Welcome to Texas
Words of Wisdom from Texas Always drink upstream from the herd.
Words of Wisdom from Texas The quickest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it back in your pocket.
Words of Wisdom from Texas Never order chicken fried steak in a restaurant without a juke box.
Words of Wisdom from Texas Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
Words of Wisdom from Texas Don't squat with your spurs on.
Writing Problems for Solution with Technology
Necessity of Technology Messy numbers Functions that are difficult to graph Varieties of regression Multiple views of a problem - graphical
- numerical
- symbolic
- textual
Motivation Develop students' abilities to think mathematically Need for good judgment about mathematical claims - advertisers
- government
- media
Problems should … - require thought and analysis
- development ability to communicate results
Sources for Problems World Almanac - population figures
- finance figures
- sports results
Amusement parks - physics
- motion
- business strategies
Sources for Problems World Wide Web - science news
- graphs
- "off the wall" facts
Interesting quotes Warning: take care lifting questions from existing text books
Begin with statements that grab the students' interest - "Recent evidence of skin cancer caused by excessive sun exposure has made us aware of the intensity of the sun. When might be the best/worst time of day to soak up sun?"
- "A TV satellite dish service has hired you as a consultant to determine the best price for the initial fees for their dish and receiver."
- "Consider a recent e-mail hoax about Bill Gates. People who participated in a pyramid e-mail experiment would be eligible for the prize of a trip to Disney World."
Writing the Questions Two possible approaches: - Present total task in detail, students come up with all of solution
- Lead students through derivation of intermediate formulas, functions, relationships
Occasionally state questions a bit loosely - Real life problems are rarely accurately and succinctly stated
Ask for preliminary guesses, reassessment
Numeric - tables of values
- dimensions
- distances
- profit, loss
View results of graphs - max, min, roots, intersections
- combining functions (arithmetically, composition)
Use a Variety of Viewpoints Symbolic representation - manipulated with technology
- enables proofs
- necessary for communication
Pictures, diagrams
Describe Solutions Written format - require full sentences
- well formed paragraphs
- labeled diagrams
Verbal presentations - use of visuals
- encourage presentation technology
Post web pages
Problem Categories Find real data Given two functions graphed together, what questions can be asked?
Problem Categories Use Parametric Equations Model objects moving on the graph as a function of time - straight line, spirals, circular
Problem Categories Model two objects that must (not) meet Measure distance between the moving objects
Levels of Problems Usually we do not write our own homework questions - write them to require technology
Also write project questions - for a one day exercise
- for a long term
- for groups or for individuals
Group Project Management Best to assign the groups - randomize and manually alter as needed
Assign locations for group gathering Provide a handout that precisely describes the task to be performed, problem to be solved
Project Grading Instructor should - carefully read the handout
- note specific answers asked for
- assign values to be awarded
- create a grading checklist
Inform students how grade is weighted in relation to total term grade Award bonus points for … - extra elegance portions of the problem
- early or first submission
A Project for this Workshop
Which is the best seat? - see better in front seat
- pull higher g's in back (100 feet from front)
Millennium Force facts - 310 foot high hill (300 foot drop)
- first hill 80° angle
- 92 mph max
- track length 6595 feet
- ride takes 2:45
- Facts about the Millennium Force
Roller Coaster Questions What comparisons/contrasts can you make?
Roller Coaster Questions The newest coaster is 420 feet high Goes from 0 to 120 mph in 4 sec More Facts
Your Task … Write a problem that requires technology for its solution Use whatever portion of the facts about the ride that you choose Try to use/require all of symbolic, numeric, graphic, textual expressions Lead students through solution steps Final objective must be clearly stated Suggest enrichment/elegance pursuits Specify level: algebra, precalc, calculus
Teams Gather in groups of 4 – 5 people Person in group with first letter of family name closest to end of alphabet is the scribe Write up your problem Another group will use checklist to evaluate your submission
F.Y.I. Technology used: This presentation available (PowerPoint and Web versions) at
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