We had the hottest year in 2016

Grade level:  4th – 6th grades

Skills: Addition & Subtraction (decimal numbers)

Related environmental issues: Climate change

A report from the National Center for Environmental Information said that global temperature reached a record high for the third year in a row in 2016 since scientists started tracking global temperatures in 1880. 

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(click the line graph to jump to NASA)

  1. The report said that the average global temperature in 2016 was 0.94°C (1.69°F) above the 20th century average of 13.9°C (57.0°F). What was the average global temperature in 2016 in both °C and °F ?

  2. The report said that the average global temperature in 2016 surpassed the previous record warmth of 2015 by 0.04°C (0.07°F).  What was the average global temperature in 2015 in both °C and °F ?

  3. The report said that the global average temperature has increased at an average rate of 0.17°C (0.31°F) per decade since 1970. If the global average temperature increases at this rate for the next decade, what will be the temperature in 2026 in both °C and °F ?

Sources: National Center for Environmental Information

 

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Answer keys

  1. 14.84 °C & 58.69°F (13.9 + 0.94 = 14.84 ;  57.0 + 1.69 = 58.69)
  2. 14.8 °C & 58.62°F (14.84 – 0.04 = 14.8 ; 58.69 – 0.07 = 58.62)
  3. 15.01°C & 59°F(14.84 + 0.17 = 15.01 ; 58.69 + 0.31 = 59)