Teaching Secondary Mathematics

Chapter 12: Exercises

Exercise 12.1

1. Compare and contrast the expectations for students in high school between Standards 2000 and the Common Core Standards. Is there a significant different in the expectations? Justify your position.

Exercise 12.2

1. Establish a position on the question of a national curriculum for mathematics. Defend your position while considering questions like a national test and teaching to the test.
2. Determine if there is a mandatory mathematics test each student must pass to graduate from high school in your state. What happens if the student passes all required mathematics classes in high school but cannot pass the test? What happens if the student passes the necessary test but does not pass all of the required math courses to graduate? Is there an appeals process for the student?

Exercise 12.3

The questions in this section refer to points in the preceding paragraphs. For each of them, describe what you would use to influence your decisions and what those decisions would be.

 

1. What will you do when the students have difficulty on a particular concept? If you slow down to adequately cover foggy material, what algebra concepts will you choose to omit at the end of the year?
2. Will all algebra teachers omit the same concepts?

Exercise 12.4

1. Compare an Algebra I and Advanced Algebra text from the same publisher. List all topics that are repeated and to what extent.
2. Compare three Advanced Algebra texts. How does the material differ from chapter to chapter? Did any of the texts omit a chapter that you would not have? How many review chapters does each text have? Is the review too much, too little, or just right? Why?

Exercise 12.5

1. Create an ellipse on paper. The classic method is to establish two points, A and B, as foci and a third point, C, not on the segment between A and B. The sum of the distances AC and BC can be made constant by using a string. Put a pencil at point C, use tacks to anchor points A and B, and move the pencil, tracing the ellipse.
2. Create an ellipse using dynamic geometry software. Describe the steps necessary to create the ellipse.

Exercise 12.6

1. Explain what went wrong in the example immediately preceding this question where the result was R = –1. Describe how you would have a class with the appropriate background become aware of the results.
2. Locate and read the book The King’s Chessboard by David Birch (1993).   For what age student is this book appropriate? What mathematical concepts can be taught using this book? 

Exercise 12.7

1. Fold a standard sheet in half, then fold that in half again, and so on. What is the maximum number of folds you can make? Does the maximum number of folds change if you use a different size or kind of paper?
2. Assume that the thickness of a standard sheet of paper is 0.004 inches. How high would the stack be if that sheet could be folded 50 times? How does this result compare with the text description of the sheet of paper being 0.003 inches thick? Should you have anticipated that result? Why or why not?
3. Devise a lesson using approximations that could be used to convince students of the plausibility of the result you get when folding a 0.004-inch-thick piece of paper in half 50 successive times.
4. Continue the algebraic expression of the Fibonacci sequence. Square the eighth term, and verify that the absolute value of the differences between the product of the square of the eighth term and the product of terms, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 places removed in both directions, yields squares of the respective first six terms of the Fibonacci sequence.

Exercise 12.8

1. Extend Figure 12.10 to be at least 6 by 6. Include nonstandard responses in your extension. Play the game with two of your peers and describe their reactions.
2. Develop a game that would enhance a second-year algebra student’s knowledge of an Algebra I concept.

Chapter 12: Problem Solving Challenges

 

Question 1

Find a three-digit number XYZ such that X! + Y! + Z! = XYZ. For this problem, X cannot equal 0 and X, Y, and Z must all be whole numbers less than 10.

Answer    [Click to reveal...]

 

 

Question 2

In Pascal's Triangle, how many odd numbers will there be in the 65th row?

Answer    [Click to reveal...]

Chaper 12: Videos

 

Introduction

Sticky Question

Problem Solving