This short video and interactive assessment activity is designed to teach second graders an overview of capacity (metric units).
Challenged with a hypothetical engineering work situation in which they need to figure out the volume and surface area of a nuclear power plant’s cooling tower (a hyperbolic shape), students learn to calculate the volume of complex solids that can be classified as solids of revolution or solids with known cross sections. These objects of complex shape defy standard procedures to compute volumes. Even calculus techniques depend on the ability to perform multiple measurements of the objects or find functional descriptions of their edges. During both guided and independent practice, students use (free GeoGebra) geometry software, a photograph of the object, a known dimension of it, a spreadsheet application and integral calculus techniques to calculate the volume of complex shape solids within a margin of error of less than 5%—an approach that can be used to compute the volumes of big or small objects. This activity is suitable for the end of the second semester of AP Calculus classes, serving as a major grade for the last six-week period, with students’ project results presentation grades used as the second semester final test.
This problem is the fifth in a series of seven about ratios. In the first problem students define the simple ratios that exist among the three candidates. It opens an opportunity to introduce unit rates. The subsequent problems are more complex. In the second problem, students apply their understanding of ratios to combine two pools of voters to determine a new ratio. In the third problem, students apply a known ratio to a new, larger pool of voters to determine the number of votes that would be garnered.
This is the sixth problem in a series of seven that use the context of a classroom election. While it still deals with simple ratios and easily managed numbers, the mathematics surrounding the ratios are increasingly complex.
This is the last problem of seven in a series about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. Since the number of voters is not known, the problem is quite abstract and requires a deep understanding of ratios and their relationship to fractions.
This is the first and most basic problem in a series of seven problems, all set in the context of a classroom election. Every problem requires students to understand what ratios are and apply them in a context. The problems build in complexity and can be used to highlight the multiple ways that one can reason about a context involving ratios.
This is the second in a series of tasks that are set in the context of a classroom election. It requires students to understand what ratios are and apply them in a context. The simple version of this question just asked how many votes each gets. This has the extra step of asking for the difference between the votes.
This problem, the third in a series of tasks set in the context of a class election, is more than just a problem of computing the number of votes each person receives. In fact, that isnŐt enough information to solve the problem. One must know how many votes it takes to make one half of the total number of votes. Although the numbers are easy to work with, there are enough steps and enough things to keep track of to lift the problem above routine.
This is the fourth in a series of tasks about ratios set in the context of a classroom election. What makes this problem interesting is that the number of voters is not given. This information isnŐt necessary, but at first glance some students may believe it is.
As the standards in statistics and probability unfold, students will not yet know the rules of probability for compound events. Thus, simulation is used to find an approximate answer to these questions. In fact, part b would be a challenge to students who do know the rules of probability, further illustrating the power of simulation to provide relatively easy approximate answers to wide-ranging problems.
Prepared with pre-algebra or algebra 1 classes in mind, this module leads students through the process of graphing data and finding a line of best fit while exploring the characteristics of linear equations in algebraic and graphic formats. Then, these topics are connected to real-world experiences in which people use linear functions. During the module, students use these scientific concepts to solve the following hypothetical challenge: You are a new researcher in a lab, and your boss has just given you your first task to analyze a set of data. It being your first assignment, you ask an undergraduate student working in your lab to help you figure it out. She responds that you must determine what the data represents and then find an equation that models the data. You believe that you will be able to determine what the data represents on your own, but you ask for further help modeling the data. In response, she says she is not completely sure how to do it, but gives a list of equations that may fit the data. This module is built around the legacy cycle, a format that incorporates educational research feindings on how people best learn.
This task is meant to be a straight-forward assessment task of graph reading and interpreting skills. This task helps reinforce the idea that when a variable represents time, t=0 is chosen as an arbitrary point in time and positive times are interpreted as times that happen after that.
This problem asks the student to evaluate six numerical expressions that contain the same integers and operations yet have differing results due to placement of parentheses. It helps students see the purpose of using parentheses.
This problem asks the student to evaluate three numerical expressions that contain the same integers yet have differing results due to placement of parentheses.
Students collect a large set of data (approximately 60 sets) of individual student’s water use and learn how to use spreadsheets to graph the data and find mean, median, mode, and range. They compared their findings to the national average of water use per person per day and use it to evaluate how much water a municipality would need in the event of a recovery from a water shutdown. This analysis activity introduces students to the concept of central tendencies and how to use spreadsheets to find them.
We Are Indigenous Mathematicians
This set of problems for Linear Algebra in the open-source WeBWorK mathematics platform was created under a Round Eleven Mini-Grant for Ancillary Materials Creation. The problems were created for an implementation of the CC-BY Lyrix open textbook A First Course in Linear Algebra. Also included as an additional file are the selected and modified Lyryx Class Notes for the textbook.
Topics covered include:
Linear Independence
Linear Transformations
Matrix of a Transformation
Isomorphisms
Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
Diagonalization
Orthogonality
These open-source mathematics homework problems are programmed for the WeBWorK mathematics platform and correspond to chapters in OpenStax Calculus Volume I. They were created through a Round Eight Textbook Transformation Grant.
These open-source mathematics homework problems are programmed for the WeBWorK mathematics platform and correspond to chapters in OpenStax Introductory Statistics. They were created through a Round Eight Textbook Transformation Grant.
Students apply their knowledge of scale and geometry to design wearables that would help people in their daily lives, perhaps for medical reasons or convenience. Like engineers, student teams follow the steps of the design process, to research the wearable technology field (watching online videos and conducting online research), brainstorm a need that supports some aspect of human life, imagine their own unique designs, and then sketch prototypes (using Paint®). They compare the drawn prototype size to its intended real-life, manufactured size, determining estimated length and width dimensions, determining the scale factor, and the resulting difference in areas. After considering real-world safety concerns relevant to wearables (news article) and getting preliminary user feedback (peer critique), they adjust their drawn designs for improvement. To conclude, they recap their work in short class presentations.