All resources in Wisconsin Digital Learning Collaborative CCSS Math Resources

Do Two Points Always Determine a Linear Function II?

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This task is designed as a follow-up to the task F-LE Do Two Points Always Determine a Linear Function? Linear equations and linear functions are closely related, and there advantages and disadvantages to viewing a given problem through each of these points of view. This task is intended to show the depth of the standard F-LE.2 and its relationship to other important concepts of the middle school and high school curriculum, including ratio, algebra, and geometry.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Equal Differences Over Equal Intervals 1

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An important property of linear functions is that they grow by equal differences over equal intervals. In this task students prove this for equal intervals of length one unit, and note that in this case the equal differences have the same value as the slope. In F.LE Equal Differences over Equal Intervals 2, students prove the property in general (for equal intervals of any length).

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Linear Functions

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This task requires students to use the fact that on the graph of the linear function h(x)=ax+b, the y-coordinate increases by a when x increases by one. Specific values for a and b were left out intentionally to encourage students to use the above fact as opposed to computing the point of intersection, (p,q), and then computing respective function values to answer the question.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Foxes and Rabbits 2

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The example of rabbits and foxes was introduced in the task (8-F Foxes and Rabbits) to illustrate two functions of time given in a table. We are now in a position to actually model the data given previously with trigonometric functions and investigate the behavior of this predator-prey situation.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Foxes and Rabbits 3

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The example of rabbits and foxes was introduced in 8-F Foxes and Rabbits to illustrate two functions of time given in a table. The same situation was used in F-TF Foxes and Rabbits 2 to find trigonometric functions modeling the data in the table. The previous situation was somewhat unrealistic since we were able to find functions that fit the data perfectly. In this task, on the other hand, we do some legitimate modelling, in that we come up with functions that approximate the data well, but do not perfectly match, the given data.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Seven Circles I

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This task is intended to help model a concrete situation with geometry. Placing the seven pennies in a circular pattern is a concrete and fun experiment which leads to a genuine mathematical question: does the physical model with pennies give insight into what happens with seven circles in the plane?

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Why Does SSS Work?

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This particular sequence of transformations which exhibits a congruency between triangles ABC and DEF used one translation, one rotation, and one reflection. There are many other ways in which to exhibit the congruency and students and teachers are encouraged to explore the different possibilities.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Reflections and Equilateral Triangles

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This activity is one in a series of tasks using rigid transformations of the plane to explore symmetries of classes of triangles, with this task in particular focusing on the class of equilaterial triangles. In particular, the task has students link their intuitive notions of symmetries of a triangle with statements proving that the said triangle is unmoved by applying certain rigid transformations.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Tangent Lines and the Radius of a Circle

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This task presents a foundational result in geometry, presented with deliberately sparse guidance in order to allow a wide variety of approaches. Teachers should of course feel free to provide additional scaffolding to encourage solutions or thinking in one particular direction. We include three solutions which fall into two general approaches, one based on reference to previously-derived results (e.g., the Pythagorean Theorem), and another conducted in terms of the geometry of rigid transformations.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics

Locating Warehouse

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This task can be implemented in a variety of ways. For a class with previous exposure to the incenter or angle bisectors, part (a) could be a quick exercise in geometric constructions,. Alternatively, this could be part of a full introduction to angle bisectors, culminating in a full proof that the three angle bisectors are concurrent, an essentially complete proof of which is found in the solution below.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Illustrative Mathematics