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Payday

Why do different jobs pay so differently?

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Payday

Why do different jobs pay so differently?

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Why do different jobs pay so differently? top-paid teacher earns in a year. On one hand, this seems unfair. On the other hand...it still seems unfair. But there’s a reason some jobs pay so much better than others.

In this lesson, students use unit rates to compare how much different professions make per year/day/hour and discuss ways to possibly equate compensation with social contribution.

REAL WORLD TAKEAWAYS

  • Different professions earn vastly different amounts. More money doesn’t always mean the job is more “valuable.”
  • When the payer/employer benefits directly from the value an employee generates – e.g. having LeBron James on your NBA team means you’ll sell millions more in tickets, swag, etc. – then the employer is likely to pay for that value.

MATH OBJECTIVES

  • Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real world problems
  • Calculate daily and hourly unit rates
  • However, in other professions that generate value for society at large – e.g. a teacher increases students’ future earnings, the President boosts economic performance – that value is often not reflected in compensation.

Appropriate most times as students are developing conceptual understanding.
Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Grade 6
Ratios & Unit Rates
Content Standards
Mathematical Practices

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