Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Only thing about me is the way I walk...

Before turning in your walking and running worksheet, answer the following questions:

1) According to your worksheet, approximately how long (in minutes) would it take you to walk 1 kilometer? Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?

2) Approximately how long (in minutes) would it take you to run 1 kilometer? Do you believe this is true? Why or why not?

3) As you see, setting up proportions can help us solve so many different types of problems by setting smaller ratios equal to larger ones. But what about Question #7? Without comparing your ratios with other groups, do you think there will be a correlation between walk times and leg length measurements? If so, what do you think the correlation is? If not, why do you think there isn't one?

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Finals

This is the first time you have ever had to take a final exam. Name at least two ways that you will prepare for your mathematics final.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Looking back so that we may look ahead...

Chapter 5 has incorporated concepts from all of the previous chapters. It uses the integer rules from Chapter 2. It adds and subtracts like terms (in fractional form) and solves equations…all based from Chapter 3. It also extends our work with monomials (Chapter 4) by multiplying and dividing them.

As you may have noticed, mathematics is like building a house. You have to have a foundation in order to continue building the next level. If there are foundational gaps, we can sometimes fill them in as we go along, but at other times, these gaps can cause an entire section of the house to collapse.

Answer the following questions in complete sentences. You may do this in three different posts or all in one post.

1) What is the easiest section we have covered thus far in this class? The most difficult? Why?

2) Do you still have foundational gaps in your mathematical knowledge? (aka: Are there concepts that you still do not understand?) If so, what are they? Be honest.

3) Look ahead to Chapter 6. Pick at least two sections and discuss how you think you will need to incorporate knowledge from Chapter 2-5. Be specific.

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Looking back at Chapter 4...

Look over the lessons in Chapter 4. Why do you think the editors of this textbook put all of this material together in one chapter? What connects all of the lessons? Are there any lessons in Chapter 4 that do not fit in the chapter? Also, do you think other lessons could be added to this chapter? If so, which ones, and why? If not, why not?

(Yes, there are many questions to answer here. You will be graded on your ability to produce well-reasoned answers.)

Sunday, November 1, 2009

LCD Riddle

You just solved the following riddle:

"We are two simplified fractions. Our LCD is 12. Our denominators are consecutive integers. The numerator and denominator of one of us has a difference of 3. The other fraction is greater than 50%. Who are we?"

Now it's your turn to make the riddle. Begin yours with "We are two simplified fractions. Our LCD is..." Then continue to give clues that will lead the reader to discover your two simplified fractions.

Be creative with your clues! Good luck!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Review Game

Invent a new review game for the end of a chapter. How would it be structured? Would there be a clearly-defined winner? Make sure this game incorporates everyone in the class, where everyone is actively reviewing the material on some level.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Write an Inequality Word Problem

We've solved a few word problems that require us to set up inequalities and solve them, but now it's your turn.

Working in partners, write a word problem that will require the reader to set up an inequality and solve. You must use complete sentences, and the word problem needs to be school appropriate.

Be creative! Good luck!