Illustrative Mathematics
Who is the Tallest?
A simple question, with a not-so-simple answer. Working with whole and mixed number measurements in inches, feet, and yards presents a problem with many possible solutions. A great activity that challenges the minds of young...
Illustrative Mathematics
Finding the Line of Symmetry
Can you find the line of symmetry? That's what your students will demonstrate by completing this worksheet. The task gets increasingly difficult as shapes are included that have one line of symmetry, no lines of symmetry, and multiple...
Illustrative Mathematics
The Geometry of Letters
Use the alphabet as a tool for teaching your class about geometric figures. Break apart capital letters into line segments and arcs. Classify angles as right, acute, or obtuse. Identify parallel and perpendicular lines. An excellent...
Illustrative Mathematics
Price per Pound and Pounds per Dollar
Help learners understand the concept of unit rate as it is applied to buying beans at a grocery store. The objective is to determine the unit rate in two ways, and then apply each ratio to an additional problem. The attached commentary...
Illustrative Mathematics
Dividing by One-Half
Understanding when to divide by two or one-half can be confusing. Here is an activity that gives four different scenarios. It is up to your number crunchers to decide if they divide by two or one-half. The easiest way to approach the...
Illustrative Mathematics
What is a Trapezoid? (Part 2)
This collaborative activity investigates the meaning of a trapezoid and a parallelogram. It begins by presenting two different definitions of a trapezoid. Learners are to reason abstractly the difference between the two definitions and...
Illustrative Mathematics
Banana Pudding
Making banana pudding despite misplacing your one-cup measuring cup is easy as long as you can find your quarter-cup measuring cup! This real-life activity provides a good opportunity for learners to interpret division of a whole number...
Curated OER
The Class Trip
Mrs. Moore's class is trying to earn money for a trip to the science museum, but how much more do they need? Solve this problem with your own class as they develop their ability to model real-life situations algebraically. As an added...
Curated OER
Snow Day
It's a snow day, and two brothers attending schools with different schedules each got a late start to the day. But who had the shorter school day? That's what your class will find out as they apply their knowledge of fractions to this...
Illustrative Mathematics
Battle Ship Using Grid Paper
You sank my battleship! The iconic cry of the time-honored game, Battleship will be heard in classrooms with this learning game that requires only grid paper, pencils, and an introductory knowledge of the first quadrant of the coordinate...
Illustrative Mathematics
Pennies to Heaven
Even though pennies seem to be relatively thin, stack enough of them into a single stack, and you could have quite a high stack. Enough so, that the final result can be a surprise to you as well as your class. This activity centers...
Curated OER
Mt. Whitney to Death Valley
This is an intriguing problem that brings together real-world data, technology, and mathematical problem solving. If visibility wasn't an issue, could you see from the highest point in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney, to the lowest...
Curated OER
Strict Parents
Are your parents or guardians strict? That's an interesting question many of your pupils are probably interested in discussing. How do you design a study directed at your high schooler to gain insight into that question? How do you...
Curated OER
Mathemafish Population
It's shark week! In this problem, young mathematically minded marine biologists need to study the fish population by analyzing data over time. The emphasis is on understanding the average rate of change of the population and drawing...
Curated OER
Population and Food Supply
What does it mean for something to grow exponentially, and how does that compare to linear growth? This activity tries to help learners gain an understanding of these concepts while modeling real-world problems. Linear and exponential...
Curated OER
Two Squares are Equal
This problem is sure to get your young mathematicians thinking. The idea sounds simple: one equation, solve it as many ways as you can. This is meant to get at a deeper understanding of solving quadratic equations, including some more...
Curated OER
Selling Fuel Oil at a Loss
Learners are asked to advise a fuel oil dealer on a possible investment. They must use two different rates to set up an equation and solve to determine how much oil he should sell now to break even after selling the remainder the next...
Curated OER
2007 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Local Section Exam
Sixty multiple choice questions cover the entire gamut of chemistry concepts. This is the local section of the U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad, where your chemistry candidates take a shot at entering the national competition. They...
Curated OER
2002 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad National Exam - Part I
As to be expected from the American Chemical Society Olympiad Examinations Task Force, this 60-question test tops the charts in terms of excellence. It consists entirely of multiple choice questions designed to assess a year's worth of...
Curated OER
2002 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad National Exam - Part III
Two laboratory problems are put forth for chemistry students. They are to plan and carry out an experiment that will answer each of the questions. The first asks them to investigate a relationship between the surface area of a potato and...
Curated OER
2000 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad National Exam - Part I
The National Chemistry Olympiad exams are comprehensive tests covering an entire year of chemistry concepts. You can use them as practice for competing in the challenge, or simply as a review, or as an actual final exam for your general...
Curated OER
2009 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad National Exam - Part I
The 2009 version of the first part of a national chemistry competition is posted for your use with olympiad hopefuls. Test takers deal with 60 multiple choice questions covering an entire year of chemistry curriculum. Use this to...
Curated OER
2000 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Local Section Exam
This 60-question comprehensive exam was designed to determine who would go on to compete in the 2000 US National Chemistry Olympiad. Hopefuls answer multiple choice questions regarding all chemistry topics taught in the first year...
Curated OER
2001 U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad Part I
Sixty multiple-choice questions test on a variety of first year chemistry subjects. In order to succeed, exam takers must be competent with properties of elements, stoichiometry problems, gas laws, bond dissociation, and types of...