Illustrative Mathematics
Modeling with a Linear Function
Here is a well-designed resource that provides five yes-or-no questions which model different situations with linear functions. It makes a good pre-test for the beginning of the unit. The purpose is to elicit common misconceptions of...
Mathematics Common Core Toolbox
Golf Balls in Water
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...
Howard County Schools
Discounting Tickets
A boss who can't do math? Oh, no! Young entrepreneurs use linear and exponential models to determine which discount will yield the most profit on ticket sales.
Education Development Center
Creating a Polynomial Function to Fit a Table
Discover relationships between linear and nonlinear functions. Initially, a set of data seems linear, but upon further exploration, pupils realize the data can model an infinite number of functions. Scholars use multiple representations...
Curated OER
Equal Differences Over Equal Intervals 1
Learners explore linear functions concretely using tables of values in a cooperative task. The concept of the values of linear functions changing by equal differences over equal intervals of one is emphasized. Learners will discover...
Curated OER
US Airports, Assessment Variation
Determining relationships is all part of algebra and functions. Your mathematicians will decide the type of relationship between airports and population and translate what the slope and y-intercept represent. The problem is multiple...
101 Questions
Styrofoam Cups
How many cups does it take to reach the top? Learners attempt to answer this through a series of questions. They collect dimension information and apply it to creating a function. The lesson encourages various solution methods and...
Curated OER
A Model Solar System
If Earth is modeled by a grapefruit, what planet could be represented by a golf ball? This activity uses everyday and not-so-everyday objects to create a model of the Solar System.
5280 Math
Aquarium Equations
Take a look at linear functions in a new environment. A three-stage algebra project first asks learners to model the salt concentration of an aquarium using linear functions. Then, using iterations, pupils create a set of input-output...
101 Questions
Potty Math
You don't want to flush your money down the drain! Have your classes complete a financial comparison between two different types of toilets. They use linear modeling to determine the most cost-effective model.
PBL Pathways
College Costs
Predict the year that college costs will double in your state using linear modeling. The first part of this two-part project based learning activity asks young mathematicians to use data from the College Board. They graph the data,...
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...
Curated OER
Logistic Growth Model, Explicit Version
Via the concrete setting of estimating the population of the US, your algebra learners are introduced to a logistic growth model. Comparing and contrasting logistic, exponential, linear and quadratic models, to see which fits the data...
5280 Math
Step by Step
One step at a time! A seemingly linear relationship becomes an entirely new type of function. Young scholars build their understanding of step functions by completing a three-stage activity that incorporates multiple representations of...
Curated OER
Triangles Inscribed in a Circle
Are you tired of answers without understanding? Learners can give a correct response, but do they really understand the concept? Have young mathematicians think deeper about linear functions, angles, and formulas in algebra....
Curated OER
US Households
Learners construct and use inverse functions to model a real-world context. They use the inverse function to interpolate a data point.
Curated OER
Heart Rate Monitoring
Algebra learners like this resource because it is easy to understand and it relates to their lives. Whether you are starting a new workout routine, or just climbing the stairs, your heart rate increases and decreases throughout the day....
Illustrative Mathematics
Chicken and Steak, Variation 2
Many organizations put on barbecues in order to make money. In a real-world math problem, the money allotted to purchase steak and chicken at this barbecue is only one hundred dollars. It is up to your potential chefs to figure out how...
Curated OER
Linear or Exponential?
Your learners analyze various real-life contexts to decide if each is a linear or exponential model. This could be used as an assessment of learners' skills of discerning between a linear and an exponential model.
Howard County Schools
Maria’s Quinceañera
How long will it take to save up for a car? Classmates use linear and exponential models to see how money received during a Quinceanera will grow over time.
Illustrative Mathematics
Distance across the channel
Here you will find a model of a linear relationship between two quantities, the water depth of a channel and the distance across the channel at water level. The cross section of the channel is the shape of an isosceles trapezoid. The...
Curated OER
In the Billions and Linear Modeling
Your learners analyze population data to discern if it best fits a linear scenario. The idea of change by equal differences over equal intervals is enforced in this real-life task.
101 Questions
Chalk Lines
Read between the lines to find a solution. Budding mathematicians analyze a situation to solve a problem. They view a video presentation of the problem, brainstorm important information to gather, and write linear equations to find...
Curated OER
Population and Food Supply
What does it mean for something to grow exponentially, and how does that compare to linear growth? This activity tries to help learners gain an understanding of these concepts while modeling real-world problems. Linear and exponential...