Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: The Derivative as a Limit

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Read about the near-simultaneous discovery of Calculus by Liebniz and Newton, then see some examples worked through of finding derivatives of functions using the limit definition of derivative. Following the examples are exercises with...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Zeros of a Cubic

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity involves some of the prerequisites of calculus relating to functions and equations. It also contains an application of differentiation. (Continued. See "before the activity.")
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Features of the Ti 89 That Maximize Its Use

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This Computer Algebra System (CAS) activity encourages students to investigate the various functions and applications of the CAS calculator. They study and practice various types of problems in algebra and calculus with the help of the...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Investigating the Derivatives of Some Common Functions

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students will investigate the derivatives of sine, cosine, natural log, and natural exponential functions by examining the symmetric difference quotient at many points. They develop the idea of the derivative as a...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Derivatives (Trig Functions)

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This learning check activity will test the students knowledge of the derivatives of the 6 trigonometric functions.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: The Growth Rings of a Tree

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, the students can use limits to find derivatives and to find the relationship between radii and area. This activity uses tree growth as the basis for the activity.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Use of Cas in Teaching Differential Calculus by First Princip

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This Computer Algebra System (CAS) activity encourages students to investigate the use of CAS to solve functions using derivatives and appropriate formulas.
Activity
Lawrence Hall of Science

The Math Page: An Approach to Calculus: Applications of Maximum and Minimum Values

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a site that clearly and thoroughly explains how to solve applied max/min problems using the first derivative. There are example problems solved, problems for the student to attempt, and answers to the student problems. Point this...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Planting & Harvesting an Application of the Definite

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this Derive activity, students apply the concept of definite integration and decide when a farmer should plant and harvest a crop of clover.
Unit Plan
University of California

University of California: Maximum/minimum Problems

For Students 10th - 12th
The following problems are maximum/minimum optimization problems. They illustrate one of the most important applications of the first derivative.
Study Guide
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Marginal Cost, Marginal Revenue

For Students 9th - 10th
Business applications of derivatives are widely used. Marginal revenue, cost, and profit functions that you can find by taking the respective derivatives of revenue, cost, or profit would provide very valuable information to a business....
Study Guide
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Optimization the Basics

For Students 9th - 10th
In this lesson, you learn how to apply the concepts of maxima and minima to any formula that is generated by business, economics, physics, etc. It is one of the most important applications of derivatives and will show up on your AP...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Computing Derivatives

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Sample problems that provide ideas about using SMG to assist students in learning to solve derivative problems. Prerequisites: ability to classify functions as power, exponential, product, and composition and how to decompose composite...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Derivative Formulas

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students use StudyCards(tm) to complete derivative functions.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Recovering a Function From Its Derivative

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students use the calculator to visualize a function using the equation describing its derivative and a single point on the function. They start with simple equations and later solve more complex and difficult...
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Recovering a Function From Its Derivative: Numerical Approach

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students use the calculator to find numerical solution for a function given its derivative and a point on the function.
Handout
Math Open Reference

Math Open Reference: Derivative Function

For Students 9th - 10th
A complete reference guide to derivative functions. It provides definitions, examples, and an interactive activity that enhances further explanation. Includes links to related topics.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Relating Graphs of a Function to Derivatives

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will be lead to discover the relationship between the graph of a function, graph of first derivative, and graph of the second derivative using TI-InterActive!.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Discovering the Derivative of the Sine and Cosine Functions

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this activity, students discover the derivative of sin(x) and cos(x) by analyzing a scatter plot of x-values and the function's numerical derivatives at these x-values.
Activity
Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments: Motion of Related Objects

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity introduces the concept of related rates with parametric equations using a projectile motion problem.
Article
Other

European Journal of Operational Research: Two Dimensional Packing Problems

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
This article analyzes problems requiring to allocate a set of rectangular items to larger rectangular standardized units by minimizing the waste. It discusses mathematical models and surveys lower bounds, classical approximation...
Handout
Wolfram Research

Wolfram Math World: Law of Cosines

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This page from MathWorld.com gives a good explanation of the Law of Cosines, which relates the lengths of the legs of a triangle to the angles. This site shows how the formula is derived, along with a triangle to clarify variables. Also...
Activity
Interactive Mathematics

Interactive Mathematics: Instantaneous Rate of Change

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The derivative is applied to real world applications of velocity in an example using "h" notation and limits.
Activity
Interactive Mathematics

Interactive Mathematics: Derivatives of Products and Quotients

For Students 9th - 10th
The product and quotients rules for derivatives are presented. Several examples are provided to allow practice for applying the rules to finding the derivatives to functions.