Jon Van Zyle talking about his experience on the trail and how the Iditarod has evolved

This year’s Iditarod will mark the 47th running of The Last Great Race©! It is amazing to think about how the race has evolved since its start in 1973. When Joe Redington Sr. envisioned a long-distance sled dog race, he wanted to preserve the history of Alaskan huskies, sled dogs, and the sled dog culture. There is no doubt that Joe’s hope has come to life! 

While the Iditarod continues to enthrall fans on a global scale, it also captivates students of all backgrounds and ages. Aside from the endurance and fortitude which mushers and their teams must exhibit during the race, it is compelling to think about the number of mushers who have entered the Iditarod and actually finished. Mushers and finishers have varied in gender, age, they have had different levels of experience, they have had different reasons for entering the race, and they have come from various parts of the world! 

Use  this lesson with your students and challenge them to find the percent of finishers from each running of the Iditarod. This math lesson will also open up an opportunity to discuss how percents are relevant to our everyday lives and how the race has evolved from its start. 

Math Lesson Comparing Percentages of Iditarod Finishers