Houston Area Calculus Teachers
Polynomial Graphing
Your AP Calculus learners probably have their ID numbers memorized, but have they tried graphing them? Pique your pupils' interest by asking each to create a unique polynomial function based on their ID numbers, and then analyze the...
Houston Area Calculus Teachers
Cubic Polynomial
Birthdays are a time for celebration, and now they're a time for calculation! An AP calculus lesson uniquely explores relationships between a polynomial function and its derivative. Learners create a cubic function based...
101 Questions
Controlling Colors
Control the computer processing speed with mathematics! Scholars use a computer program to graph color-changing functions. Using complex polynomial functions slows the speed of the program, but simplifying the expression allows the...
PBL Pathways
Cell Phones
Calling all subscribers! Model revenue based on individual cell phone subscribers. The project-based learning activity presents a challenge to scholars from a cell phone company. Individuals model data provided to them from the company...
PBL Pathways
Doctors and Nurses
How many nurses does it take to support one doctor? A project-based activity asks learners to analyze state data to answer this question. Classes create polynomial functions from the data of doctors and nurses over a seven-year...
PBL Pathways
Students and Teachers 2
Examine trends in student-to-teacher ratios over time. Building from the first task in the two-part series, classes now explore the pattern of student-to-teacher ratios using a non-linear function. After trying to connect the pattern to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Zeroes and factorization of a non polynomial function
Functions behaving badly: the squaring function and the absolute value function are both zero at x=0. Yet when you divide each by x, different things happen. Here, your class will explore each scenario as a means to adding depth to their...
Curated OER
Exponential Growth versus Linear Growth II
Your algebra learners discover that exponential functions, with a base larger than one, outgrow linear functions when the inputs increase sufficiently. Their analysis includes using a graphing calculator to produce tables.
Curated OER
Tale of the Tape
How can baseball and skeet-shooting be modeled mathematically? Sports lovers and young mathematicians learn how to use quadratic equations and systems of equations to model the flight paths of various objects.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Graphing Polynomial Functions
Here's a very detailed, step-by-step activity for students to do to learn about the relationship between the factored form of a polynomial function and its graph. Calculator instructions for the TI-83 are given, right down to the screen...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Mc Dougal Littell Algebra 1: Graph Polynomial Functions
Students can use the TI-84 Plus family to check the sum or difference of polynomial functions.
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Hotmath: Practice Problems: Evaluating and Graphing Polynomials
Twenty-two problems present a variety of practice evaluating and graphing polynomials. They are given with each step to the solution cleverly revealed one at a time. You can work each step of the problem then click the "View Solution"...
Varsity Tutors
Varsity Tutors: Hotmath: Practice Problems: Analyzing Graphs of Polynomial Functions Using Zeros
Fourteen problems present a variety of practice analyzing graphs of polynomial functions using zeros. They are given with each step to the solution cleverly revealed one at a time. You can work each step of the problem then click the...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Mc Dougal Littell Algebra 2: Graph Rational Functions
Students can use the TI-84 Plus family to analyze the end behavior of polynomial functions.
Mathematics Archives
Math Archives: Visual Calculus: Polynomials
The definition and properties of polynomial functions are explained, and their graphs explored. Examples and LiveMath notebook activities make the site interactive in getting the students to test their knowledge of the material.
Paul Dawkins
Paul's Online Notes: Algebra: Polynomial Functions
Students investigate how to sketch and find solutions to higher degree polynomials. Topics explored are dividing polynomials, roots of polynomials, graphing polynomials, and finding zeroes of polynomials. Class notes, definitions, and...
University of Vienna (Austria)
Math Online: Functions
This interactive site uses applets to show sample graphs of each simple power function, a function plotter, graph puzzles, and more. Great site.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: The Remainder Theorem, Polynomial Expansion, and Tangent Line
In this Derive activity, students use the Remainder Theorem to find a tangent line to the graph of a polynomial function.
Interactive Mathematics
Interactive Mathematics: Polynomial Functions and Equations
Want to find the roots of a polynomial function? Learn how, using several methods in this tutorial. Graphing and Scientific Notebook are used on the main page. Click on the "Dinosaur Method" link at the bottom of the page to see the...
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Translations of Parent Graphs
This activity utilizes the TI-Navigator and Activity Center to explore translations of a parent graph.
Curated OER
Polynomial Functions of the First Degree
A java applet that lets you graph a first degree polynomial and see how changing the coefficients changes the graph.
Richland Community College
Richland Community College: Algebra Lecture Notes
This site from Richland Community College provides lecture notes to a class on Algebra. It covers a wide array of topics including functions, quadratic equations, inequalities, and much more.
Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments: Multiplying/factoring Polynomials
Students will be given binomials to multiply or trinomials to factor. The teacher will enter the binomials/trinomial into activity center and students must send in other form. Correct answers should match teacher graph.
American Association of Physics Teachers
Com Padre Digital Library: Open Source Physics: Special Functions Model
This downloadable java simulation shows a variety of special functions. Functions included are Legendre polynomials, Chebyshev polynomials, and Bessel functions.