1

Math 1
Mathematical Reasoning

Course Reader
Fall 2024

Written/compiled by Trisha Bergthold

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Welcome to Math 1 – Mathematical Reasoning

Purpose
The purpose of this course is to help you develop strong foundational mathematics
knowledge and abilities so that you are well prepared for future courses involving
quantitative reasoning and well prepared for life after college. The thinking skills
that you gain by studying mathematics will broaden and strengthen your overall
thinking skills and help you with all subjects, not just mathematics.

Needed Supplies
• Course Reader for Math 1
• Course Reader for Math 1001S
• Math journal/notebook with grid paper (One notebook will do for both classes)
• Pencils with erasers

Helpful Supplies
• Colored pencils
• Short ruler

Logistics
• Adjust your Canvas settings to receive email daily.
• Read the syllabus. It’s on Canvas!
• Mark your calendar for Saturday 12/14/24 from 4:30-6:45 pm. This is the
date and time of our final exam!
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Mathematical Reasoning – Mapping the Landscape

Mathematical Concepts
1. The Structure of Numbers and Operations
2. Measuring the World Around Us
3. Exploring Sequences
4. Systematic Variation

Mathematical Practices1
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Mathematical Mindsets2
1. Everyone can learn mathematics to the highest levels.
2. Mistakes are valuable.
3. Questions are really important.
4. Math is about creativity and making sense.
5. Math is about connections and communicating.
6. Depth of understanding is more important than speed at computation.
7. Math class is about reaching for the learning goals and beyond, not just
finishing the daily work.
8. Being stuck is an honorable and positive state from which much can be
learned.
9. Believing in yourself is a game-changer.

1
Borrowed from https://www.thecorestandards.org/Math/Practice/.
2
Borrowed and adapted from Mathematical Mindsets, by Jo Boaler (2016)
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Mathematical Reasoning – How We’ll Get There from Here

Engage with Learning Opportunities
• Attend all lectures and engage fully.
• Attend all support class sessions (if enrolled) and engage fully.
• Practice doing mathematics.
• Practice talking mathematics.
• Practice retrieving mathematics.
• Practice reflecting on and summarizing mathematical ideas.
• Seek other resources.
• Quiz yourself and others regularly.
• Embrace mistakes and reflect on them.

Grow a Math 1 Community of Scholars

• Make friends with some fellow students.
• Work together on mathematics.
• Help each other stay focused on the goal of growing your math skills.
• Share strategies for navigating college life.
• Help each other when you get stuck and decide when it’s time to seek help
from an instructor.
• Learn how to give and take – to pull your own weight and help support others.
• Help each other grow your problem-solving perseverance.
• Help each other be brave about tackling the hard problems.
• Get together outside of class time, just because ….

Build New Life Skills

• Develop new study skills for the increased expectations in college.
• Manage your money with a budget and careful tracking of your spending.
• Advocate for yourself in setting boundaries.
• Pay attention to self-care, like adequate sleep, nutrition, exercise, hygiene,
and relaxation.
• Stay safe by advocating for your well-being, making smart, low-risk choices,
and planning for “what ifs”.
• Self-monitor how things are going and seek assistance when needed.
• Respect the rules and policies so that everyone is assured of an equal learning
opportunity.
• Hold to personal values and ethics in every aspect of college life. The path of
honesty, integrity, and perseverance is the path to future success.
• Manage your time with a schedule and be sure to pencil in study time.
• Manage stress through exercise, rest, nutrition, and so on.
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Productive and Respectful Talk

In nearly every class session, there will be opportunities, indeed expectations, for
students to engage in discussions and reflections with one another. There is a
learning curve to developing classroom discourse habits that are fruitful and
satisfying. Here, we’ve gathered a collection of sentence starters that will help you
and your fellow students get started down a productive path.

Exploring Questioning
• I wonder why/about… • Could you clarify what you
• That reminds me of… mean when you said… ?
• I noticed that …. • Could you say more about
• Couldn’t it also be that ….? that?
• I have a question for _____
Proposing about….
• I predict… • I have a question about…
• I think… • What does this statement
• In my opinion… really mean here?
• I think the statement • Can you tell me more?
means …. • Can you give an/another
example of that?
Justifying • What else could explain… ?
• On page ____ it says______
so I think… Differing Opinions
• I came to the conclusion ____ • I had a different opinion to
because… what ___ was saying because
• I (sort of) agree/disagree with I thought _____
____ because… • I have another opinion…
• Where can I find that in the • I got something different…
book?
Taking Turns
Acknowledging • I have something to say….
• Let me see if I understand • I would like to add to what
you. Are you saying that …. ? ___ was saying
• So, what you’re saying is… • Does anyone else want to add
• Maybe both of our methods to what has been said?
work…
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15 Ways to Get Better at Math3

If you start by consistently doing 1 or 2 of these things, you’ll see improvement quickly. Do more,
and your learning will soar.

1. Add your own ideas to notes after class is over. The notes in class are just the beginning.

2. Teach the day’s lesson to a parent, sibling, or friend and see if they understand what you are
telling them. You know you really understand something when you can teach it to others.

3. Accept that mistakes are part of learning and easy problems aren’t the ones that make us
smarter. Learning comes from pushing past your comfort zone. (See #4.)

4. Try every homework problem, even the hard problems, and especially do not skip the real-
world problems, as those are the problems that help us understand the mathematics we are
learning.

5. Take chances to speak up in class. You get better by trying out ideas, even fumbling and
bumbling through them. Good mathematicians are people who keep trying to clarify ideas.

6. Keep all classwork and homework organized in a binder that is just for math. It’s hard to refer
to papers that you can’t find.

7. Have supplies ready at all times. Looking for your stuff distracts you from learning.

8. Do a few problems that weren’t assigned. You can never have too much practice.

9. Look up topics online if they don’t make sense in class. There are many awesome videos,
games, and explanations for much of what we are studying in class.

10. Come ask me for help before class, after class, and during office hours, or make an
appointment to see me some other time. Email works too, if you have a quick question.

11. Copy notes onto summary study pages and/or make flashcards of concepts and vocabulary
that are important. The more times you process information in ways that identify connections
among topics, the better it sticks with you.

12. Redo all test and quiz items that you didn’t do correctly. Study your mistakes and ask how to
correct them. This will help you when it comes time to take the final exam.

13. Regularly meet with fellow students to work on practice problems together.

14. If you do not understand something, do not pretend that it will go away. Sometimes, it seems
easier to ignore the hard problems, but those are the ones that really tell us what we know
and don’t know and those are the ones that make us smarter.

15. Create exam items to go with the learning objectives, trade with a fellow student and try to do
each other’s problems.

3
Borrowed and adapted from an online source that is now lost. Please contact me if you recognize the author.
 7

The Handshake Puzzle

Work through as many levels of this problem as you can. Write all the ideas you tried and any
pictures you might have used to help your thinking process, whether they led to an answer or down a
blind alley.

The Question
At a party with 20 people, each person shakes hands with each other person exactly once. How
many handshakes happened altogether?

Rules
• Each person shakes hands with every other person exactly once.
• No one shakes their own hand!

Level A
Try solving simpler versions of this problem. What if the party had only 2 people? 3 people? 4
people?

Level B
What if the party had 5 people? How many handshakes happened in this scenario?

Level C
Keep going. What pattern seems to be emerging? Describe it. Can that pattern be used to answer
the original question?

Level D
Find a way to convince someone how many handshakes happen among 20 people WITHOUT relying
on the pattern found in Level C. (Make a argument that only relies on the number 20.)

Level E
What if we don’t know how many people are at the party, but we want to be able to predict how
many handshakes there will be. Let’s say that there are n people at the party. What mathematical
operations do we have to use with n in order to find the number of handshakes at a party with n
people? In other words, find a formula.
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Unit 1 – Measuring the World Around Us

(and why we need numbers to do that)

Unit Overview
An understanding of numbers is essential for every modern career, and for life in general. We use
numbers to count and measure things in the world around us. Whether we're measuring the height
of a building, the length of an antenna, or the speed of a migrating monarch butterfly, numbers
enable us to communicate observations, make predictions, and formulate theories that shape our
understanding of natural phenomena. In this unit, we start with a short introduction to the history of
how humans developed numeration systems. Then, we will delve into the fundamental principles of
measurement—with a focus on the basic units of length, area, and volume. Finally, we’ll do a deep
dive into the Pythagorean Theorem and why it’s always true.

Course Learning Objectives for Unit 1

1. Know and explain why we have numbers, what their purpose is, how they are structured, how
different cultures developed numbers, and how they are used in contemporary society.
2. Know and explain the actions behind the four arithmetic operations, how to represent them
visually, and how to complete those operations using mental mathematics, estimating, and non-
standard techniques that build on number sense and operation sense. (We are building skills in
this area that DON’T rely on a calculator!)
3. Know, explain, and use the process of measurement in different scenarios. Analyze how choice of
unit impacts measurements, convert from one unit to another, and connect counting to
measurement and measurement to multiplication, working with direct measurement, indirect
measurement, and derived measurement.
4. Calculate and/or estimate perimeters and areas of standard shapes (squares, rectangles, and
triangles) and volumes of standard shapes (rectangular boxes). Calculate and/or estimate
measurements of non-standard shapes using the meaning of measurement along with
decomposing and recomposing.

Lessons for Unit 1

1.1 Numeration, Counting, and Measurement
Ancient Numeration Systems
How Do We Use Numbers?
The Process of Measurement
The Game Room
Reasoning with Units and Unit Conversions
Three Strategies for Unit Conversions
The California Coast Classic Bike Tour
What is a Multiplicative Comparison?
1.2 Rectangles, Squares, & Tilted Squares
Looking For Squares
1.3 Right Triangles & The Pythagorean Theorem
Pythagorean Puzzles
1.4 The Big Picture on Measurement
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Ancient Numeration Systems

A numeration system is an accepted collection of symbols and rules that enables people to
systematically write numerals to represent quantities. It’s a code!

Without a numeration system, we would be stuck having to show people actual objects, or show them
drawings of objects, or show them tally marks to communicate how many objects are of interest.
Many ancient cultures developed numeration systems. Studying those systems helps us better
understand the structure of our own modern numeration system.

Example 1: Communicating 7 – With and Without a Numeration System

What can you figure out about the symbols in the numeration systems below?

Please go pick this many Please go pick this many Please go pick this many
apples. apples. apples.

Egyptian Babylonian Roman Mayan Hindu-Arabic

(3400 BCE) (3000 BCE) (500 BCE) (300 CE) (OUR system!)
(500 CE)

VII 7
Example 2: Communicating 24 – With and Without a Numeration System
What new information can you now figure out about these numeration systems?

Please go gather this Please go gather this Please go gather this

many eggs. many eggs. many eggs.

Egyptian Babylonian Roman Mayan Hindu-Arabic

(3400 BCE) (3000 BCE) (500 BCE) (300 CE) (OUR system!)
Extra Info: Base 20 (500 CE)

XXIV 24
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How Do We Use Numbers?

The fundamental element at the center of mathematics is numbers! If you are looking at numbers –
analyzing them and using them to make sense of the world around you, then you are doing
mathematics!

We use numbers in four main ways – naming, ordering, establishing intervals, and establishing ratios
(also known as multiplicative comparisons).

Naming Ordering Establishing Establishing

Intervals Ratios
• Which is which • Which quantity is • How much more or • How many copies
among these more or less than less is one of one quantity
items, persons, or another quantity? quantity than equals another
locations? • No operations can another? quantity?
• No operations can be used with these • Addition and • Multiplication and
be used with these numbers! subtraction make division make
numbers! • All we can sense with these sense with these
• All we can meaningfully say is numbers. numbers.
meaningfully say is that one quantity • For example, we • For example, we
that one is higher/lower, can meaningfully can meaningfully
identifying number greater/lesser say that one say that one
is different from (and so on) than quantity is 10 quantity is twice
another. another quantity. units more than another quantity.
another quantity.
• Social security • 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place • Temperature (F or C) • Height, length,
numbers in a competition • Time of day distance
• SJSU student ID • The top ten most • Dates • Weight
numbers populous cities in the • Area
• Address numbers USA are…. • Volume

Example 1: Navigating a Neighborhood

How do I find the house at 1624 Fairorchard Avenue in San Jose?

Suppose these five houses in a row on one side of Fairorchard Avenue are the addresses you notice
first. How are these numbers being used and how can you capitalize on that to find the house at
1624? What mathematical ideas do you need to understand and be able to use in this situation?

1645 1643 1641 1637 1635

Example 2: Olympic Medal Winners

In 1968, SJSU track athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos competed in the
summer Olympics in Mexico City and medaled in the 200 meter race.
1st place: Tommie Smith (USA)
2nd place: Peter Norman (Australia)
3rd place: John Carlos (USA)

If the above information is ALL you have, what kinds of questions will be
unanswerable? What if you have the additional info below?
Tommie Smith (USA) (19.83 seconds, World Record)
Peter Norman (Australia) (20.06 seconds, Australian Record)
John Carlos (USA) (20.10 seconds)
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The Process of Measurement

Measurement is a process of determining how large or small a physical quantity is, compared to a
basic reference quantity of the same kind. The result of the process of measurement is to assign a
number to something. Humans have arrived at this use of numbers because we don’t have enough
descriptive words in our languages to adequately describe and compare sizes.

We begin with the process of measurement because this is how we build understanding of (a)
measurement tools, (b) measurement formulas, and (c) how to measure an irregular or non-standard
item.

Length & Perimeter Area Volume

To measure the length of a To measure the area of a flat To measure the volume of a
line segment, we line up surface, like a tabletop, defined space, like the inside of
identical reference lengths floor, or wall, we cover the a box, bucket, or swimming
(imagine toothpicks, straws, surface with identical pool, we fill up the space with
fence rails, and so on) end- reference squares (imagine identical reference cubes (think
to-end with no gaps or square tiles) laid in a grid building blocks) stacked in
overlaps, and we count pattern with no gaps or layers of grid patterns with no
them. overlaps, and we count gaps or overlaps, and we count
them. them.

To measure the perimeter of

a shape means to find the
total length of its border or
boundary.

Most of us know the formula

for the area of a rectangle.
Most of us know the formula for
Area = base  height the volume of a rectangular box.

How does the formula Volume = base  height  depth

connect to the process of
How does the formula connect to
covering by squares?
the process of filling with cubes?

Brainstorming Examples
When building a house, including landscaping the yard, what kinds of items will involve
which of the above kinds of measurements?
Length & Perimeter Examples Area Examples Volume Examples
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The Game Room

A scale drawing of a new game room is shown below. The underlying grid contains 1-cm by 1-cm
squares. Complete the tasks below, writing notes, steps, and explanations in your math
journal/notebook.

F A

C
B

E 4.5 cm D

1. Find two different ways to explain why there are exactly 21 1-cm by 1-cm squares that cover the
room on this scale drawing.

2. Each 1 cm on the scale drawing represents 11 decimeters (dm) in the actual room. What are the
actual dimensions of the game room in decimeters and what is the general strategy?

AB = _____ dm DE = _____ dm
BC = _____ dm EF = _____ dm
CD = _____ dm FA = _____ dm

3. Using the dimensions you found in #2, calculate the number of decimeters (dm) of crown molding
that must be purchased to fit the border of the ceiling.

4. Using the dimensions you found in #2, calculate the number of square decimeters (dm2) of carpet
that must be purchased to cover the entire floor?

5. To air condition this room properly, the AC vendor needs to know the volume of the room. Using
the dimensions you found in #2, and assuming the walls are 25 dm high, calculate the volume of
the room in cubic decimeters (dm3).
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Notes – The Process of Measurement

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
The inner rectangle shows the border of a pool.
To ______________ means to compare to a The outer rectangle shows the border of a
collection of _________ of a certain type canvas pool cover. Each square in the grid
and size. represents a 1-meter by 1-meter square.

_____ & ________ ______ __________

(How many (How many (How many
toothpicks?) square tiles?) cubical blocks?)

Remember:
• ______________ means total length
along the border.
• __________ means total squares that
cover a surface - think “squarea”
• __________ means total cubes that a. What is the perimeter of the pool?
fill a space. b. What is the area of the canvas pool cover?

c. If the pool is 2 meters deep, what is its

volume?

Remember: a Example 2 – My Own Example

Academic Vocabulary
Area Measure Unit(s)
Length Perimeter Volume
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Check Your Understanding – The Process of Measurement

Complete the following problems in your math journal/notebook.

1. Calculate the perimeter and area of each polygon below. The underlying grid represents 1-m by
1-m squares. For each area calculation, be sure to show how you are breaking up the shape into
parts.

2. In each polygon below, find the missing side lengths and then find the perimeter and area of each
polygon. There are no grids here, but the shapes are drawn to scale, and sides that look parallel
are indeed parallel and angles that look like right angles are indeed right angles.

5m 8m
2m
4m
8m 7m
10 m 2m
5m
12 m
10 m
4m

3. On a piece of grid paper, draw an architectural plan for an outdoor back yard. Show the boundary
of the yard, along with its dimensions. Include at least five elements, with their dimensions.
Everything must be drawn to scale – tell the real-life measurements represented by each square
on your grid. The real-life dimensions of everything must be realistic – don’t put in a swimming
pool that’s 2 ft by 1 ft! Include at least one element each where you must calculate a perimeter,
an area, and a volume in order to purchase the right amount of each of the materials used in
constructing those elements.

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

a. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
b. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
c. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?
 15

Reasoning with Units and Unit Conversions

The measurement process depends on reasoning with units. A unit is the quantity taken to represent
1 in the measurement process. After choosing a unit, we line up copies of that unit to carry out the
measurement process. Our choice of a unit directly impacts the number we arrive at in measuring an
object.

An object can be measured using tiny, small, medium, large, or gigantic units. The size of the unit
determines how many of them are needed to match the object being measured! If the unit is small,
then we need a lot of them. If the unit is large, then we need only a few of them.

Visualizing Conversion Facts

Here is a visual of how decimeters, centimeters, and millimeters are related to one another. The long
toothpick has a length of 1 decimeter. It takes 10 centimeters to equal 1 decimeter and it takes 10
millimeters to equal 1 centimeter.

Example 1 – Distance from the MLK Library to Monopoly-in-the-Park

What happens if we measure this distance in
millimeters, centimeters, decimeters, meters, or
kilometers? Note that these units are listed from
smallest (milli) to largest (kilo).
1 kilometer = 1000 meters
1 meter = 10 decimeters
1 decimeter = 10 centimeters
1 centimeter = 10 millimeters
Use any method that makes sense and that you can
explain to a fellow student to find the distance from
the MLK Library to Monopoly-in-the-Park.
# of Units Unit Type
mm
cm
dm
m
1.4 km

Example 2 – Bocce Courts at Backesto Park

Backesto Park is about 1 mile from the
corner of 10th and San Fernando. There
are 3 bocce courts at this park. A bocce 4m
court is about 28 meters long and 4
meters wide. We could find the area in 28 m
square meters. We can also find the area
in square decimeters. Bocce is a game in which two individuals or
1 meter = 10 decimeters teams roll balls down the court (a bit like
Use any method that makes sense and that bowling) to get as close as possible to a small
you can explain to a fellow student to find the ball, called the jack or boccino.
area of this bocce court in square decimeters.
 16

Three Strategies for Unit Conversions

Multiplying/Dividing by the Scaling Up/Down with a Table
Conversion Factor
Large Units Small Units

x2 1 S x2
2 2S
1 Large Unit = S Small Units x2 x2
4 4S
x? x?

1. Identify the conversion factor. 1. Start building a table of pairs of numbers of

2. Think about the units you HAVE and the large units and corresponding numbers of small
units. Start with the conversion fact.
units you WANT.
2. Build each new pair by scaling up/down
• If you HAVE large units and WANT small
(multiplying/dividing) both numbers in any other
units, then you’ll need MORE units for the
pair by the same scale factor (multiplier/divisor).
same measure, so MULTIPLY by the
3. Keep building new pairs of numbers until you
conversion factor.
get the pair that has the number of units you
• If you HAVE small units and WANT large
HAVE, so you can look at the corresponding
units, then you’ll need FEWER units for the
number to see the number of units you WANT.
same measure, so DIVIDE by the conversion
factor.
Note: this technique requires STRATEGIZING the
Note: this technique works even when the multipliers so that you eventually land on the pair
conversion factor isn’t a friendly number, and in that that has the number of units you HAVE.
case, you might want to use a calculator.
Example: Convert 60 dm to cm. (1 dm = 10 cm)
Example: Convert 60 dm to cm. (1 dm = 10 cm)
dm cm
x2 1 10 x2
2 20 x3
1 dm = 10 cm  60 dm = 600 cm x3
6 60 x10
x10
60 600
Dimensional Analysis
Use this technique when you want to complete a chain of conversions, like from a big unit to a medium unit
to a small unit, or when the unit is a rate, like kilometers per hour.

B big units M medium units S small units B  M  S small units

  =
1 object 1 big unit 1 medium unit 1 1 1 object

The basic idea is to build labeled fractions for each conversion fact, so that multiplication cancels all units
except the units you WANT.
1. Write the first fraction as the number of units you HAVE (with the unit label), per “1 object” (this is the
object you are measuring).
2. Multiply this by the first labeled conversion fact fraction, set up with units you HAVE in the denominator
(so they’ll cancel). (Now you have a new kind of unit.)
3. Multiply this by the next labeled conversion fact fraction, set up with units you NOW HAVE in the
denominator (so they’ll cancel). (Now you have another new kind of unit).
4. Keep going with the set up of labeled fractions, until no more conversion facts remain to be used.
5. Perform the fraction multiplication with the numbers and write the final units leftover.

Example: Convert 60 decimeters to millimeters. (1 dm = 10 cm, 1 cm = 10 mm)

60 dm 10 cm 10 mm 60  10  10 mm
  = = 6000 mm / object
1 object 1 dm 1 cm 1 1 1 object

Ideas to ponder: How do the three strategies relate to one another? How is multiplication used?
 17

The California Coast Classic Bike Tour4

The California Coast Classic Bike Tour raises awareness and support for the nearly 60 million
Americans living with arthritis. This annual bike tour begins in San Francisco, and progresses along
California's iconic Highway 1, ending in Los Angeles.

Level A – Distance
The automobile driving distance from SF to LA is about 400 miles, whereas the cycling distance from
SF to LA along the route of the CCC Tour is 525 miles.

EVERYWHERE else in the world besides the USA uses the metric system to measure things.

You are planning to ride with a friend who is here from abroad. Convert these distances given in
miles into kilometers, so that your friend has a better idea of the length of the race. Try to do
this with paper-and-pencil calculations first. (1 mi = 1.6 km)

Level B – Elevation Gain

Day 4 of the CCC tour has the most overall hill climbing. When you add up the climbs, each cyclist
gains 6100 feet of elevation on this day. Convert this measurement in feet into decimeters, and
then into meters, so your friend from abroad better understands the challenges of the elevation
gain on this day. (1 ft = 3 dm, 1 m = 10 dm)

Use the information in the table on the next page for the remaining questions. You’ll have to sift
through to find the information that is relevant to the questions and to YOU. In particular, some
of the information is different for males and females.

Level C – Energy Input and Output

You are planning a short training ride, and you’d like to take either bananas or cheap cereal bars
with you as on-the-road snacks.
• If you take ONLY bananas, how many would you need to take to minimize the calorie deficit at
the end of your ride?
• If you take ONLY cheap cereal bars, how many would you need to take to minimize the calorie
deficit at the end of your ride?

Note: the calorie deficit is the difference between the calories you use while cycling, and the calories
you consume before and during the ride.

Level D – Planning Calorie Intake for One Day

On the next page, choose any of the 8 days of the CCC tour. For that day, work out different options
for carrying and consuming on-the-road snacks and drinks. How can you maximize your
consumption while cycling? What will be your calorie deficit on that day?

4
Adapted from Nutrition and Cycling at http://nrich.maths.org/7571 and The Fastest Cyclist at
https://nrich.maths.org/8078.
 18

Cycling Information Cards

Your options for

An average adult
You don’t want to on-the-road
female who does Your bicycle has A REALLY BIG
consume more than snacks are:
not do lots of holders that carry meal contains
250 kcal per hour Bananas, energy
physical activity up to three 1-liter approximately 1000
on rides of less bars, energy gels,
needs 2000 kcal water bottles kcal
than 5 hours cheap cereal bars,
per day.
or energy drinks
On the road, you
Most male cyclists
An average adult can stop to refill A banana contains
A big meal do not want to
male who does not your bottles (with 120 kcal, costs 24¢
contains consume more than
do lots of physical water only), and (at Trader Joe’s)
approximately 800 350 kcal per hour
activity needs 2500 you don’t want to and weighs about
kcal on rides of more
kcal per day. do this more than 120 g
than 5 hours
once every 2 hours.

As well as your Most female cyclists An energy bar

You use about 100
You cycle at 19 meals, you can do not want to contains 250 kcal,
kJ of energy to
miles per hour on have up to 1000 consume more than costs $1.33 and
cycle 1 km (in
rides that take less kcal of off-the-road 300 kcal per hour weighs 65 g
addition to your
than one day snacks per day if on rides of more (Clif Bars – Choc
normal energy use)
you need to than 5 hours Chip)

A pack of energy
On a ride that takes Your cycling jersey
gel contains 100
several days, you has 8 pockets.
You cycle at 14 kcal, costs $1.40,
A typical short eat 3 REALLY BIG Each pocket holds 1
miles per hour on and weighs 31 g
training ride is 2 meals per day: in banana, 1 energy
rides that take (GU Energy Original
hours long. the morning, after bar, 3 energy gels,
more than one day Sports Nutrition
you finish cycling, OR 2 cheap cereal
Energy Gel)
and in the evening bars.

A cheap cereal bar

You don’t like to You like to eat a
You don’t eat contains 130 kcal,
average more than big meal before a
anything while costs 42¢, weighs
1 mile = 1.6 km 7 hours of cycling short training ride.
cycling that you 36 g
per day on rides The energy for this
can’t carry in your (Nutri Grain Soft
that take more meal is released
pockets. Baked Breakfast
than one day during the ride
Bars, Strawberry)

500 ml of energy
You won’t be able
The distance of the drink contains 170
You drink about to top-up with
California Coast kcal and costs
1 kcal = 4.2 kJ 500 ml of fluids per snacks or energy
Classic Bike Tour is $1.83
hour of cycling drinks while on the
525 miles (Monster Energy
road
Drink – Original)

CCC Itinerary
Day 1 – San Francisco (Fishermen’s Wharf) to Santa Cruz 85 miles 5100 feet
Day 2 - Santa Cruz to Monterey 51 miles 2000 feet
Day 3 - Monterey to Big Sur 47 miles 2800 feet
Day 4 - Big Sur to Cambria 68 miles 6100 feet
Day 5 – Cambria to Oceano 58 miles 1700 feet
Day 6 - Oceano to Buellton 66 miles 3600 feet
Day 7 - Buellton to Ventura 87 miles 3400 feet
Day 8 - Ventura to LA (Alumni Park in Malibu) 63 miles 1800 feet
 19

What is a Multiplicative Comparison?

A multiplicative comparison is a special kind of comparison between two numbers, let’s call them
a and b, that tells you the following.

For every a units of the first quantity, there are b units of the second quantity.

Example 1: Mountain Trekking

A mountain trekker has a plan to hike the tallest peak in the San Francisco Bay Area (Mt. Hamilton –
4,354 ft.), the tallest peak in California (Mt. Whitney – 14,494 ft.) and the tallest peak in the world
(Mt. Everest – 29,029 ft.) These heights can be compared in multiple ways, as shown below.

Order Comparisons Additive Comparisons

• 1st in elevation (highest) among these • Mt. Whitney is 10,140 ft. higher than Mt.
three peaks is Mt. Everest. Hamilton.
• 2nd highest elevation among these three • If we hiked to the peak of Mt. Whitney
peaks is Mt. Whitney. and then kept hiking upwards (an
• Mt. Hamilton is in 3rd place in elevation imaginary trail) another 14,535 ft., that
among these three peaks. would be like hiking to the peak of Mt.
Everest.

Multiplicative Comparisons

• It takes approximately 2 Mt.

Whitney hikes to equal 1 Mt.
Everest hike.
• It takes about 3⅓ Mt. Hamilton
hikes to equal 1 Mt. Whitney
hike, or if we want to be sure to
have nice whole numbers of
hikes, it takes about 10 Mt.
Hamilton hikes to equal 3 Mt.
Whitney hikes.
Mt. Hamilton Mt. Whitney Mt. Everest

Observations
• Each type of comparison gives you quantitative information, but the multiplicative comparison
quantifies the size of one number relative to the size of another number.
• There are many ways to describe the same multiplicative relationship. For example, we can say
Mt. Everest is twice as high as Mt. Whitney, or we could say Mt. Whitney is half as high as Mt.
Everest.

Example 2: Purchase of Pens Additive Thinking:

Which package of pens should I buy and why? I’ll get Brand A
because I can get one
more pen than Brand
B for only 50¢ more
Brand A: a package of 6 pens that costs $3.50 money.
Brand B: a package of 5 pens that costs $3.00
Order Thinking:
Brand C: a package of 10 pens that costs $5.75
I’ll get Brand C Order Thinking:
because it has I’ll get Brand B
more pens than the because it costs
Multiplicative Thinking: less than the
others.
If I were to buy 2 packages of Brand B, I’d get 10 pens for $6, but others.
Brand C already gives me 10 pens for $5.75, so Brand C costs less
per pen than Brand B. Try it now: compare Brand A to Brand C.

Question to ponder: How are multiplicative comparisons related to unit conversions?

 20

Notes – Units and Unit Conversions

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
A fish tank in the shape of a rectangular
Conversion of _______: box has dimensions 30 cm by 40 cm on
Example: Convert 40 kilometers to meters.
(1 km = 1000 m) the bottom and 35 cm from the bottom to
the top.
Multiplying/Dividing by the ____________ Up/Down
Conversion _________ With a Table
• What are dimensions in decimeters?
• What is the area of the bottom in
km m
square decimeters?
1 1000
1 km = 1000 m 2 2000 • What is the volume of the fish tank
4 4000 in cubic decimeters?
40 40,000
40 km = _40,000_ m (1 dm = 10 cm)
When you double one of
Look at the numbers in the the units, you double the
conversion ________. Find corresponding number of
the multiplier in the desired the other. Multiply
direction and use that. strategically!

__________________ Analysis

40 km 1000 m 40  1000 m
 = = 40,000 m object
1 object 1 km 1  1 object
Build labeled fractions from _____________ facts so that
multiplication cancels all ______ except the desired units.

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

Academic Vocabulary
Conversion Fact Dimensional Analysis Unit(s)
Conversion Factor Scaling Down
Dimensions Scaling Up
 21

Check Your Understanding – Units and Unit Conversions

Complete these problems in your math journal.

1. Convert the following lengths into the desired units. Show your method.
a. 52 centimeters to meters (1 m = 100 cm)
b. 100 kilometers to meters (1 km = 1000 m)

2. A rectangular room is 3 meters by 4 meters.

a. What are its dimensions in decimeters? (1 m = 10 dm)
b. What is its perimeter in decimeters?
c. What is its area in square decimeters?

3. A cargo container is 22 m long, 4.5 m wide, and 3 m tall.

a. What are its dimensions in centimeters? (1 m = 100 cm)
b. What is the area of its floor in square centimeters?
c. What is its volume in cubic centimeters?

4. On a recent trip, Jan travelled 160 kilometers using 32 liters of gas.

a. What was the car’s fuel consumption rate in kilometers per liter for this trip?
b. What was the car’s fuel consumption rate in meters per liter for this trip? (1 km = 1000
meters)

5. Blood sugar levels are measured in milligrams of glucose per deciliter of blood volume. If a
person’s blood sugar level measured 128 mg/dL, what is this in grams per liter? (1 gram = 1000
milligrams and 1 liter = 10 deciliters)

6. (From https://nrich.maths.org/2208) Four wiggles are the same as three woggles; two woggles
are the same as five waggles, and six waggles are the same as one wuggle. Which is the
smallest: 1 wuggle, 2 woggles, 3 waggles or 4 wiggles, or is there more than one with the same
value?

7. Self-assessment & Strategizing

a. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
b. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
c. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?
 22

Looking for Squares

In this investigation, you will explore the relationship between the side lengths and areas of squares.
All the grids in this activity are made up of 1-cm by 1-cm squares.

Level A
You can draw squares with different areas by drawing line segments between grid intersection points
on a grid. Find the area of each square (in square centimeters) and show your process for each
square. Be sure to account for half-squares in the tilted square.

B C

Level B
The tilted square in Level A is “nicely” tilted, meaning that it’s covered by whole squares and half
squares, so figuring out its area is quite straightforward. The tilted squares below are a bit less
“friendly”. Find their areas by decomposing the squares into 4 right triangles and 1 smaller square in
the middle – draw along the gridlines starting from each corner!

E
 23

Level C
If you know the area of a square, you can work backward to find the length of a side. For example,
suppose a square has an area of 4 square centimeters. To find the length of a side, you need to
figure out what positive number multiplied by itself equals 4. Since 2  2 = 4 , the side length is 2
centimeters. We call 2 a square root of 4. We use the symbol to denote the positive square root
of a number. So 4 = 2 . This works even when the area of a square isn’t a perfect-square-number!

1. Use the square root concept to find the side length of each tilted square in Levels A and B.
Express each side length using the square root symbol if it’s not a whole number.

2. Cut out the “toothpick ruler” at the bottom of the page and lay it against the side of each square
to measure the side length in centimeters. For the side lengths that are not whole numbers, tell
which whole number that side length is closest to and how you made that decision.

3. Now, instead of using the “toothpick ruler” to find the approximate size of a side length, use
mathematical reasoning about the areas of squares and their corresponding side lengths, to make
the case for the approximate size of each side length. (Use the “Goldilocks” method: too little,
too big, just right.)

Level D
You can use a square to find the length of a segment connecting intersection points on a grid.
For example, to find the length of segment G, draw a square with that segment as a side -- the
square has an area of 5 square centimeters, so the segment has length 5 cm. Use this strategy to
find the lengths of the remaining line segments, using the symbol to express lengths that are not
whole numbers. For each segment whose length must be expressed using the square root symbol,
find the closest whole number.

G H I

J
 24

Notes – Squares and Square Roots

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
Find the area and side length of the square
If you know the side length of a square, then below. The grid consists of 1-cm by 1-cm
you can find the _______ of that square: squares.
2
Area = ___ _______

This works in reverse too. If you know the

area of a square, then you can find the
_______ ________ of that square:

Side Length =

We verbalize the symbol with the phrase

________ _______ of…..

To find the area of a tilted ________, break it

up into 4 _______ __________s and 1 small
__________, find the areas of the parts and
_______ the areas of the parts.

Remember:
Side lengths are measured in ________ _____.
Areas are measure in _________ ______.

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

Know from memory (or BAT quickly reproduce)

the first twenty ________ _______ ________ :
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100,
121, 144, 169, 196, 225, 256, 289, 324, 361, 400
Formula: n2

Also:

Academic Vocabulary
Add Perfect square numbers Square
Area Right triangle Square root
Linear units Side length Square units
 25

Check Your Understanding - Rectangles, Squares, & Tilted Squares

Complete these problems in your math journal/notebook. The grids consistsof 1-cm by 1-cm
squares.

1. Complete the following tasks.

a. Find the area of the tilted square by

decomposing it into right triangles and a
smaller square. Show the decomposition
and the areas of each piece.

b. Find the side length of the square and

express it in square root form.

c. Explain how you know, without the use of a

calculator, which whole number is closest to
the side length.

2. Complete the following tasks.

For each illustrated line segment, draw the square that has
that line segment as one of its sides. Find the area of each
square.

3. A student is looking at the line segment in the upper right corner of the grid in #2 and declares
that its length is 2 cm. Their reasoning is that it crosses two squares and therefore its length is 2
cm. Explain to this student why this reasoning isn’t correct and tell them what the correct length
of that segment is and why it must be what you say it is.

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

d. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
e. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
f. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?
 26

Pythagorean Puzzles
Level A
For each of the following four right triangles, draw the squares on each side, find the area of each
square, and verify that the Pythagorean identity is satisfied. For the tilted squares, use the
decomposing and recomposing strategies that you developed in the activity Looking for Squares.
 27

Level B
Use a right triangle with legs of 3 and 5 units to complete the square puzzles below.

Draw the squares on the sides of the Arrange 4 copies of the right Arrange 4 copies of the right
triangle. You will use each square and triangle and the two small triangle and the large square
8 copies of the triangle in the puzzles at squares in the frame below. in the frame below.
the right.

What can you conclude from comparing these filled-in puzzle frames?

Level C
The pattern you discovered in the activities above is a famous
The Pythagorean Theorem
theorem named after the Greek mathematician Pythagoras. A
theorem is a general mathematical statement that has been If you have a right triangle, with
proven true. The Pythagorean Theorem is one of the most legs of length a and b, and
famous theorems in mathematics. hypotenuse of length c, then it’s
always true that a2 + b2 = c 2 .

1. Suppose a right triangle has a

13 c
hypotenuse of length 13 meters and
5
one leg of length 5 meters. (A a
scaled-down visual is shown here.)
Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of the
other leg of the triangle.
b

2. Suppose a right triangle has legs of length 4 meters and 6 meters. (A scaled-
down visual is shown here.) Use the Pythagorean Theorem to find the length of 4
the hypotenuse of the triangle. 6
 28

Notes – The Pythagorean Theorem

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
Find the length of the line segment below.
If you have a _________ _________, with
Hint: create a right triangle that has the given
________ of length a and b, and ___________
line segment as its hypotenuse. The grid
of length c, then it’s always true that
consists of 1-cm by 1-cm squares.
2 2 2
+ =

Visually, we draw the

__________ on each side
of the right triangle, and
it’s always true that the c
a
_______ of the two small
squares will add up to the b
_______ of the large
square.

We can use this theorem to find a missing

_____ ________ of a _______ _________.
Also, this theorem helps us to find the length of
a slanted line segment on a square grid.

Remember:
Side lengths are measured in ________ _____.
Areas are measured in _________ ______.

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

Know from memory (or BAT quickly reproduce)

the first twenty ________ _______ ________ :
1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, 49, 64, 81, 100,
121, 144, 169, 196, 225, 256, 289, 324, 361, 400
Formula: n2

Also:

Academic Vocabulary
Area(s) Linear units Side length
Hypotenuse Perfect square numbers Square
Leg(s) (of a right triangle) Right triangle Square units
 29

Check Your Understanding – The Pythagorean Theorem

Complete these problems in your math journal/notebook.

1. The following are incomplete sets of numbers that satisfy the Pythagorean Theorem. For each
set, find the missing side length. If a side length is not a whole number, express its length using
square root notation and find the nearest whole number to that square root number. Show your
steps.
Leg Leg Hypotenuse c
a b c a

1. 3 4 ?
b
2. 6 ? 10

3. 4 4 ?

4. ? 10 164

2. Find the area of each triangle and find the lengths of all the sides. If a side length is not a whole
number, express its length using square root notation and find the nearest whole number to that
square root number. Show your steps. The grid consists of 1-cm by 1-cm squares.

Right ∆, Scalene Acute ∆, Isosceles Acute ∆, Scalene

Hints:
• For the area of each triangle, find or create right triangles, because the area of a right triangle is
always half the area of the rectangle from which it’s built. Remember the strategy of
decomposing and recomposing. The sum of the parts equals the whole. The whole minus all-but-
one of the parts equals that one part. For the third triangle, build a rectangle around the triangle!
• For the side lengths of the slanted sides, you’ll need to use the Pythagorean Theorem, and you
MAY need to create a right triangle that has that slanted side as its hypotenuse. Add auxiliary
lines as needed for this purpose.
 30

3. Four congruent right triangles, each having legs of length a and b and hypotenuse of length c, are
arranged as in the diagram here to produce square EFGH.

E F
c c
a a

b b
c c
a a
c
b b a
H b G

a. Write an expression for the area of square EFGH in terms of the length of its sides.

b. Write an expression for the area of square EFGH in terms of the areas of its component parts
(i.e., four triangles and a square).

c. Set these two expressions equal and show that this leads to a proof of the Pythagorean
Theorem.

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

a. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
b. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
c. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?
 31

Unit 2 – Exploring Sequences

(and what they tell us about the structure of numbers and operations)

Unit Overview
Welcome to our exploration of sequences, where we delve into the mathematics of repeated
reasoning. Sequences arise in many ways – for example, in the spirals found in nature, the
progressive increases of interest payments on a bank account, and the repeated scaling down of a
geometric shape to create the antennas used in today’s smartphones. In this unit, we will explore
visual sequences of three different types: linear, quadratic, and exponential. We’ll look at various
ways to describe and analyze their underlying patterns. A key objective is to be able to make
predictions, based on the patterns and structure of a sequence.

Course Learning Objectives for Unit 2

1. Analyze visual patterns via verbal, numerical, graphical, and algebraic representations –
translating from one representation to another, predicting what a specified term must be,
predicting which term must have a specified number or visual, comparing types of patterns to one
another, determining if a pattern comes to an end or continues infinitely, and predicting what
happens when a pattern continues without end.
2. Recognize when quantities are related to one another via multiplication and use this number
relationship to solve problems and make predictions, especially understanding and using ratios,
fractions, decimals, and percentages to make predictions.

Lessons for Unit 2

1.1 Linear Sequences
1.2 Quadratic Sequences
1.3 Exponential Sequences
1.4 The Big Picture on Sequences
 32

Linear Sequences
Level A (Pattern 2 from visualpatterns.org)
The visual pattern below shows cubes arranged to form Ls. As the figure number increases, so does
the number of cubes needed to create the figures.

Visuals

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 ... Fig. 100 (the idea)
1 cube 3 cubes 5 cubes 7 cubes ____ cubes ____ cubes

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures? Think about the overall shape as well as parts
that go together to make up the shape. Use the idea of decomposing and recomposing.

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T 1 3 5 7

Symbolic Graphical
Use n to represent the figure number Total Cubes vs Figure Number

Use T to represent total cubes Total Cubes

T
Equation: T=

Observations & Queries

• I see repeated addition by ____’s.

• I see that the points lie along a

______.

•
n
Figure Number

Predictions. Is there a figure with exactly 68 cubes? If so, tell which figure it is and show how you
know. If not, explain why.
 33

Level B (Pattern 37 from visualpatterns.org)

The visual pattern below shows line segments arranged to form hexagons. As the figure number
increases, so does the number of segments needed to create the figures.

Visuals

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

6 segments 11 segments 16 segments ____ segments

Figure 5 ... Figure 100 (the idea)

____ segments ____ segments

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T

Symbolic Graphical

Use n to represent

Use T to represent

Equation: T=

Observations & Queries

• I see repeated addition by ____’s.

Predictions. Is there a figure with exactly 71 toothpicks? If so, tell which figure it is and show how
you know. If not, explain why.
 34

Level C (Pattern 51 from visualpatterns.org)

The visual pattern below shows hexagon tiles arranged in a row. As the figure number increases, so
does the number of hexagons needed to create the figures.

Visuals

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

4 hexagons 7 hexagons 10 hexagons ____ hexagons

Figure 5 ... Figure 100 (the idea)

____ hexagons ____ hexagons

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable:
Dep. Variable:

Symbolic Graphical

Use to represent

Use to represent

Equation:

Observations & Queries

Predictions. Tell how you know which numbers between 100 and 200 CANNOT represent the total
number of hexagons in any figure of this sequence.
 35

Looking Back - Big Strategies

• Try to identify what is staying the same and what is changing and how from one figure to the
next.
• Try decomposing the figure into parts that are easier to analyze, like the length and width, or a
“tail” or “handle” that seems to remain constant.
• Think geometrically – like “this part is a rectangle” – not just in terms of the total number of
items that make up each figure.
• Drawing a rough idea of a figure far out in the sequence is a strong strategy because it forces you
to think about how the figure number connects to the total number of items in the figure. It’s a
steppingstone to finding the formula.
• A formula takes you directly from whatever the figure number is to the number of items in that
figure.
o Maybe you double (the figure number) and add 1, so the formula is 2n + 1.
o Maybe you take (the figure number) times (the figure number + 1), so the formula is
n(n+1).
o Think in terms of words first, then replace the phrase “the figure number” with the letter n.
 36

Notes - Linear Sequences

Fill in the blanks. Example 1 (Pattern 14 from visualpatterns.org)

• A sequence of numbers is ____________

when we _________ the same constant
amount to get from one term to the next.
• Linear sequences are characterized by Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
repeated __________________.
(Remember that repeated ____________ Figure 100
IS multiplication!) (the idea):

• Visuals of a ____________ sequence are

often rectangular with growth in only one
dimension, and perhaps have a constant n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
“tail” or “handle”. T
• A correct graph of ordered pairs for a linear
sequence looks like a _____________.
Equation:
• We build the equation for a linear sequence
from the number that is being repeatedly
T = ___________
____________, with an adjustment, if
necessary, for a constant “tail” or “handle”. Notes to Myself:

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

FOR GRAPHS, REMEMBER
• The axes cross at (0, 0)
• Choose a scale for each axis that allows you to show
all the ordered pairs and have them fill the grid.
• Label each axis with tick marks and numbers that
show your scale on that axis, and that the scale is
consistent across the whole axis. For example, if the
segment from 0 to your first labeled tick mark
represents 5 units, then all segments on that axis of
the same length must represent 5 units.

n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
T

Equation:
T = ___________

Academic Vocabulary
Add First level add-ons Linear sequence
Addition Line Multiplication
Constant
 37

Check Your Understanding - Linear Sequences

In your math journal/notebook, write full solutions to each problem below.

1. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 125 from visualpatterns.org).

a. How do you see the pattern growing?

b. What would the next two figures look like? Draw them.
c. What would the 10th figure look like? Describe it in words.
d. How many circles would be in Figure 43? Describe Figure 43 in words.
e. Can you find a formula for the number of circles in Figure n?
f. This is a linear sequence. What is its initial value and constant rate of change?

2. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 4 from visualpatterns.org).

a. How do you see the pattern growing?

b. What would the next two figures look like? Draw them.
c. What would the10th figure look like? Describe it in words.
d. How many squares would be in Figure 57? Describe Figure 57 in words.
e. Can you find a formula for the number of squares in Figure n?
f. This is a linear sequence. What is its initial value and constant rate of change?

3. Look at the pattern to the right (Pattern 35 from visualpatterns.org).

a. How do you see the pattern growing?

b. What would the next two figures look like?
Draw them.
c. What would the 10th figure look like? Describe
it in words.
d. How many sticks would be in Figure 75?
Describe Figure 75 in words.
e. Can you find a formula for the number of
sticks in Figure n?
f. This is a linear sequence. What is its initial
value and constant rate of change?
 38

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

a. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
b. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
c. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?

More practice from visualpatterns.org:

Patterns 17, 18, 31, 90, 138, 143, 145, 152, 156, 164, 165, 168, 175, 202, 228, 242, 243

Which patterns show multiples and which ones show multiples + a constant? How can you visualize
this?
 39

Quadratic Sequences
Level A (Pattern 12 from visualpatterns.org)
The visual pattern below shows cubes arranged to form Ls. As the figure number increases, so does
the number of diamonds needed to create the figures.
Visuals

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 ... Fig. 100 (the idea)

4 diamonds 9 diamonds 16 diamonds ____ diamonds ____ diamonds

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T 4 9 16

Symbolic Graphical

Use n to represent the figure number Total Diamonds Vs Figure Number

Use T to represent total diamonds Total Diamonds

T
Equation: T=

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

n
Figure Number

Prediction: Is there a figure with exactly 144 diamonds? If so, tell which figure it is and show you
know. If not, explain why.
 40

Level B (Pattern 20 from visualpatterns.org)

The visual pattern below shows football helmets arranged to form rectangles. As the figure number
increases, so does the number of helmets needed to create the figures.
Visuals

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4

3 helmets 10 helmets 21 helmets ____ helmets

Figure 5 ... Figure 100 (the idea)

____ helmets ____ helmets

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T

Symbolic Graphical

Use n to represent

Use T to represent

Equation: T=

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

•
•
•

Prediction: Is there a figure with exactly 51 columns of helmets? (Columns go up-down.) If so, tell
which figure it is, show how you know, and calculate the number of helmets in that figure. If not,
explain why.
 41

Level C (Pattern 3 from visualpatterns.org)

The visual pattern below shows square tiles arranged in a stairstep pattern. As the figure number
increases, so does the number of squares needed to create the figures.
Visuals

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 ... Figure 100 (the idea)

3 squares 6 squares 10 squares ____ squares ____ squares

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable:
Dep. Variable:

Symbolic Graphical

Use to represent

Use to represent

Equation:

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

 42

Notes - Quadratic Sequences

Fill in the blanks. Example 1 (Pattern 21 from visualpatterns.org)

• A sequence of numbers is ____________

when the numbers we add to get from one
term to the next form a _____________
sequence.
• For quadratic sequences, the second-level
add-ons are ________________.
• Visuals that represent a ____________ Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
sequence are often rectangular with growth
in BOTH dimensions, and perhaps have a Figure 100
constant “tail” or “handle”. (the idea):

• A correct graph of ordered pairs for a

quadratic sequence looks like a portion of a
____________________. n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• When the visuals of a quadratic sequence T
are rectangular or “near rectangular”, we
can form the equation from the dimensions Equation:
of the ____________, with an adjustment, T = ___________
if necessary, for a constant “tail” or
“handle”.
Notes to Myself:

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
T

Equation:
T = ___________

Academic Vocabulary
Constant Linear sequence Quadratic sequence
First level add-ons Parabola Rectangle
Second-level add-ons
 43

Check Your Understanding - Quadratic Sequences

In your math journal/notebook, write full solutions to each problem below.

1. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 1 from visualpatterns.org). Analyze this sequence in the
same way as we did in our in-class investigations.

a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next two figures. Draw an idea of what Figure 100 must look like – with annotations
that give the recipe for how to construct it. Tell how many toothpicks are in Figure 100.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total number of toothpicks in each figure) to n (the figure
number).

2. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 19 from visualpatterns.org). Analyze this sequence in the
same way as we did in our in-class investigations.

a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next two figures. Draw an idea of what Figure 100 must look like – with annotations
that give the recipe for how to construct it. Tell how many squares are in Figure 100.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total number of squares in each figure) to n (the figure
number).

3. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 35 from visualpatterns.org). Analyze this sequence in the
same way as we did in our in-class investigations.

a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next two figures. Draw an idea of what Figure 100 must look like – with annotations
that give the recipe for how to construct it. Tell how many squares are in Figure 100.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total number of squares in each figure) to n (the figure
number).
 44

5. Self-assessment & Strategizing

d. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
e. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
f. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?

More practice from visualpatterns.org:

Patterns 5, 16, 32, 45, 52, 60, 68, 72, 77, 101

Which patterns show rectangles, half of a rectangle, or rectangles + a constant? How can you
visualize this?
 45

Exponential Sequences
Level A (Adapted from pattern 47 from visualpatterns.org)
The visual pattern below shows centimeter square tiles arranged to form columns. As the figure
number increases, so does the number of squares needed to create the figures.
Visuals

Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 ... Fig. 100 (the idea)
1 square 2 squares 4 squares 8 squares ___ squares ___ squares ____ squares

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T 1 2 4 8 16

Symbolic Graphical

Use n to represent the figure number Total Squares Vs Figure Number

Use T to represent total squares Total Squares

T
Equation: T=

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

n
Figure Number

Looking Back: Is there a figure in this sequence with 2048 squares? If so, which one? If not, why
not?
 46

Level B (Pattern 133 from visualpatterns.org)

The visual pattern below shows triangles divided covered by triangular tiles. As the figure number
increases, so does the number of triangular tiles that cover each large triangle.
Visuals

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 ... Fig. 100

1 triangular tile 4 triangular tiles 16 triangular tiles ___ triangular tiles ___ tri. tiles

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable: n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Dep. Variable: T

Symbolic Graphical

Use n to represent

Use T to represent

Equation: T=

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

•
•
•

Looking Back: Is there a figure in this sequence with 2048 triangular tiles? If so, which one? If not,
why not?
 47

Level C
In the visual pattern below, each figure is a 1-inch by 1-inch square, with one portion shaded and the
rest unshaded. Here, we’re interested in the pattern of the UNSHADED portion. As the figure
number increases, the area of the unshaded portion decreases.
Visuals (Focusing on the UNSHADED portion)

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

1 1
2 4

Verbal
What is the SAME about all the figures?

What is DIFFERENT between the figures? How is that connected to the figure number?

Numerical
Indep. Variable:
Dep. Variable:

Symbolic Graphical

Use to represent

Use to represent

Equation:

Observations, Predictions, & Queries

Looking Back: Is there a figure in this sequence in which the unshaded area = 0 square inches? If
so, which one? If not, why not?
 48

Notes - Exponential Sequences

Fill in the blanks. Example 1

• A sequence of numbers is ____________

when, instead of adding the same number
to get from one figure to the next, we
Fig. 1 Fig. 2 Figure 3 Figure 4
_____________ by the same number to
get from one to the next.
• When the constant multiplier in an
exponential sequence is greater than 1, Figure 100
then we have exponential __________. (the idea):
• When the constant multiplier in exponential
sequence is less than 1, then we have
exponential __________. n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
• A correct graph of ordered pairs for an T
exponential growth sequence is ________,
as our eyes scan, left to right, and the Equation:
increase becomes ________ dramatic as T = ___________
the figure numbers increase.
• A correct graph of ordered pairs for an
exponential decay sequence is _________, Notes to Myself:
as our eyes scan, left to right, and the
decrease becomes _________ dramatic as
the figure numbers increase.

Remember: Example 2 – My Own Example

n 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
T

Equation:
T = ___________

Academic Vocabulary
Decreasing Exponential decay Increasing
Exponential Exponential growth Multiply
 49

Check Your Understanding - Exponential Sequences

In your math journal/notebook, write full solutions to each problem below.

1. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 167 from visualpatterns.org). Analyze this sequence in the
same way as we did in our in-class investigations.

a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next figure. Draw an idea of what Figure 100 must look like – with annotations that
give the recipe for how to construct it. Tell how many disks are in Figure 100 - just express it
in terms of the numbers and operations – no need to complete the calculation.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total number of disks in each figure) to n (the figure
number).

2. Look at the following pattern (Pattern 246 from visualpatterns.org). Analyze this sequence in the
same way as we did in our in-class investigations. Here, we are counting the dots in each figure.
a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and
how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next figure. Draw an idea of what Figure
100 must look like – with annotations that give the
recipe for how to construct it. Tell how many dots are
in Figure 100 - just express it in terms of the
numbers and operations – no need to complete the
calculation.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total number of
dots in each figure) to n (the figure number).

3. Look at the following pattern from Level C of our investigation. Now, we’ll look at the SHADED
portion. Analyze this sequence in the same way as we did in our in-class investigations.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5

a. Describe what stays the same and what changes and how from one figure to the next.
b. Draw the next figure. Draw an idea of what Figure 100 must look like – with annotations that
give the recipe for how to construct it. Tell how much area is SHADED in Figure 100 - just
express it in terms of the numbers and operations – no need to complete the calculation.
c. Create a table of ordered pairs for the first 10 figures.
d. Draw a graph of the ordered pairs in your table.
e. Find an equation that relates T (the total SHADED area in each figure) to n (the figure number).
 50

6. Self-assessment & Strategizing

g. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
h. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
i. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?

More practice from visualpatterns.org:

Patterns 50, 61, 62, 160, 162, 163, 171, 172, 173, 174, 176, 182, 192, 270, 271
 51

Unit 3 – Modeling Systematic Variation

(and how that helps us understand the world around us)

Unit Overview
Systematic variation arises when two types of quantities vary in relationship to each other in a way
that allows us to make predictions. The variation is systematic – there’s a rule, a pattern, or a
structure to the relationship. For example, distance vs time, number of items purchased vs total
cost, number of batches of cookie dough vs number of cookies made, and so on. In this unit, we will
focus on proportional and linear variations and how these kinds of systematic variation arise in the
work of wildlife biologists and other professionals.

Course Learning Objectives for Unit 3

1. Analyze patterns of change, comparing those patterns to one another, and expressing those
patterns using words, numbers, algebraic formulas, graphs, and visuals.
2. Examine collections of bivariate data, organizing that data in tables, charts, and graphical
displays, and comparing to known function types to make conclusions about what the data tell us.

Lessons for Unit 3

3.1 Proportional Variation
Estimating a Population of Sharks
3.2 Linear Variation
Recovery of the Gray Wolves
Saving the Pisces III
3.3 Bivariate Data
Measuring the Slope of a Line
Revisiting the Shark Population Count
Revisiting the Gray Wolf Recovery
3.4 The Big Picture on Systematic Variation
 52

Estimating a Population of Sharks

Last summer, marine biologists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium set out to estimate the number of
sharks in a nearby lagoon.

Overview of the Method

Use a part-to-whole ratio that we are confident is representative of the whole population of sharks.

Capture, Tag, Release

Creates a subgroup of the shark population, with a known count.
Recapture, Count, Release
Provides data that can used to generate the scale factor between the number of
tagged sharks and the total number of sharks
Analyze Data
Use visuals to “eyeball estimate” a sample Tagged:Total ratio and sample scale
factor. Then calculate averages to get a more accurate sample Tagged:Total ratio
and sample scale factor.
Make the Estimate
Two ways: (a) scale up the sample Tagged:Total ratio, (b) use the sample scale
factor on the overall number of tagged sharks.

Step 1: Capture, Tag, & Release

On their first trip out on the boat, the team captured, tagged, and released sharks. This was the set-
up for later trips that would provide the data for estimating the population of sharks in the lagoon.

Number of sharks tagged: 50

Pause and Ponder

Let’s pause to think about what we currently know.

• There must be at least ____ sharks in the lagoon, probably more.

• What if the number of tagged sharks is ½ the number of total sharks in the lagoon?

• What if the number of tagged sharks is 1/10 the number of total sharks in the lagoon?

• What if the number of tagged sharks is 20% of the number of total sharks in the lagoon?
 53

Step 2: Recapture, Count, and Release

On 10 subsequent trips to the lagoon, the team captured samples of sharks and recorded the tagged,
untagged, and total for each sample.

Recapture Data
Sample Number of tagged Number of Total number of
sharks in the untagged sharks sharks in the
sample in the sample sample
1st 14 36 50
2nd 17 46 63
3rd 7 34 41
4th 6 22 28
5th 15 18 33
6th 13 31 54
7th 12 36 48
8th 6 33 39
9th 8 15 23
10th 13 45 58

Step 3: Analyze the Data

1 Make a bar graph of the recapture data, where each bar shows tagged and untagged. Looking at
the graph and just eyeball estimating, would you say that the number of tagged sharks is more
than half or less than half of the total number of sharks?

Recapture Data

60
Untagged
50 Sharks
Tagged Sharks

40
Sharks
Number of

30

20

10

0
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
2 Recapture
Samples
2 Since any one sample may not be representative of
the population, the marine biologists took 10
samples. By averaging the data, they’ll get an
“average” sample that is assumed to be a good
representation of the population.
a. Find the averages and round to the nearest
whole number.
b. Find the scale factors in each direction.
Average # of Average Total #
tagged sharks in of sharks in
samples samples
 54

Step 4: Make the Estimate (2 Methods)

3 Predicting the Population by Scaling the “Average” Sample Ratio

a. Enter the tagged and total from the “average” sample you found in #2.
b. Experiment with scaling the “average” sample ratio to see equivalent ratios. (For the ones
where you choose the factor, you may wish to scale DOWN, so that you get a simpler
equivalent ratio.)
c. Finally, scale the “average” sample ratio to an equivalent ratio with “50 tagged” to “___ total”.
You’re going to do this by “bootstrapping”. Scale up/down repeatedly, using easy scale
factors until eventually you get to a tagged-to-total ratio with 50 in the tagged position!
There is more than one right way to do this. The number of slots in the table below may be
more than you need, but they are there in case you need that many steps.

Tagged Total
← “average” sample
← Scaled by a factor of ___
← Scaled by a factor of ___
← Scaled by a factor of ___
← Scaled by a factor of ___
← Scaled by a factor of ___
← Scaled by a factor of ___

4 Predicting the Population by Using the Sample Scale Factor

Look at the sample scale factor from tagged to total in the “average” sample. Apply the scale
factor to the 50 tagged sharks. Did you get the same result as in #3?

50
Total # of Total # of sharks
tagged sharks in the lagoon

Look Back
What were the key mathematical ideas in this activity? What if the average ratio of tagged to total
sharks from the samples was different?
 55

Notes - Proportional Variation

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
Bananas cost 24 cents each at Trader Joe’s.
• Two systematically varying ___________ vary a. Create a table, graph, and equation.
_____________to each other if either quantity
is a constant multiple of the other. That Number of Total Cost 125
Bananas in cents
constant multiplier is called the ____________ N C 100
of proportionality. 0
75
• For two quantities that vary proportionally, the 1
constant of ______________ is directional. It 2 50
goes from one quantity to the other. The 3
4 25
______________ of proportionality in the
5
opposite direction is the reciprocal of the first 1 2 3 4 5
one.
• The equation of a proportional variation Equation: ___________
between the variables x and y has the form
y = mx
b. What is the total cost of buying 40 bananas
where y stays y, x stays x, and the role of m is
at Trader Joe’s?
played by the ____________ of proportionality
from x to y.
• A correct graph of a proportional variation is a
________ that goes through the origin and has
slope equal to the constant of _____________. Notes to Myself:
• A correct table of a proportional variation will
always have (0, 0) in it, and every y-value will
equal its corresponding x-value times the
_______________ of proportionality.

Write a Test Question for this Topic: Example 2 – My Own Example

Academic Vocabulary
Constant of proportionality Proportional variation Systematically varying quantities
Line Reciprocal Vary proportionally
 56

Check Your Understanding – Proportional Variation

Complete the following exercises in your math journal/notebook.

1. For each of the following ratios, find the scale factor in each direction. Express the scale factor as
a fraction, decimal, and percentage.
a. 23 : 460

b. 1.25 : 10

2 2
c. :6
3 3

2. For each of the following scale factors, create three equivalent ratios in which the numbers are
related by that scale factor.
a. 100
1
b.
5
c. 0.4

3. Tagging and recapture data are given for three animal populations below 5.

Assuming the tagged and released animals mix uniformly with the whole population, and that the
recapture sample data are proportional to the entire population, complete the following for each
animal.
a. Make a table and graph showing various tagged:total ratios that are equivalent to the
recapture sample.
b. Use proportional reasoning (scale up the sample tagged:total ratio and/or use the sample
scale factor on the overall number tagged) to find the population estimate.

4. One day, Shannon ran 10 miles in 105 minutes. Assuming that is a typical run and that Shannon
runs at a constant speed,
a. Make a table and graph showing various times and distances that Shannon would run at the
same speed.
b. Use proportional reasoning to find how long it would take Shannon to run 6 miles,
c. Use proportional reasoning to find how far Shannon would run in 15 minutes.

7. Self-assessment & Strategizing

j. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
k. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
l. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?

5
From https://nexgenvetrx.com/blog/nondomesticsexotics/immobilizationsedation/why-does-the-capture-recapture-
method-work/
 57

Recovery of the Gray Wolves6

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service regularly monitors trends in the populations of
endangered species. By modeling changes in the population, they can determine if intervention is
necessary for the survival of certain species.

The gray wolf is a formerly protected species, which currently resides in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
Michigan.7 Populations in these three states are monitored regularly to determine if the populations
are experiencing growth or decline.

Using data gathered in earlier years, the US Fish and Wildlife Service made predictions about the
approximate gray wolf population in Wisconsin from 1992 to 2000.8 In the table, T represents the
number of years after 1992 and 𝑊 represents the predicted gray wolf population in Wisconsin T
years after 1992.

Number of Predicted wolf

years after population Are T and W
1992 T years after 1992 related
T W proportionally?
0 64
2 110
4 156
6 202
8 248

1. Plot the ordered pairs from the table on the

coordinate axes to the right. Remember that the
axes cross at (0, 0). Be careful to use a
consistent scale on each axis!

2. Is the predicted gray wolf population in Wisconsin

growing linearly? Explain.

3. Find the growth rate of the gray wolf population in Wisconsin. Does this rate correspond to a
linear function with positive slope or negative slope? Explain.

4. Using the growth rate, find an equation relating W and T. This is what we call the linear
model of the wolf population over time. It’s the equation we use to make predictions.

5. In 2015, the actual number of gray wolves in Wisconsin was 746.

a. Does your linear model overestimate or underestimate the actual number of gray wolves?
Explain.

b. When you wrote the equation relating W and T, there was an assumption that the rate of
change would remain the same. What does the answer for (i) above suggest about this
assumption?

6
Borrowed and adapted from Reasoning with Functions, 2nd edition, 2021, The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin.
7
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (2021, April 21). History of decline, protection, and recovery. https://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/history/index.html.
8
Adapted from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data. (2020, January 2). Wolf numbers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan (excluding Isle Royale) – 1976
to 2015. https://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/population/mi_wi_nos.html
 58

Saving the Pisces III9

On August 29, 1973, the mini-submarine Pisces III was laying transatlantic telephone cable
southwest of Ireland when it sank to the bottom of the sea, stranding its crew of two men on the sea
floor 1,575 feet below the surface. After three days of failed attempts, a cable was successfully
attached to the submarine, which was raised to the surface shortly before the crew's oxygen supply
was depleted. The following table shows the approximate depth of the submarine during the time it
was being raised.10

Elapsed
Depth Are T and D
Time
(feet) related
(minutes)
D proportionally?
T
0 1,575
5 1,500
15 1,350
35 1,050
45 900
55 750
75 450

1. Plot the ordered pairs from the table on the

coordinate axes to the right. Remember that the
axes cross at (0, 0). Be careful to use a consistent
scale on each axis! Connect the points on your
graph. Do the points form a curve or a straight line?

2. Explain how the graph tells you that the submarine is

being raised at a constant rate.

3. What is the constant rate of change of the depth of the Pisces III over time? Explain.

4. Write a linear equation that gives the depth of the submarine in terms of the elapsed time. Let D
represent the depth, in feet, after T minutes have elapsed.

5. How long did it take for the submarine to be raised from the sea floor? Show how you know.

9
Borrowed and adapted from Reasoning with Functions, 2nd edition, 2021, The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin.
10
Barford, V. (2013, August 30). Pisces III: A dramatic underwater rescue. https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23862359.
 59

Notes - Linear Variation

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
• __________variation is either proportional A cab company charges a $3 boarding fee in
variation or proportional variation with a shift. addition to $2 for every mile.
• Two systematically varying ___________ vary a. Create a table, graph, and equation.
linearly when the rate of change of one
quantity relative to the other is ___________. Miles Total
• The equation of a linear variation between the Driven Cost in
variables x and y has the form
M dollars
y = mx + b C
where y stays y, x stays x, and the roles of m 0
and b are played by numbers where m is the 1
rate of _______ and b is the initial ________. 2
• A correct graph of a linear variation is a 3
________ with slope equal to the constant 4
_________ ____ ___________ and vertical
5
axis intercept equal to the _________ ______.
• A correct table of a linear variation will show
Equation: C = ____________
equal ratios of vertical changes to horizontal
changes for any two ordered pairs.
• A correct verbalization of a linear variation will b. How many miles can I go if I have just $20?
describe an initial value and a rate of _______
of the output variable relative to the input
variable.
Notes to Myself:

Write a Test Question for this Topic: Example 2 – My Own Example

Academic Vocabulary
Systematically varying quantities Line Slope
Proportional variation Rate of change Initial value
Linear variation Constant rate of change Vertical Axis intercept
 60

Check Your Understanding11 - Linear Variation

Complete the following exercises in your math journal/notebook.

1. You currently have $200 in a checking account. There are no fees or interest on this account.
Every month you add $50 and leave it in the account.

a. Numerical, Graphical, Symbolic Representations. Create a table of ordered pairs of this

relationship, with the number of months ranging from 0 to 24, in increments of 3 months.
Then graph your ordered pairs. Write an equation relating “the amount of money A in this
account” and “the number of months t from now”; it will look like A = __________.
b. Interpretation and Connections. What is the initial value and what does it tell us? What is
the rate of change and what does it tell us? (Your results should be NUMBERS with units and
an interpretation of each.) How are these illustrated in the graph?
c. Predictions. When will your total savings reach $1,000 (or more)? (Dave Ramsey, a popular
financial advisor, recommends that everyone have a starter emergency fund of $1,000.) How
much will you have in your account after 3 years?
2. The pressure P (in pounds per square inch, also known as PSI) on a scuba diver depends on their
depth d (in feet) below the water surface. This relationship is modeled by the equation

P = 0.434d + 14.696

a. Verbal, Numerical, Graphical Representations. What does the equation tell you about
these systematically varying quantities – give a verbal description. Create a table of ordered
pairs of this relationship, with depth ranging from 0 to 25 ft below surface, in increments of 5
feet. Then graph your ordered pairs.
b. Interpretation and Connections. What is the initial value and what does it tell us? What is
the rate of change and what does it tell us? (Your results should be NUMBERS with units and
an interpretation of each.) How are these illustrated in the graph?
c. Predictions. What is the PSI on a scuba diver who is 33 feet below the surface? (This is the
dive depth beyond which you need to have a safety stop during your ascent.) At what depth
will a scuba diver experience 18 PSI?
3. A new plant food was introduced to a young tree to test its effect on the height H of the tree. The
table below shows the height of the tree, in feet, x months since the measurements began.

Months Elapsed x 0 2 4 8 12
Height of Tree H 12.5 13.5 14.5 16.5 18.5

a. Verbal, Graphical, Symbolic Representations. What does the table tell you about these
systematically varying quantities – give a verbal description. Graph the ordered pairs. Write
an equation relating “the height of the tree H” and “the months elapsed x from now”; it will
look like H = _________________.
b. Interpretation and Connections. What is the initial value and what does it tell us? What is
the rate of change and what does it tell us? (Your results should be NUMBERS with units and
an interpretation of each.) How are these illustrated in the graph?
c. Predictions. How tall is the tree expected to be after 1.75 years? When will the tree reach
25 feet in height?

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

a. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
b. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
c. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?

11
Problems borrowed and adapted from https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra-2e/pages/4-1-linear-functions
 61

Measuring the Slope of a Line

The slope of a line is one way of measuring its steepness. Draw a stairstep from one point on the line
to another point on the line, continue the stairsteps to make a whole staircase. Each step, how far do
you lift your foot and how far do you extend your foot to complete taking a step? The ratio of the
step height to the step width is our measurement of slope.

1. For the illustrated line, complete the following.

a. Find the slope.
b. What if we make the stairsteps twice as high and twice as wide? Will we get the same number
for the slope? Explain.
c. Consider the ordered pairs on the line (-5, 10) and (-9, 2). Calculate the vertical distance and
the horizontal distance between these two ordered pairs. Could we have used these points to
calculate the slope? Explain.

2. For each pair of points below, draw the line connecting them and find the slope of the line.
a. (0, 6), (8, 10)
b. (-3, -4), (9, -10)
c. (1, -2), (4, 2)
 62

Revisiting the Shark Population Count

In this activity, we revisit the data from tagging and recapturing sharks to look at a different method
of approximating the total number of sharks in the lagoon. Remember, from the original activity,
that 50 sharks were tagged, and the “average” recapture sample had 11 sharks tagged out of 44
sharks.

Recapture Data
The table below contains the data from 10 return trips to the lagoon, where the team captured
samples of sharks and recorded the tagged, untagged, and total for each sample.

Recapture Data
Sample Number of tagged Number of Total number of
sharks in the untagged sharks sharks in the
sample in the sample sample
1st 14 36 50
2nd 17 46 63
3rd 7 34 41
4th 6 22 28
5th 15 18 33
6th 13 31 54
7th 12 36 48
8th 6 33 39
9th 8 15 23
10th 13 45 58

1. Create a scatter plot of data points (NOT a bar graph) from the recapture samples, using tagged
sharks along the horizontal axis and total sharks along the vertical axis. Pay attention to the
range of values and scale on both axes!

2. Draw a trend line that “fits” the data well. You’re just going to eyeball this. Use a ruler. For
this scatter plot, force the trend line to go through the point (0, 0) and go through the “middle-
ish” of the rest of the points. Why does it make sense to force the trend line through (0, 0)?

Recapture Data 3. Analyze and use the trend line to make predictions.

a. What is the slope of your trend line and what rate

of change is it measuring in this situation? (You’ll
have to “read off” some ordered pairs from the
trend line to find its slope.)
Total Number of Sharks

b. What is the vertical-axis-intercept of your trend

line and what is it measuring in this situation?

c. What is the equation of your trend line?

Number of Tagged Sharks

d. Use the equation of your trend line and the fact
(from our original activity) that 50 sharks were
tagged, to predict the total number of sharks in the
population.
 63

Revisiting the Gray Wolf Recovery

The bar graph shows the
approximate number of gray wolves
in Michigan from 1992 to 2000.12

1. Use the data in the bar graph to complete the Wolf Data from Michigan
table. In the table, let t represent the number of
years after 1992 and let 𝑀 be the number of gray
wolves in Michigan t years after 1992.

Number of Wolf Pop. In MI,

years after 1992 t years after 1992
Wolf Population in MI

t M
0 21
1
2

2. Create a scatter plot of the data points in the

table. Pay attention to the range of values and Number of Years after 1992
scale on both axes!

3. Draw a trend line that “fits” the data well. You’re just going to eyeball this. Use a ruler. For
this scatter plot, force the trend line to go through the point (0, 21) and go through the “middle-
ish” of the rest of the points.

4. Analyze and use the trend line to make predictions.

a. What is the slope of your trend line and what rate of change is it measuring in this situation?

b. What is the vertical-axis-intercept of your trend line and what is its meaning in this
situation?

c. What is the equation of your trend line?

5. Use the equation of your trend line to predict the total number of gray wolves in Michigan in the
year 2012.

12
Adapted from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service data. (2020, January 2). Wolf numbers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan (excluding Isle
Royale) – 1976 to 2015. https://www.fws.gov/midwest/wolf/population/mi_wi_nos.html
 64

Notes – Bivariate Data

Fill in the blanks. Example 1
Data pairs consisting of height and weight for 20
• _________________ data consists of data dogs are plotted on the coordinate grid below.
_________, which can be plotted on A trend line has been drawn in.
coordinate axes.
a. Find the equation 120
• A graph of __________ pairs on coordinate of the trend line.

Dog weight (pounds)

96
axes is called a __________________
_________ of the data. 72

c. Use the trend line 48

• Sometimes, bivariate data has a clear (either the graph 24
________ trend. or the equation)
to predict how 6 12 18 24 30
• After creating a scatter plot, we can use a much a dog of 2
Dog height (inches)
ruler to eyeball a __________ line that height 27 inches
passes through the points. This line is called will weigh.
the ___________ model of the data.

• We can find the equation of the _________

______ by finding its ____________ m, and Notes to Myself:
its vertical axis ________________ (b, 0)
and using m and b to write the equation:
y = mx + b

Write a Test Question for this Topic: Example 2 – My Own Example

(Use a data set from the page after the CYU.)

Academic Vocabulary
Bivariate data Linear trend Slope
Data pairs Trend line Vertical Axis intercept
Scatter plot Linear model Equation of a trend line
 65

Check Your Understanding13 - Bivariate Data

Complete the following problems in your math journal. You can draw the graphs here but write the
other parts in your math journal.

1. The table below shows the number of cricket chirps in 15 seconds, for several different air
temperatures, in degrees Fahrenheit5. Plot these data and determine whether the variables
appear to be linearly related.
Temp vs Chirps Data

Chirps C Temperature T
44 80.5
35 70.5
20.4 57
33 66

Temperature (°F)
31 68
35 72
18.5 52
37 73.5
26 53

a. Create a scatter plot of the data points.

b. Draw a trend line that “fits” the data well and goes
through a couple of easy-to-read ordered pairs.
Extend the line until it intersects the vertical axis.
c. Find the slope of your trend line and describe the
rate of change that it’s measuring. Number of Chirps in 15 Seconds
d. Find the vertical-axis-intercept of your trend line
and describe what it’s measuring.
e. Find the equation of your trend line.
f. Use the equation of the line (we call it the linear model of the data) to find
i. The predicted temperature when there are 15 chirps in 15 seconds.
ii. The predicted number of chirps in 15 seconds when the temperature is 75° F.

2. Gasoline consumption in the United State has been steadily increasing. Consumption data from
1994 to 2003 are shown in the table below.
Gasoline Consumption Data
Years since 1994 0 1 2 3 4
Consumption
(billions of 113 116 118 119 123
Consumption (billions of gallons)

gallons)

Years since 1994 5 6 7 8 9

Consumption
(billions of 125 126 128 131 133
gallons)

a. Create a scatter plot of the data points in the table.

See the note on the next page, regarding

how to set up the axes for the scatter plot.

Number of Years after 1994

13
Exercises 1, 2 borrowed and adapted from https://openstax.org/books/college-algebra-2e/pages/4-3-fitting-linear-models-to-data#Table_04_03_01
 66

Note – this is a set of ordered pairs where it’s acceptable and

indeed advisable to show a break in the vertical axis rather than
forcing the vertical scale to show all the values from 0 to 133+.
This is called an axis break, scale break, or caesura (Latin for
cutting). The visual here shows 3 different ways of communicating
this on the graph.

b. Draw a trend line that “fits” the data well and goes through two easy-to-read ordered pairs.
c. Find the slope of your trend line and describe the rate of change that it’s measuring.
d. Find the vertical-axis-intercept of your trend line and describe what it’s measuring.
e. Find the equation of your trend line.
f. Use the equation of the line (we call it the linear model of the data) to find
i. The predicted consumption of gas in the year 2008.
ii. The predicted year when consumption of gas will be at 150 billion gallons.

3. A person walking in the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Breast Cancer Walk has recorded the following
data on distance (miles) vs time (hours) for the first day.

Time t
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(hours)
Distance D
3.5 6.5 10.5 12.5 16 19 21 22.5
(miles)

Miles vs Hours Data – 3-Day Walk

a. Draw a scatter plot and a trend line that “fits” the

data well.

b. Write the equation of your trend line.

Number of Miles Walked

c. Use the equation of your trend line to predict the

following.

i. How far this person would have walked in 9

hours.
ii. How many hours of walking it will take to
walk the entire 60 miles.

Number of Hours Walked

4. Self-assessment & Strategizing

m. What is strong? What’s developing? What’s not there yet, for you, for this lesson?
n. What are your next steps to consolidate, deepen, or extend your learning?
o. What part of your work on this lesson might be a good artifact for your Math Portfolio?
 67

Bivariate Data Sets

Select from the data sets below to generate additional examples for yourself and a test question.

Cases of whooping Number of assists and Free throw attempts Number of hits and
cough t years after number of points for and points per game number of home runs
1939 15 hockey players for a basketball team for 15 ball players.
Years Number after a season. during a tournament.
after of Cases Hits Home
1939 Assists Goals Free Points runs
0 103,188 22 28 Throw Scored 12 2
1 183,866 16 18 Attempts 22 1
2 222,202 46 72 5.5 28.3 154 26
3 191,383 19 29 2.1 18.6 145 11
4 109,873 13 26 4.1 13.7 110 16
5 133,792 9 13 1.6 10.6 57 3
6 109,860 16 22 3.1 10.4 149 17
7 156,517 8 18 1 5 29 2
8 74,715 12 13 1.2 5 13 1
9 69,479 12 17 0.7 4.7 18 1
10 120,718 37 50 1.5 3.7 86 15
11 68,687 7 12 1.5 3.5 163 31
12 45,030 17 34 1.2 3.1 115 13
13 37,129 27 58 0 1 57 16
14 60,866 18 34 0 0.8 96 10
15 62,786 0 0.6

Price in dollars of a Optional - Find a data Optional – Generate your own data based on
book in various set online (cite your your cell phone use. Download a free app that
bookstores and source) tracks the number of times you check your
number sold at that phone each day and the amount of time you
price. Description: spend on your phone each day. Track and
record your data for at least 10 days.
Price Number
Sold Number Number
11.25 53 of times of Hours
10.50 60 checked on Phone
12.10 30
8.45 81
9.25 70
9.75 80
7.25 120
12.00 37
9.99 130
7.99 100
8.75 90

Data sets above from https://access.openupresources.org/curricula/our6-8math-v1/8/students/6/practice_problems.html

 68

Math Puzzles, Challenges, and Games

Periodically, we’ll have the opportunity to “interrupt our regularly scheduled programming” to take a
side trip into the land of mathematics puzzles, challenges, and games. There are a dozen of these
available in the support course (see the Math 1001S course reader for those) and half a dozen of
these available in the primary course. Each of these activities contributes to the depth and breadth
of your knowledge and skills. We may not have time to get to all of them. If you want to work on
these on your own time, choose ones that will help you strengthen your knowledge in the units where
you struggle the most.

Math 1 Topic Areas

Structure of
Measuring Modeling
Numbers Exploring
Math Puzzles, Challenges, and Games and
the World
Sequences
Systematic
Around Us Variation
Operations
Marching Band ✓
Alison’s Quilt ✓ ✓
Shifting Times Tables ✓ ✓
American Billions ✓
Add to 200 ✓
Diamond Collector ✓ ✓
 69

Marching Band14
Students in a marching band want to line up for their performance. The problem is that when they
line up in 2s there is 1 left over. When they line up in 3s there are 2 left over. When they line up in 4s
there are 3 left over. When they line up in 5s there are 4 left over. When they line up in 6s there are
5 left over. When they line up in 7s there are no students left over. How many students are there?
[from John Grant McLoughlin]

14
Originally from John Grant McLoughlin, via https://www.peterliljedahl.com/teachers/good-problem.
 70

Alison’s Quilt15

Alison joins together nine squares with side

lengths 1,4,7,8,9,10,14,15 and 18 cm with
no gaps and no overlaps, to form a rectangular quilt.

Can you find the dimensions of the finished quilt, and show how
Alison fitted the squares together?

Extra Challenge:
Alison wants to make a second quilt from ten squares with side lengths 3, 5, 6, 11, 17, 19, 22, 23,
24, and 25 cm. Can you find the dimension of this quilt?

15
Borrowed from https://nrich.maths.org/13124.
 71

Shifting Times Tables16

The numbers in the four times table are

4, 8, 12, 16... 36, 40, 44... 100, 104, 108...

We could shift the four times table up by 3 and end up with

7, 11, 15, 19... 39, 43, 47... 103, 107, 111...

What do you notice about the differences between consecutive terms in each sequence?

Here are two more times tables that have been shifted. Can you work out the times table and the
shift?

a) 8, 13, 18, 23, 28 Times table: Shift:

b) 27, 41, 55, 69, 83 Times table: Shift:

Here we have given you five randomly selected terms from shifted times tables. Can you work out
the times table and the shift?

c) 79, 191, 37, 51, 205 Times table: Shift:

d) 104, 454, 254, 604, 704 Times table: Shift:

e) 127, 414, 332, 619, 373 Times table: Shift:

Further Tinkering and Pondering via the Interactive Applet

Visit the website https://nrich.maths.org/6713 and scroll down to see the interactive applet.

The interactivity displays five numbers from a shifted times table.

On Levels 1 and 2 it will always display five consecutive terms from the shifted times table.
On Levels 3 and 4 it could display any five terms from the shifted times table.

Use the interactivity to generate some sets of five numbers.

In each case, can you work out the times table and by how much it has been shifted?

Always enter the biggest times table it could be. The shift is always less than the times table.

Once you are confident that you can work out the times table and the shift quite easily, here are
some questions to consider:

What can you say if the numbers are all odd?

What about if they are all even?
Or a mixture of odd and even?

What can you say if the units digits are all identical?
What if there are only two different units digits?

What can you say if the difference between two numbers is prime?
What can you say if the difference between two numbers is composite (not prime)?

Can you explain how you worked out the table and shift each time, and why your method will always
work?

16
Borrowed from https://nrich.maths.org/6713.
 72

American Billions17

Alison and Charlie are playing a divisibility game with a set of cards containing the digits 0 through 9.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

They take turns to choose and place a card to the right of the cards that are already there.
▪ After two cards have been placed, the two-digit number must be divisible by 2.
▪ After three cards have been placed, the three-digit number must be divisible by 3.
▪ After four cards have been placed, the four-digit number must be divisible by 4.
▪ And so on!

They keep taking turns until one of them gets stuck.

Example
• Alison places the 5.
• Charlie puts down the 8 to make 58, which is a multiple of 2.
• Alison puts down the 2 to make 582, which is a multiple of 3.
• Charlie puts down the 0 to make 5820, which is a multiple of 4.
• Alison now has to choose from 1,3,4,6,7, or 9 to make a multiple of 5.

Convince yourself that Alison is stuck, and that Charlie has won.

1. Play the game a few times on your own or with a friend. What strategies can help you to win?

2. After a while, Charlie and Alison decide to work together to make the longest number that they
possibly can that satisfies the rules of the game. They very quickly come up with the five-digit
number 12365. Can they make their number any longer using the remaining digits? When will
they get stuck?

3. What's the longest number you can make that satisfies the rules of the game? Is it possible to
use all ten digits to create a ten-digit number? Is there more than one solution?

17
Borrowed and adapted from https://nrich.maths.org/americanbillions.
 73

Add to 20018
Choose any four digits (from 0, 1, 2, ... , 9) and place them in the cells below (you can repeat digits).

Read the two 2-digit numbers across and add them together.
Read the two 2-digit numbers down and add them too.
Then add these two totals together.

For example:

1. Try a few examples of your own. Is there a quick way to tell if the total is going to be even or
odd?

2. Can you make a total of 200? How many ways are there of doing this?

3. If we use four 0s, the total would be 0. If we use four 9s, the total would be 396. Which
numbers between 0 and 396 is it possible to make?

18
Borrowed and adapted from https://nrich.maths.org/11110.
 74

Diamond Collector19

In this game, twenty diamonds have been placed on a grid.

The objective is to find equations of three straight lines that, collectively, pass through as many
diamonds as possible. Any diamond that lies on one of your three lines counts towards your total.
Try to collect as many diamonds as you can!

This is largely an interactive game that you’ll play online at https://nrich.maths.org/5725. Play the
first puzzle online and then illustrate your solution and score here. (Draw in the diamonds first. Then
draw in YOUR lines, writing their equations below.) Keep playing online. Once you've had a go at
Level 1, you can click on the purple cog to access the Settings menu and try Levels 2 and 3.

Line 1: ______________ Line 2: ______________ Line 3: ______________

My score: _____ diamonds

19
Borrowed and adapted from https://nrich.maths.org/5725.
 75

Image Credits

• Basket of Apples. By Sven Teschke - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 de,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11630391
• Apple Outline Clipart. By Karen Arnold – Own work. CC0 Public Domain,
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=37302&picture=apple-outline-
clipart
• One Dozen Eggs. By Josh Larios – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed | Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0
International, https://www.flickr.com/photos/rjl20/3229654243
• Basic Egg Outline. By K Whiteford – Own work, CC0 Public Domain.
https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=35532&picture=basic-egg-
outline
• Photo of Medal Ceremony for 1968 Olympics 200 meter race. CC0 Public Domain.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Tommie_Smith#/media/File:John_Carlos,_Tommie
_Smith,_Peter_Norman_1968cr.jpg