Summer Learning Journey - Week 3 Day 2 Activity 3: Flying Fungi

Activity 3: Flying Fungi [10 points]

In the middle of winter it can get quite wet and damp in New Zealand, can’t it? When it gets really damp, it is common for things like mould and fungi to start to grow. We can often see them on the walls, ceilings or floors of our houses or outside on footpaths, buildings or roadways. Some types of mould and fungi are so small that they can’t be seen. Some of these tiny fungi/mould can be found in the air. They are called ‘airborne fungi’ and they can be unhealthy for us.

On your blog, tell us how you would solve this tricky maths problem. Be sure to also post your final answer in days or weeks.


Let’s imagine that we tested the air in your classroom and found 7 different kinds of mold. Eek! The cleaner says that it takes 5 days for each mould to be eradicated (removed). If the school had to remove each mould one at a time, how long would it take to remove all the mould from the classroom?

5 x 7 = 35 days to get rid of the mould.