MATH 5035 Assignments Fall 2009 University of Georgia
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Week 6:
Due Tuesday, September 22: Look over the Georgia Performance Standards for grades 4 – 8 and identify at least 3 math standards which you believe you need to think about some more to be well prepared to teach. In class we will spend a short time discussing which topics we might like to examine this semester and you will then write a minute paper.
Due Thursday, September 24: Read section 13.3 and do the practice problems in that section. Hand in: Problem 1 b, c, 2 b on pages 739 – 741.
Week 7:
Due Tuesday, September 29: Read sections 13.5 and 13.6 and do the practice problems in section 13.6 (we will return to section 13.5). Hand in: Problems 5 a,b,c (be sure to explain why your formula is c is valid) and 12 a,b,c on pages 775, 776.
Due Thursday, October 1: Bring the following to class. You will add to it and hand it all in as a minute paper: Write a minute paper on the slope of a line and why the equation of a line with y-intercept b and slope m has equation y = mx + b.
Week 8:
Due Tuesday, October 6: Read section 6.4 on scientific notation and do the practice exercises. Also do but donÕt hand in: problems 4, 5 on page 286. Hand in: Problem 3a,b,c on page 286 and the following: summarize the rules for exponents, giving an example for each and an explanation for why the rule is valid (you may use an example for your explanation but you should make it clear that your line of reasoning will still work when other numbers are involved).
Due Thursday, October 8:
Week 9:
Due Tuesday, October 13: Hand in: (1) Write a Ōhow many groups?Ķ story problem for 4 divided by 2/3 and draw pictures to help you explain why you can solve the problem by first giving 4 and 2/3 a common denominator and then dividing the numerators (you may wish to read pages 331 – 333 first). (2) What information about a line can you deduce immediately – without manipulating the equation to change it to another form – from the equation y – 3 = 2(x – 1). Explain why. (3) Give an example of a real-life scenario (different from the ones in class and different from your classmatesÕ) where an equation of the form y – c = m(x – d) is Ōnaturally formulated.Ķ Choose numbers for c, m, and d to fit your scenario and explain why your equation fits the scenario. Be sure to define your variables! (4) If you are given a table for a function, how can you check if the function might be linear? Describe a way other than plotting the points. Then give a couple of examples of tables, one where the function could be linear (based on the points that are given in the table) and one where the function is not linear. Try to make your examples tricky!
Due Thursday, October 15: minute paper
Fraction
and decimal grids, thanks to Catalina!
Week 10:
Due Tuesday, October 20: Read the section on quadratic functions on pages 39 – 47 of the Functions paper posted on e-Learning commons. Focus on the subsection on quadratics in vertex form on pages 42 – 47. Hand in: (1) For each of the following two relationships, describe the kind of relationship it is and compare and contrast it with the other relationship, discussing tables, equations, and graphs: (a) You have 12 feet of fence that you will use to make 2 sides of a rectangular dog pen (the other two sides are formed by portions of two long perpendicular walls). Let x and y be lengths of the two sides of the dog pen that you could make from the fence. (b) You have 36 square pavers, each 1 foot by 1 foot, that you will use to make a rectangular patio along the back of the house. The patio will be a filled-in rectangle made from all the pavers (so you arenÕt just using the pavers to make an outline of the patio, you are filling the patio in with the pavers). Let x and y be the lengths of two of the sides of a patio you could make. (2) A rocket is launched so that t seconds after the launch, its height, h, in feet above sea level is given by either one of the following two equations: h = -16t^2 + 320t + 2000 or h = -16(t-10)^2 + 3600. (a) Which of the two equations is best to use to find out the initial height above sea level of the rocket? Explain briefly. (b) Which of the two equations is easiest to use to find the maximum height that the rocket attains and the time at which the rocket reaches its maximum height? Explain in detail.
Due Thursday, October 22: Read the section on putting quadratics in vertex form and the quadratic formula on pages 47 – 49 of the Functions paper posted on e-Learning commons.
Week 11:
Due Tuesday, October 27: Hand in: (1) Show how to put x^2 + 8x + 13 in vertex form, using a picture as a support. (2) Solve 2x^2 + 16x + 26 = 0 (without applying the quadratic formula). (3) Look over what we did since the last test. Write at least two possible test problems that you think will be especially helpful for you and your classmates to study and think about as you prepare for your student teaching next semester and after you graduate. E-mail your test problems to sybilla@math.uga.edu.
Due Thursday, October 29: Read section 12.1 and do the practice problems in that section.
The test problems that you all wrote are posted on e-Learning Commons (I did a little tinkering with the wording here and there). IÕm trying to post the test problems here too.
Here are some links that might be of interest, thanks again to Catalina for these!
This first link is a video about a guy who figured out how to use a cheap Wii remote to make an interactive white board (SmartBoard). Just thought it was cool and maybe something we could do in our classrooms if we don't have our own SmartBoard.
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/johnny_lee_demos_wii_remote_hacks.html
This link is about a teacher that raps about all sorts of educational topics, many of which are math-based. While a lot of his raps are more procedural, I thought they would serve as good "hooks" for math lessons.
Week 12:
Due Tuesday, November 3: Read sections 12.2, 12.3 and do the practice problems in those sections. Hand in: Problem 11 on page 660 (but feel free to change the numbers to fit your context better; also, you are welcome to give an activity instead of a story problem; in any case, make clear how the LCM is needed to solve the problem or how itÕs involved in the activity); problems 2 and 5a on page 667.
Due Thursday, November 5: TEST on the test problems you all wrote, posted on eLearning Commons.
Week 13:
Due Tuesday, November 10: Read sections 12.4, 12.5 and do the practice problems in those sections. Hand in: Problem 6 on page 672, taking care to give a general explanation (so even if you work with a particular example, we should be able to see why your explanation will still work no matter what the odd numbers are); problem 9 a, b on page 676; problem 11 a, b on page 677.
Due Thursday, November 12: Read section 12.6 to the middle of page 680.
Week 14:
Due Tuesday, November 17: Read section 12.6 to the bottom of page 683 and do practice problems 1 – 8 in that section. Hand in: Problems 3a, 6, and 10 a, b, c, d on pages 688, 689.
Due Thursday, November 19: Read pages 744 – 746 on geometric series and do but donÕt hand in practice problem 2 in that section and problems 3 and 6 on page 750.
Connected Math square root lesson
Thanksgiving break, week of November 23
Week 15:
Due Tuesday, December 1: Read the rest of section 12.6 and do the remaining practice problems. Hand in: Problem 8 a, b on page 751 and problem 8 on page 688.
Due Thursday, December 3: Review for the final exam and bring questions youÕd like to go over to class.
Tuesday December 8 operates on a Friday schedule
Wednesday, December 9: reading day
Office hours: Tuesday, December 8, 10:30 am – noon; Thursday, December 10, 11:30 am – 1 pm.
Final exam: 12 - 3 pm, Tuesday, December 15. The exam will cover the material from the entire semester.