Collection of Lesson Plans

Foundation and Pre-calculus Mathematics Grade 10 (Unit 7) Introduction, 2 Consecutive Lesson Plans (7.1 & 7.2), Unit Test & Answer Sheet

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Material: Chalkboard or Whiteboard SMARTboard with internet access, graphing calculator, web-based/downloadable graphing programs (e.g. Sketchpad). New vocabulary: A System of linear equations Linear system Solving by Substitution or Elimination Infinite Coincident lines. Main Ideas: 1. Graph a linear equation with x and y- intercepts. 2. Graph a linear equation with slope and y-intercept. 3. Write a slope/ intercept format (y=mx+b) of linear equation by using slope and yIntercept. 4. How to convert slope/Intercept format of equation to standard form (ax+by+c=0) or vice versa. 5. Explore a graphing calculator and show them how to use it for graphing. 6. Introduce a system of linear equations. 7. Write a system of linear equations for a word-type task/problem that has two variables. 8. Solve a system of linear equations by graphing (on the board, or using a graphing calculator.) 9. Solve a system of linear equations by substitution strategy. 10. Solve a system of linear equations by elimination strategy. 11. How to choose a method to solve a system of linear equations. (Explain to students when and why to use a certain strategy). 12. Explain why sometimes there is no solution for a system of linear equations (graphing parallel lines), and why there is an infinite solution (when lines are coincide on each other) for some linear system of equations. 13. Provide a number of what-if questions to get students involve in their learning. 14. Perform an informal formative assessment to address the wording question that related to the last 2 questions of unit test. I explain how to decode the question and how to form the 2 linear equations accordingly. For instance, for Question No. 14 we can decode the question as follows: A+B=16, BA = AB-18, where AB = 10A+B and so BA = 10B+A, and students can solve this system of linear equations with one of the strategies.) 15. Perform a unit test (according to the attached unit test and answer sheet) (Create Custom Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry Worksheets, 2012) Introduction: In this unit (Unit 7, pages 394-444 of Grade 10 Mathematic textbook) we are concentrating on modeling problems (tasks) by using linear relationship and graphing linear equations that we learned in unit 6. Interaction with students throughout the lesson is the best way to direct my classroom. I have used the bold font in this section whenever I have paused and asked my students to participate.

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We are using two methods of graphing and algebra strategies to solve two linear equations. Solving a linear equation with one variable (e.g. x+5=7) means to find an x that satisfies this expression. When we have two unknown variables we also need two linear equations to find the ordered pair (x,y) that satisfies both equations. (e.g. x-y =3 and y=2x+1). A system of linear equations may have one solution, infinite solution or no solution at all. When a system of linear equations has only one ordered pairs of (x,y) we use the mathematical term point of intersection of two lines or two equations. No matter what strategy we apply we should always get one definite solution. There are some instances when we graph both equations and we notice that they are parallel or in another words they both have the same slope and we already know that parallel lines have no intersections or mathematically we say no solution . For these instances we are not able to find an ordered pair that satisfies both equations. Finally, there are some unique situations that both equations have same slope and same y intercept (a point that graph cuts the y axis), (e.g. x+y=2 and 5y=2-5x) once we graph these pair of equations we see that both graph coincide each other. In another words all the point on the graph are the solutions. Mathematical term for this situation is infinite answer. 1. Developing Systems of Linear Equations: A linear equation can be written in two forms of where b is the y intercept and m is the slope, or , it is recommended to reform the second form to the slope-intercept format and solve for y. This will help us to graph the equation in lesser time. ( ( ) ( ) ) ( )

2. Solving a Systems of Linear Equations Graphically There are number of task we can use to direct the classroom to the idea of this lesson, I usually try to give examples that students are familiar or it has some real life connection that they can relate the topic of this lesson to it. Task We are going to tile our kitchen and we know that perimeter is 12m2. We know that our kitchen is rectangular shape and the length is twice as width. Then, we ask students to translate this problem in algebraic expressions and see if they can find the width and length of the kitchen. Student can guess and find the right answer to this problem but we are going to solve this task more strategically than just guessing. The attached lesson plan (7.1) thoroughly explains how we can solve this kind of problem by graph. We basically translate ) the perimeter of 12 into [ ( . And once we graph both equation by using slope-intercept method we come to the only solution of (2, 4). 3. Using an Elimination Strategy to Solve a Systems of Linear Equations Given the same task we can use elimination method. We know that we can divide, multiply, add, subtract both side of an equation by none zero coefficient (Why?). We build this elimination strategy on this fact and we eliminate either x or y on both equation and we solve the remaining terms algebraically since one equation with one variable is solvable, why? Once we find one variable we easily substitute the known value and we solve for the 2nd variable. This is method is pure algebraically and does

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not use any graphing technique and recommended for those student that have difficulty using graph. 4. Using Substitution Strategy to solve a Systems of Linear Equations Substitution method is self-explanatory strategy and we basically substitute x or y from one equation to the other one. I suggest use this method only if one of the equation is in slope-intercept format or in another word whenever x or y has coefficient one. Once again this method is constructed algebraically and we solve a system in 3 steps: First, we substitute one of the variables on the 2nd equation. Second, we solve the single variable equation (2nd equation). Third, we put this value to the one f the equation (I usually ask my student at this point to choose the best equation and ask them to explain me why they decided to choose equation 1 or 2). Student-student discussion, student-teacher interaction is very important especially when it comes to routine algebra procedures. I make sure to get my student involve as much as possible. Pause and question frequently to make sure they are following my path. It is good to provide them with some unique and provocative situations. Like parallel lines or when they are using the elimination strategy they will face a situation where both x and y get eliminated, and then ask them to explain what has happened? How do we find the answer? Or is there any answer at all? Summary: Lessons 7.1 and 7.2 basically have covered the whole framework of unit 7. Lesson 7.1 can be divided into 2-3 consecutive plans as it covers the main ideas from 1 to 7 as listed above, and lesson 7.2 can be divided into 2 consecutive lessons one for Substitute method and one for Elimination method for unit main ideas from 8 to 15. References: 1. Create Custom Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry Worksheets. (2012). Retrieved November 19, 2012, from http://www.kutasoftware.com/