In this new weekly blog post, Jessica will highlight Just One Resource from our NGPF collection that maybe doesn't get the attention it deserves. Use it this week or bookmark it for later.

[The Resource]  NUMBER CHUG: Break Even with Soap

The Gist: In this scenario, "April's" caught the entrepreneurial spirit and is handmaking soaps to sell for profit. Over the course of this seven-question Number Chug, students learn about revenue, cost, and profit as well as fixed and variable expenses and breakeven point. 

The Best Parts: 

• This Number Chug focuses extensively on important concepts from Algebra I such as the slope of linear graphs and the intersection of a system of equations. This would be a perfect way for a traditional math teacher to infuse a little personal finance OR for a personal finance teacher to infuse a bit more math.
• If your students don't know much about how handmade soaps are created, there's enough interesting detail in this Number Chug to have them asking, "Animal fat??? Hardwood ash???"
• There's a little bit about other aspects of being an entrepreneur -- Should she spend more to create fancy packaging? Is her final profit worth all the effort?
• You could also use the Number Chug as a kickoff to teaching about taxes. As a business owner, what are April's tax implications?

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Want to find more math related resources? Be sure to scan our Math Resource Directory!

About the Author

Jessica Endlich

When I started working at Next Gen Personal Finance, it's as though my undergraduate degree in finance, followed by ten years as an educator in an NYC public high school, suddenly all made sense.