It's great to have a large swimming pool. An interesting performance task asks learners to optimize the volume of pools for a given surface area. They consider four different shapes for pools and find the maximum volume for each pool.

See calculus to the end. The eBook is the last of a three-volume series covering college-level calculus topics. Scholars begin with parametric equations and polar coordinates before moving to vectors, finally ending with multi-variable...

The height of a pyramid may change, but the usefulness of the interactive will not. Learners drag the apex of a pyramid to change its height. They then answer a set of challenge questions designed to investigate how changing the...

Design an efficient cereal box. Scholars use set volume criteria to design a cereal box by applying their knowledge of surface area to determine the cost to create the box. They then determine whether their designs will fit on...

Swimming is more fun with quantities. The short assessment task encompasses finding the volume of a trapezoidal prism using an understanding of quantities. Individuals make a connection to the rate of which the pool is filled with a...

Don't let the task slip through your fingers like sand. Scholars design sand castles using hemispheres, pyramids, cones, and cylinders of different sizes. They calculate the volume and surface area and consider how changing the...

Take a "conservative" approach to planning your next unit on mass and matter! What better way to answer "But where did the gas go?" than with a lab designed to promote good report writing, research skills, and detailed observation....

To take the longest path, go around—or was that go over? Class members measure scale drawings of a cylindrical vase to find the height and diameter. They calculate the actual height and circumference and determine which is larger.  

Build a basic understanding of units of measure and create a great foundation for your learners. The instructional activity gives a complete overview of everything measurement, from types of measurement to rounding to conversions — it...

Here's a resource that models rising water levels with a linear function. The task contains three parts about the level of water in a cylinder in relationship to the number of golf balls placed in it. Class members analyze the data and...

Five questions—multiple-choice, fill in the blank, and discussion—make up an interactive that challenges scholars to mail a teddy bear using the smallest box possible without squishing it. A box with movable sides allows mathematicians...

Enough stuffed crust to go around. Pupils calculate the area and perimeter of a variety of pizza shapes, including rectangular and circular. Individuals design rectangular pizzas with a given area to maximize the amount of crust and do...

Consider the relationship between side length and area as an input-output function. Scholars create input-output tables for the area of squares to determine an equation in the first installment of a three-part unit. Ditto for the area of...

The student will describe the effects of changing one or more dimensions on the volume of a 3-dimensional figure.