Math in the News Issue 74: Are You Driving Less?

This issue of Math in the News examines a shift in American driving habits through a data-driven lens. Using charts and graphs from the University of Michigan and federal agencies, students analyze trends in vehicle ownership and annual mileage traveled between 1984 and 2011. Despite economic recovery post-2010, vehicle usage remained lower than pre-2008 levels. This discrepancy opens up a discussion of factors such as gas prices, economic uncertainty, and lifestyle changes.

Students interpret multiple graphs and explore correlations between gasoline prices, economic output (GDP), and mileage patterns. The lesson emphasizes mathematical reasoning around data interpretation, slope, and trend analysis, while also inviting speculation about causality and future projections. Students apply math to real-world social science contexts and are encouraged to ask critical questions about how personal and public behavior affects—and is affected by—economic data. A video adds historical context with a 2012 press conference on fuel prices.

Subscribers to Media4Math can download the complete Math in the News issue in PDF format.