What's Your Line? (Linear Equations)

AUTHORS: Richard Morris and Katrina Carbone
GRADE LEVEL: 9/10
SCHOOL ADDRESS: 1335 Washington Street Watertown, NY 13601
PHONE/FAX: 785-3810/785-3733
SUBJECT AREA: Mathematics

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

Declarative

Terminology/vocabulary

Slope as a rate of change

Y Intercept as a constant or starting point

Verbal relationships

The relationship between data points of a line and the equation that represents them.

Procedural

Collect data - Internet, Survey

Create a graph (to plot) Hand Graph Graphing Calculator, Spreadsheet

Read/Interpret Graph

Find the rate of change

Determine the line of best fit - Graphic calculator, or manually

Write an equation that represents the line of best fit

Determine whether a point is on a line

Given an x value, determine the y value (vise versa)

Define a new line with same rate of change and different y intercept and describe a situation where this would occur.

Make a prediction based on the results of the graph.

ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Describe a situation in real life that can best be represented by a linear function.

INITIATING ACTIVITY

"THE WAVE" - Arrange students in classroom in a semi-circle. One student is the initiator. The teacher or another student can be the stopwatch timer. Have students perform the wave by standing up from their seats and raising arms up over head and down again. Students will continue one after the other until the last person in the semi-circle. Choose a set number of students to begin the wave and time how long it takes for the initiator to walk across the room to start the first person in the wave. Continue to increase the number of students performing the wave and the record each time. Once the data is collected, use the attached Wave Worksheets to plot, graph and answer questions.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Extending and Refining

  1. initiating activity: THE WAVE
  2. Notes on Graphing Data

Model and guided practice

  1. Elementary Data Collection

Understanding Qualitative Graphs

The Journey worksheet

Snow accumulation worksheet

Bike Race worksheet

Interpret and Describe Graphs

Sunburst Communications worksheet 1 p. 8

Sunburst Communications worksheet 2 p. 9

Investigating Functions Through Motion

Take a Hike worksheets

  1. Data Analysis

Teach the Line of Best Fit

Discuss Y Intercept

Discuss Slope

Discuss Slope as a Rate of Change

Find Slope Given Two Points

Notes on Linear word Problems

  1. Graph Using Technology

Using Graphic Calculators and/or Spreadsheets

Circumference and diameter of a circle relationship

Number of sides of a polygon and sum of interior angles (also use sum of exterior angles)

Review Slope as a Rate of Change and Y Intercept

  1. Write an Equation of a Line

Notes

  1. Define a Similar Situation

With the Same Rate of Change, but Different Y Intercepts

With the Same Slope but Different Y Intercepts

Model a Given Situation that Represents a Linear Equation

Can specify passing through a given point

  1. More On Lines

Discuss X Intercepts

Refer to previous line activities (extending line through x axis)

Discovery of what the x intercept means

Use technology to check if lines are the same

Find Distance and Midpoint Given Two Points

  1. More Projects on Equations of Lines

Groups of 2 or 3 Students Will Choose 2 or 3 Projects to be completed

Identify Slope, X and Y Intercepts

Make a Prediction Based on the Graph

  1. Systems of Equations

Graph Lines to Solve Problems

Find the Point of Intersection

What Does the Point of Intersection Mean

Make a Prediction on Your Graphs

  1. Unit Test of Linear Relationships
  2. Culminating Performance

CULMINATING PERFORMANCE

Students will choose and collect data from the Internet and/or a survey that demonstrates a real life situation represented by a linear equation. Students will create a graph, finding the line of best fit. An equation of the line of best fit must be identified. The students will use the equation to make a prediction.

CONNECTIONS TO STANDARDS

Standard one - MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS

Benchmarks: Use algebraic and geometric representations to describe and compare data.

Use deductive reasoning to construct and evaluate conjectures and arguments, recognizing that patterns and relationships in mathematics assist them in arriving at these conjectures and arguments.

Apply algebraic and geometric concepts and skills to the solution of problems.

Standard one - SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Benchmarks: Develop and present proposals including formal hypothesis to test explanations.

Carry out their research plan for testing explanations, including selection and developing techniques, acquiring and building apparatus, and recording observations as necessary.

Use various means of representing and organizing observations and insightfully interpret the organized data.

Standard two - INFORMATIONS SYSTEMS

Benchmarks: Understand and use the more advanced feature of word processing, spreadsheets and data-base software.

Standard three - MEASUREMENT

Benchmarks: Relate the absolute value, distance between two points, and the slope of a line to the coordinate plane.

Standard three - PATTERN/FUNCTIONS

Benchmarks: Represent and analyze functions using verbal descriptions, tables, equations, and graphs.

Translate among the verbal descriptions, tables, equations and graphic forms of functions.

Model real world situations with the appropriate function.

Use computers and graphing calculators to analyze mathematical phenomena.

CULMINATING EXPERIENCE RUBRIC

Rubrics

1

2

4

5

-Data Collected

-Accurately represents real life situation

Data obviously not reliable

Data is questionable

Source and Method Somewhat Fair and Reliable

Source and Method Fair and Reliable

Graph

-accurate

-appropriate intervals

-size and shape

Needs work

Partially

Accurate, some axes & data identified

Accurate, Appropriate intervals, some axes & data identifies

Accurate, Appropriate intervals, all axes & data identified

Appropriate Technology Used

None

Spreadsheet or graphing calculator used but not accurate

Some implication that spreadsheet or graphing calculator used.

Spreadsheet or graphing calculator used and shown

Text and Graphics

None

Little

Good

Graphics used do a great deal to clarify information

Identified and Understandable Information

Not identified

Semi-identified Not understandable

All identified but not understandable

All identified and all understandable

Predictions made

None

Unable to evaluate equations correctly to predict

Both future and past. Partially realistic and sensible.

Both future and past. Realistic and sensible based on graph.

Overall organization

Needs more work

Only partially completed, hard to follow.

Easy to follow. More details would ass clarity.

Well thought out and put together.