I'm afraid there isn't a simple way to answer your question Sherilyn. I can give you some basic facts about the building of Titanic. But it would be up to you to build your research from there. Most of these items I've listed are common in any popular book about Titanic.
I might suggest that if you intend to use the building of Titanic as an example of mathematics at work, you should first pick up some books that will help define the nautical vocabulary that is unique to ships and to Titanic. Words like 'displacement', 'tonnage', 'bilge', 'keel', 'rivets', and 'buoyancy'. It will be very helpful to understand these words before you begin to tackle the subject of shipbuilding, and marine architecture.
GOOD LUCK!
1. The Titanic was designed and built by a company in Belfast Ireland, called Harland & Wolff. The company still exists and even has a website.
http://www.harland-wolff.com/
(There is an email address for the company communications officer listed. You might try to ask him for help.)
2. The chief designer/builder for the Titanic was Thomas Andrews. He was on the maiden voyage and lost his life in the sinking. There are a couple of private web sites with information on him.
3. Titanic was the second of three sister ships built by Harland & Wolff. They were: Olympic, Titanic, and Britannic.
4. The Titanic was designed to be the safest vessel afloat at the time. With her hull divided into 16 watertight compartments, an electric switch on the bridge to close all the watertight doors instantly, and a double steel bottom; Titanic was designed to stay afloat. Even if two of her watertight compartments were breached and flooded. She could even float if the first 4 of her compartments were opened to the sea.
5. Her hull was made of 1 inch thick steel plates. The plates were riveted together. (Most ships today have their plates welded together, instead of using rivets. Welded seams are much stronger than riveted seams.)
6. Titanic's hull was around 882 feet long, and around 92 feet wide.
7. Titanic had 10 decks within her hull.
8. Titanic's size was estimated at over 45,000 tons of displacement.
9. Titanic's top speed was designed to be around 22 - 24 knots.
10. Titanic was powered by coal-burning boilers which produced steam. The high pressure steam drove the engines and turned the propellers. There were 3 propellers, two directly connected to the two steam engines, and one connected to a turbine that also used steam for power.
Yuri
