How fast does hair grow?

The story of Rapunzel and her long, golden hair has been told for centuries. But just how long is her hair, and how long did it take to grow?

In this lesson, students will explore these questions with the help of a real-life Rapunzel named Ida Pedersen, who hasn’t cut her hair in over a decade. They’ll use linear equations to model how her hair has grown over time, and will use their model to estimate a person’s hair growth rate. Based on this, they’ll be able to see whether or not Rapunzel’s story is true to life, or whether there must be something more magical going on.

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