The Federal Period:
Shaping a Nation 1780-1820

Go Figure

The total cost of building the Gore Estate in 1806 was calculated to be $23,608.14. Christopher Gore kept a detailed record of his expenditures in his Account Book, which still survives today.

Objective:
To have students calculate percentages and draw a pie chart.

Curriculum Links:

Mathematics
• Number Sense and Operations
• Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability

Materials:
• A worksheet The Cost of Building Gore Place.

Instructions:
• Follow the directions below:

The Cost of Building Gore Place

Problem A

The following expenditures were part of the total amount:

Bricks—$2,409.66
Hardware—$1,646.81
Wallpaper—$194.00
Pigments and Oil for Painting—$800.00
Labor—$12, 259

 

What percentage of the total cost were:

Bricks?
Hardware?
Wallpaper?
Pigments and oils for painting?
Labor?

Problem B

The relative cost of labor for building Gore Place was $12,261.

 The following is a breakdown of that amount:

Painting—$250.00
Brickwork—$2,343.00
Plastering—$806.00
Paper Hanging—$38.00
Copper work—$727.00
Masonr y—$195.00
Carpentry—$7,500.00
Miscellaneous Installations—$224.00
Transportation—$178.00

Calculate each percentage of the total labor expenditure.

Draw a pie chart with these amounts.

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