Illustrative Mathematics
Find the Change
This exercise is an opportunity for algebra learners to understand the connection between the slope of a line and points found on the line. Use similar triangles to explain why slope m is the same between any two points. Discuss with the...
Illustrative Mathematics
DVD Profits, Variation 1
The idea in the resource is to understand the connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations. To stay within the context of the standard, skip the part of the resource that solves with unit rates. Instead,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Proportional Relationships, Lines, and Linear Equations
The resource is a good introduction to what makes a proportional relationship between two lines. Discuss the similarities of both lines and the possibility of intersection. Use this opportunity to list other acceptable forms of each...
Illustrative Mathematics
Buying a Car
Teenagers love to think about driving and buying their first car. The intent of this resource is to create an equation for the list price of a car and add the appropriate state tax. Once your teens understand the calculation, ask them to...
Illustrative Mathematics
Dimes and Quarters
Here is a coin problem where the algebra learner determines the pair of linear equations needed to solve the system. Whether the equations are taken from a table, or your scholars recognize the format of a coin problem, it is an...
Illustrative Mathematics
Fixing the Furnace
This comprehensive resource applies simultaneous equations to a real-life problem. Though the commentary starts with a graph, some home consumers may choose to begin with a table. A graph does aid learners to visualize the shift of one...
Illustrative Mathematics
Coupon Versus Discount
All too often stores give coupons for an item, but when you go into buy it, the item is on discount. The store won’t take the coupon if the discount is used. So what do you do, use the coupon or take the discount? This activity...
Illustrative Mathematics
Comparing Speeds in Graphs and Equations
Compare two different proportional relationships on a graph. It is up to your mathematicians to determine which of two moving objects have greater speed. A good example of a Common Core multiple choice question.
Illustrative Mathematics
Cell Phone Plans
Turn your classroom into a local cell phone store. Then, have your cell phone agents use linear equations to visually display three cell plans and their advantages. It makes for a great group project. Discuss how to decide which plan is...
Illustrative Mathematics
Coffee by the Pound
This is a great exercise in graphing proportional quantities to interpret the unit rate as the slope of a graph. It is not easy for learners to understand what a unit rate is. When it is presented as the slope of a linear line graph,...
Illustrative Mathematics
Who Has the Best Job?
Making money is important to teenagers. It is up to your apprentices to determine how much two wage earners make with their after school jobs. Participants work with a table, an equation, and a graph and compare the two workers to see...
Illustrative Mathematics
Sore Throats, Variation 2
What does math have to do with a sore throat? When you mix water and salt you have a great review of how to represent proportional relationships by an equation or graph. Here the proportions of the mixtures may be different, but the...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Intersection of Two Lines
Here is an introduction to solving simultaneous linear equations. Start by drawing a line through two points. Create a second line which goes through the intersecting point. Background knowledge of how to find the equation of a line and...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Sign of Solutions
Positive or negative, zero or no solution, are all possibilities for the solution of a linear equation. Here the resource gives examples of linear equations in one variable and their type of solutions. The resource comes with commentary...
Illustrative Mathematics
Ants Versus Humans
You would think that humans make up more mass than ants do on this planet, but think again, and this time by performing calculations. Middle schoolers use scientific notation to compute and compare the estimated total mass of all humans...
Illustrative Mathematics
Kimi and Jordan
A single activity gets your math class to solve a word problem using two linear equations and two variables. They compare the summer earnings of Kimi and Jordan and then graph the solutions to determine who will save the most money in a...
Illustrative Mathematics
Solving Equations
If you have two bags with an unknown number of tiles, represented by x, and you add three tiles to get seven total, you can set up a linear equation to represent the problem. Use this example and a few others to demonstrate how to solve...
Curated OER
20 Tickets
A great hands-on activity involving adding and subtracting, beginner mathematicians determine how many games can be played with 20 tickets. Instead of tickets, youngsters use 20 counters or linking cubes to represent the amount of...
Curated OER
Exercise Set 2.4: Equations of Lines
In this linear equations worksheet, students solve 36 linear equations. Students write equations of lines in slope intercept form given a graph, standard form, two points, and slope and a point.
Curated OER
Graphing Lines by Graphing Two Points
Use a graphing lines worksheet to have your mathematicians graph the line of a given equation and plot specified points. The first 10 problems have a given equation, and two values. The next 10 problems have a given equation, but your...
Curated OER
Gateway Jeopardy
Play Jeopardy and review these concepts before that upcoming test. Make sure the class has a good grasp of: order of operations, solving equations, and understanding functions. There are a few miscellaneous related concepts for review also.
Curated OER
Graphing Lines That Don't "Fit"
How can you graph lines that don't seem to fit on the given graph? What makes a line straight? What does the rate of change mean when graphing a line? How do you know if a slope is positive or negative? How do you know if the graph of a...
Curated OER
Pike Problems in Lake Davis
Pike fish pose a threat to native trout and catfish in lakes. Would you drain and poison a lake to get rid of the Pike fish? If the lake was drained and poisoned, then refilled and repopulated with trout and catfish, how would you...
DK Publishing
Number Sentences: Multiplying by 4
If your third graders have a hard time visualizing multiplication, use this worksheet to help them see the math. Pictures of hands, eggs, and houses, among others, illustrate different multiplication equations, all of which involve...