Algebra I
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Shark Attack
Posted on Jan 15, 2009
Topic: Linear Functions & Equations
In this activity, students will use sliders to separate what effect each change in the Point-Slope equation has on the graph. Then they will calculate the slope and write their own Point-Slope form of an equation using two data points and use the Graph Trace to make predictions.
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Activity Key Steps:
This activity introduces the students to both forms of the Point-Slope form of an equation. An interactive page allows students to experiment with each part of the equation one at a time in order to clarify the changes that take place as each number changes.
Problem 2 introduces a contextual problem so that students now think about the ordered pairs as data points, and the slope as a rate of change. In this case, the growth of a child is used. Students will calculate the slope, write the equation in point-slope form, and then graph the equation with the ordered pairs. From the graph, they will be able to make “predictions.” ¶ Students will repeat the same process for Problem 3 where they will investigate the total body length and the fork length of a shark.