PBL Pathways
Arsenic and Selenium Removal From Drinking Water at a Minimal Cost
Decide on the most efficient plan to supply drinking water. The second project-based learning task in a two-part series builds upon the first project. Pupils revisit the wells to supply drinking water, but they must make sure the...
Concord Consortium
In a Triangle
What's in a triangle? Just 180 degrees worth of angles! Young learners use given angle relationships in a triangle to write an algebraic representation. Using a system of equations, they simplify the equation to a linear representation.
PBL Pathways
Medical Insurance
Design a plan for finding the best health insurance for your money. Learners compare two health plans by writing and graphing piecewise functions representing the plan rules. Using Excel software, they create a technical report...
Curated OER
Review of Systems of Equations
Students work to complete various algebraic equations using different methods. Given a word problem, students create a poster identifying the various parts of the equation as well as the solution to the problem. Posters are presented...
5280 Math
More or Less the Same
Tell the story of the math. Given a graph of a linear system, learners write a story that models the graph before crafting the corresponding functions. Graphs intersect at an estimated point, allowing for different variations in the...
Concord Consortium
Parameters and Clusters II
Let's give parameters a second try. Scholars take a second look at a system of linear equations that involve a parameter. Using their knowledge of solutions of systems of linear equations, learners describe the solution to the system as...
5280 Math
Triangle Area Patterns
Combine algebraic and geometric strategies to find solutions. The task asks learners to find the coordinates of a third vertex of a triangle to create a triangle with a specific area. The project is a set of seven problems that helps...
Noyce Foundation
The Wheel Shop
Teach solving for unknowns through a problem-solving approach. The grouping of five lessons progresses from finding an unknown through simple reasoning to solving simultaneous equations involving three and four variables. Each lesson...
Education Development Center
Algebraic Habits of Mind
Math really is just one big puzzle waiting to be solved. Show learners that math can be intriguing and provide them with visually engaging problems and puzzles. The focus is on solving simple equations and looking at expressions.
PBL Pathways
Medical Insurance 2
Make an informed decision when choosing a medical insurance provider. An engaging lesson asks your classes to write piecewise models to represent the cost of different medical plans. The project-based learning activity is a variation of...
PBL Pathways
Boogie Boards
Solve a complex business puzzle by building a linear programming model. An engaging project-based learning problem has classes examining transportation costs and manufacturing limitations from several plants. Ultimately, they use their...
Curated OER
Linear Systems: Projections
In this projection learning exercise, students explore the intuition behind projections. They calculate the length using the norm and find the projection of a vector. This two-page learning exercise contains approximately five problems.
Mathematics Vision Project
Module 10: Matrices Revisited
A matrix is just a fancy way of making a table. Young scholars explore operations with matrices with the first lessons in the final module of a 10-unit Algebra II series. After adding, subtracting, and multiplying matrices, pupils use...
Concord Consortium
Parameters and Clusters I
Chase the traveling solution. Pupils analyze the solutions to a system of linear equations as the parameter in one equation changes. Scholars then use graphs to illustrate their analyses.
Achieve
Stairway
It's the stairway to learning! Scholars research all aspects of building a staircase. Using information from building codes, they write and graph a system of inequalities to analyze the constraints. The completed project is a scale model...
Curated OER
Residential Power System
Perform data analysis on energy consumption to apply algebraic expressions to the real world. Learners will write and solve equations that answer various questions from residential power use. They will collect data at home and calculate...
Concord Consortium
Intersections I
One, two, or zero solutions—quadratic systems have a variety of solution possibilities. Using the parent function and the standard form of the function, learners describe the values of a, b, and c that produce each solution type. They...
Education Development Center
Logic of Algebra
Don't just go through the steps to solve an algebraic equation, show learners how to balance an equation with visual models. The packet introduces the idea of mobile balances to reinforce the idea that both sides must match to make the...
Colorado State University
If You Can't Predict the Weather, How Can You Predict the Climate?
Why is the weather man wrong so often? Young climatologists discover how chaos rules both weather and climate through a math-based activity. Using an iterative equation, the class examines how small day-to-day weather events total up to...
Concord Consortium
Betweenness I
Just between us, this is a pretty cool lesson! Given two functions with the same slope, learners write three new functions whose outputs are all between the given functions. The question is open-ended, allowing pupils to explore the...
5280 Math
Pythagorean Triples
From Pythagorean triples to the unit circle. Learners use the Pythagorean Theorem to find Pythagorean triples and then relate their work to the unit circle in a fun algebra project. Their discovery that x^2+y^2 is always equal to one on...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Sky High
How are skyscrapers built? What does it take to make a structurally sound building? How can one work within a budget to complete a building project? These guiding questions will be investigated and answered within a hands-on lesson....
Curated OER
Linear Systems: Projections
In this projection worksheet, students determine the projections of a given matrix. This four-page worksheet contains explanations and examples and approximately ten problems to complete.
Curated OER
Paying College Tuition
The investigation of exponential equation in the context of increasing college tuition costs is explored through this lessib. Students write exponential equations based on the percent of change of college tuition and use their equations...