Name: ______________________ Date: __________ Station: ______
Lesson 5.13, one day. Every dollar figure on this sheet is written for class and to be refreshed before teaching.
The formula: cost per wear = price divided by the number of times worn. The answer is in dollars per wear.
Word bank: price, wear, divide, seam, thread, button, strong
Spanish: precio, uso, dividir, costura, hilo, botón, fuerte
Part 1. The three worked problems
Show the division. Write the unit on every answer.
(a) The jeans. A pair of jeans costs $60. You wear them 200 times before they wear out.
$60 ÷ 200 wears = $__________ per wear
(b) The shirt. A shirt costs $15. You wore it 5 times. Then you stopped wearing it.
$15 ÷ 5 wears = $__________ per wear
(c) The coat. A winter coat costs $90. You wear it for 3 winters.
First you have to estimate (make a careful guess). How many times do you wear a winter coat in one winter? ________ times
So 3 winters is 3 × ________ = ________ wears
$90 ÷ ________ wears = $__________ per wear
Which of the three cost the most per wear? ______________________
Which one had the lowest price? ______________________
Write one sentence: what do those two answers together tell you? ________________________________________________
Part 2. What makes a garment last
For each factor, fill in what a good one looks like and what a fail looks like.
| Factor | What to look for | A good one | A fail |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fiber | Read the label. What is it made of? What are the percentages? | ||
| 2. Seam type | Look inside. One row of stitching, two rows, or a raw edge wrapped inside? | ||
| 3. Stitches per inch | Put the ruler on a seam and count one inch. | ______ per inch is good | ______ per inch is low |
| 4. Reinforcement at stress points | Look where the body pulls: pocket corners, belt loops, underarms, knees, where a strap joins. | ||
| 5. Buttons and closures | Pull the button gently. Run the zipper. |
Seam words to know
- Single-needle seam: one row of stitching. It is the first seam to open.
- Double-needle seam: two parallel rows. It holds much better.
- Flat felled seam: the raw edges are folded and wrapped inside, then stitched through. It is the strongest of the three. Look at the outside side seam of a pair of jeans.
- Serged edge: thread looped over the raw edge to stop it from fraying. That is a finish, not a seam. A serged edge alone does not hold two pieces together.
- Bar tack: a short, dense line of stitches at a stress point, like the corner of a pocket.
- Stress point: anywhere the body pulls on the garment.
Part 3. Quality inspection, four garments
Run all five checks on each garment your station gets. Check the box if the result is good. Write the number where a number is asked for.
Garment 1: ______________________
| Check | Finding | Good? |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber (from the label) | ☐ | |
| Seam type (single, double, flat felled, or serged only) | ☐ | |
| Stitches per inch | ______ per inch | ☐ |
| Reinforcement at a stress point (name the point) | ☐ | |
| Buttons and closures | ☐ |
One sentence: this garment will or will not last, because ________________________________
Garment 2: ______________________
| Check | Finding | Good? |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber (from the label) | ☐ | |
| Seam type | ☐ | |
| Stitches per inch | ______ per inch | ☐ |
| Reinforcement at a stress point (name the point) | ☐ | |
| Buttons and closures | ☐ |
One sentence: this garment will or will not last, because ________________________________
Garment 3: ______________________
| Check | Finding | Good? |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber (from the label) | ☐ | |
| Seam type | ☐ | |
| Stitches per inch | ______ per inch | ☐ |
| Reinforcement at a stress point (name the point) | ☐ | |
| Buttons and closures | ☐ |
One sentence: this garment will or will not last, because ________________________________
Garment 4: ______________________
| Check | Finding | Good? |
|---|---|---|
| Fiber (from the label) | ☐ | |
| Seam type | ☐ | |
| Stitches per inch | ______ per inch | ☐ |
| Reinforcement at a stress point (name the point) | ☐ | |
| Buttons and closures | ☐ |
One sentence: this garment will or will not last, because ________________________________
My ranking
Rank the four garments. 1 is most likely to last. 4 is least likely. Write one reason for each rank.
| Rank | Garment | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 |
Part 4. The trade-off: price now against cost over time
Two garments, two different people. Compute cost per wear for both.
Garment 1, the heavy sweatshirt: $44. Garment 2, the thin t-shirt: $8.
Person 1: a student who walks to school and will wear it four days a week for two winters
About how many wears in two winters? ________ wears
| Garment | Price | Wears | Cost per wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| The $8 t-shirt | $8 | $ | |
| The $44 sweatshirt | $44 | $ |
Verdict, one sentence: ________________________________________________
Person 2: someone who needs a shirt for one concert
About how many wears? ________ wears
| Garment | Price | Wears | Cost per wear |
|---|---|---|---|
| The $8 t-shirt | $8 | $ | |
| The $44 sweatshirt | $44 | $ |
Verdict, one sentence: ________________________________________________
The point in your own words: cost per wear only answers the question once you know ________________________________.
Exit card
3 things you would check on a garment before buying it:
- ______________________ 2. ______________________ 3. ______________________
2 cost-per-wear numbers you computed today, with units:
$__________ per wear and $__________ per wear
1 item in your own closet that you now think was a good buy or a bad buy, and why, in six words:
Answer: ________________________________________________
Grade 8 stretch (optional, on the back)
- An $8 t-shirt is worn 10 times. At what number of wears does the $44 sweatshirt become cheaper per wear than that t-shirt? Show your work.
- The $8 t-shirt survives 10 washes. The $44 sweatshirt survives 100. You need a sweatshirt for 100 washes. (a) What does each option cost you in total? (b) Which is cheaper?
- Pick a coat you own. Estimate its price and the wears per winter. What is its cost per wear per winter?
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