag, have you ever thought about the how the designer prices an item?

This video about fashion designer and Project Runway Season 2 winner Chloe Dao highlights how she uses algebraic reasoning in her work. Click “View” on the left to watch the video. You may want to watch the video multiple times before answering the questions below.

• Write down a few of the ways Chloe uses math in her designs.
• Describe the challenge that Chloe poses to the teams in the video.

In the video you just watched, you learned that when Chloe’s designs are sold, the wholesale cost of her item is increased by 220% to determine the retail price.

Think about another real-life situation where the price of an item might be increased or decreased by a certain percentage. Record your answers in the box below.

• When you go shopping, if you add up the prices of all the items you want to buy, is that the total amount you will pay as you leave the store?
• What additional costs should you consider to figure out the total amount you will pay?
• What should you do if you realize the total cost is too high and over your spending limit?

Now it’s your turn to solve the challenge. First, click “View” on the left to open the Math in Fashion: Take the Challenge handout. Print out the handout.

Next, click “View” below to explore the Take the Challenge interactive. Work with your partner to develop a strategy and complete the handout as you work through the activity.

Observe the strategies the teams used in the video. Are they similar or different from the strategy you used? Explain.

Now that you know how this works, try another fashion challenge. This next activity will provide you with an opportunity to redesign cargo pants, a prom dress, and a jacket to hit specific price points. Click “View” on the left to open the Math in Fashion: Try Other Fashion Challenges handout. Print out the handout.

Next, click “View” below to explore the Math in Fashion: Try Other Fashion Challenges interactive. Work with your partner to develop a strategy and complete the handout as you work through the activity.

Reflection: Now take the time to reflect on this activity and record your thoughts. Click “View” on the left to download the Reflection handout. Print out the handout.

Instructions

Discuss the questions on the handout with your partner. Then, answer the questions on your own. Be ready to present your conclusions for a classroom discussion.