The Daily Dispatch

Stan Goldade's college math students are incorporating their algebra skills in a way that will last beyond the school year.

Ever since the Enloe Bridge biking path opened in September, the Breckenridge teacher noticed a lack of signs on Wilkin Road 10, warning drivers of the path.

Drivers occasionally use the path as a turning lane when they head west and create a potentially dangerous situation, said Goldade.

Using an algebraic formula, his students are currently designing a bike logo that will be easily seen. The length of the logo's pavement letters are determined by a combination of average vehicle height, the speed zone and measuring the distance from the letters to the driver's eye height.

Several renditions of the bike logo have been created by the students. After some trial and error, they decided to go for one that will likely be 8 feet in length.

Wilkin County Highway Engineer Tom Richels recently saw some preliminary sketches and was impressed. Although he hasn't spoken to Goldade yet, he said the department would like the students to create a wood stencil of the idea.

"Then we could actually paint them permanently on the bike path," he said. "They did a very nice job."

Goldade said his students have been doing the calculations for years, but now they finally have a practical use for it.

"They were excited," he said. "They're getting to use this math somewhere besides the chalkboard.

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