Comparing the carbon footprint of transportation

A maths-based challenge for KS3 to calculate the journey times and carbon footprint of different methods of travel

As well as testing students’ mathematical abilities, this activity highlights the issue of sustainable travel and the effects of some modes of transport on the environment.

This could be used as a one-off main lesson activity to use maths skills in context, or as part of a scheme of work on sustainability, to build knowledge and understanding of climate change and ways of reducing it.

Activity introduction
This activity is one of a series of resources designed in conjunction with Network Rail to develop understanding and skills in key maths, science, and engineering concepts.

The carbon footprint data in the presentation is derived from passenger-specific figures published by BEIS/Defra Greenhouse Gas Conversion Factors 2019.

Transportation speeds are approximations based on typical values obtained from commonly used search engines. Any statistical or speed-related data used in this activity serves its sole purpose within the activity and may not accurately mirror current real-world conditions. Variability might arise due to seasonal changes, environmental conditions, or legal constraints.

When utilising the activity sheet, students can construct tables for each journey, showcasing their findings (as depicted on the sheet). For air travel, a buffer of 3 hours should be allotted to account for check-in, security procedures, and boarding at airports.

To add an additional layer of complexity, transit times to airports and railway stations could be incorporated.

The presentation includes supplementary slides for those who prefer kilometres instead of miles.

The engineering context
Engineers must understand how products impact the environment; This pertains not only to modes of transportation but also encompasses the production of new items. They can use this knowledge to balance the environmental impact with the function carried out by the product. Engineers can also develop new or improved

Suggested learning outcomes
By the end of this activity, students will be able to solve a contextual problem using division and multiplication, and they will understand how to calculate journey times and the carbon footprint for alternative modes of transport.

All activity sheets and supporting resources are free to download, and all the documents are fully editable, so you can tailor them to your students’ and your schools’ needs.

The activity sheet includes teachers’ notes, useful web links, and links (where appropriate) to the national curriculum in each of the four devolved nations; England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

You can download our step-by-step instructions below as either a classroom lesson plan or PowerPoint presentation.

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