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MATHEMATICS PATHWAYS STAGE 1 Folio Task
Allied Health/Community Services INDUSTRY PATHWAYS PROGRAM
Are you putting yourself and your clients in Danger?
Suggested weighting: 20%
Approximate duration: 2-4 Weeks
Created by: Karena Sneath & Sarah Baker (October ’09)
Valley View Secondary School
Notes to the teacher
This investigation is designed to demonstrate to students the importance of correctly storing and reheating
food, using mathematical procedures and notations in a real life situation.
It could be run before/after a Budget task of preparing and budgeting for meals for clients in a care situation
(applied task for aged, child care, meals on wheels, community care nurse etc)
This task could also be linked with a Science module on identification of bacteria/fungi and other pathogens,
importance of hygiene and safe food handling. Also the water requirements for growing rice in Australia and a
debate on whether we should be growing rice here or buying from overseas (including food miles).
Students will look at the importance of rice as a staple food in our community (including percentages of
population with wheat allergies etc) as a starting point. They will look at different cooling down and storage
procedures for cooked rice, including cooling down on the bench and in the fridge and record temperatures
over time periods, graph the results and compare these to regulation temperatures for food handling
procedures.
Provide samples of fresh, 24 hr, 48, 36 and 7 day old rice which has been stored in the fridge. Students will look
for signs of contamination within fresh, 24 hr, 48, 36 and 7 day old rice which has been stored in the fridge (all
cooked in a rice cooker and cooled down in the fridge). Spoonfuls of rice will be suspended in saline, spun
down to get rid of solid matter and the resulting solution diluted and plated out on agar plates. After growing
the bacteria, students will be able to count and then use the dilution factors to calculate amounts of
contaminants using scientific notation and significant figures. The data will be presented in a table or graph
format.
Students who wish to extend the task further may wish to investigate their rice which has been cooled down
on the bench compared to in the fridge or include other food groups (leftover curry mixed with rice etc). They
may also wish to investigate bacterial growth rates and logarithmic curves.
Mathematical skills which may be required to complete this task.
Ratio
Percentages
Decimals
Rates
Representing Statistics
Statistics
Equations and inequations
Representing Data
Data interpretation
Introduction
Many professions involving care of clients (child care, aged care, community nurse) involve the preparation and
reheating of food. One of the most common “bulk cooked” and reheated low allergy foods is rice. Rice is
known as one of the “high risk” foods for contamination.
Task description.
Are you putting your clients in Danger?
Many people store leftovers in the fridge for use on another day, are you aware of the associated risks?
Part A:

Research the current statistics for people with wheat allergies and the importance of rice as a staple
food in our community (including percentages of population with wheat allergies etc) as a starting
point.
This is a draft, unauthorised working document. Feedback is appreciated.
This is a draft, unauthorised working document. Feedback is appreciated.



Activity: Over a 1-2 hour time period record the temperature of rice which is cooled down
(a) on the bench and
(b) in the fridge.
Your data will need to be recorded in a table.
Compare your results to the published regulations for cooling down food and analyse which cooling
method (bench or fridge) is best.
Part B: You will be given samples of fresh, 24 hr, 48, 36 and 7 day old rice which has been stored in the fridge
(all cooked in the same rice cooker and cooled down in the fridge) to look at contamination.
Follow the method below to plate out and count contaminants within the rice (this will include taking spoonfuls
of rice will be suspended in saline, spun down to get rid of solid matter and the resulting solution diluted and
plated out on agar plates. After growing the bacteria, students will be able to count and then use the dilution
factors to calculate amounts of contaminants)
Presentation:
Present your data in a table with using scientific notation and significant figures and then use this data to graph
your results.
Present your research and practical results as a brochure to warn others of the dangers involved with the
storage and handling of rice as a staple food.
Students who wish to extend the task further may wish to include their original rice samples, cooled down on
the bench or in the fridge, other food groups (leftover curry mixed with rice etc) and the types of graphs
generated (are they a log curve as seen in bacterial growth curves etc).
Other research
Students may wish to research allergies with other foods.
Suggested possible sources of information.
Internet search:
Local businesses:
Vocational trainer:
Suggestions to students in analysing this task through mathematically modelling a realistic situation
Clarifying:
Fully explain your scenario and problem, including any assumptions and boundaries.
Modelling:
Form a mathematical model or strategy which closely investigates your problem.
Solving:
Use a mathematical tools and methods to find a possible answer to the problem.
Interpreting:
Interpret your solution by comparing it to real life situation. Is the solution around the mark?
Checking:
Check your solution against your original scenario using an alternative method, or
measurement. Discuss how appropriate your solution is to the work situation.
Reporting:
Report clearly and in detail, on all considerations, research, data, issues, and areas of
extension, mathematical determinations conclusions and possible constraints.
Evaluation:
Reflect on your solution and determine areas where there could be improvement, refinement
or development. Generalize the solution or methodology to other similar situations.
This is a draft, unauthorised working document. Feedback is appreciated.