The Algebra Teacher's Activity-a-Day, Grades 6-12

Over 180 Quick Challenges for Developing Math and Problem-Solving Skills

Frances McBroom Thompson, Ed.D.

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN: 9780470505175
• eBook ISBN: 9780470616048
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Teaching Mathematics

Fun-filled math problems that put the emphasis on problem-solving strategies and reasoning

The Algebra Teacher's Activity-a-Day offers activities for test prep, warm-ups, down time, homework, or just for fun. These unique activities are correlated with national math education standards and emphasize problem-solving strategies and logical reasoning skills. In many of the activities, students are encouraged to communicate their different approaches to other students in the class.

• Filled with dozens of quick and fun algebra activities that can be used inside and outside the classroom
• Designed to help students practice problem-solving and algebra skills

The activities address a wide range of topics, skills, and ability levels, so teachers can choose whichever best suit the students' needs.

SECTION TEN

Calculator Explorations

In the activities in this section, students will be involved with two different types of problems: applications and graphical explorations. This section encourages students to work together and to communicate their ideas to one another. Students gain experience with data generation and analysis, and with interesting applications that can be simulated in the classroom.

In solving applications (activities 10.1 to 10.5), students work independently or with a partner to solve special problems. The regular calculator will be used to generate data from which patterns may be identified or conclusions drawn.

In solving graphical explorations (activities 10.6 to 10.15), students will work with a partner to complete each activity on a graphing calculator. Some activities will require finding a predictor equation for a set of data. Others will explore changes in functions and the effects of those changes on the graphs of the functions. Some of the functions may be new to students, but they still can explore changes in an unfamiliar “parent” form by means of the graphing calculator.

At the beginning of each of the two categories of this section, a sample activity is presented and discussed. If time permits, after an activity has been completed, students should be encouraged to share their answers and their reasoning and strategies with the entire class.

Example for Activity 10.3

Explanation: In this activity, students will use diagrams and symbolic notation to help them understand algebraic procedures. They will start by choosing any whole number, say 27. This number is represented by a small non-square rectangle and by X. The next steps will be shown as follows:

Students should discover that the start number has now been removed, so only 7 is left. Everyone will have 7 left, no matter which number starts the procedure.

10.1

Work independently or with a partner. In each of the following exercises, look for a pattern among the numbers represented by the three given equations. Predict the next two equations and record them in the blanks. Use a calculator to confirm your results. Be ready to share the patterns you find with the entire class.

1. 1 × 8 + 1 = 9 12 × 8 + 2 = 98 123 × 8 + 3 = 987

2. 1 × 9 + 2 = 11 12 × 9 + 3 = 111 123 × 9 + 4 = 1111

3. 9 × 9 + 7 = 88 98 × 9 + 5 = 888 987 × 9 + 5 = 8888

10.2

Work independently or with a partner. In each of the following exercises, look for a pattern among the numbers represented by the three given equations. Predict the next two equations and record them in the blanks. Use a calculator to confirm your results. Be ready to share the patterns you find with the entire class.

1. 1 × 1 = 1 11 × 11 = 121 111 × 111 =...

Table of contents

• JOSSEY-BASS TEACHER
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• ABOUT THIS BOOK
• ABOUT THE AUTHOR
• Acknowledgments
• SECTION ONE - What Doesn’t Belong?
• SECTION TWO - What’s Missing?
• SECTION THREE - Where Is It?
• SECTION FOUR - Algebraic Pathways
• SECTION FIVE - Squiggles
• SECTION SIX - Math Mystery Messages
• SECTION SEVEN - What Am I?
• SECTION EIGHT - Al-ge-grams
• SECTION NINE - Potpourri
• SECTION TEN - Calculator Explorations
• SUGGESTED RESOURCES
• ANSWER KEY