LEARN NC

CareerStart lessons: Grade eight

3.1 Pilots and flight engineers: Working with slope-intercept form

By Valerie Davis, Sonya Rexrode, and Monika Vasili

Provided by CareerStart

Essential question: How does changing the slope or the y-intercept in a linear equation change a line?

Learning outcomes

Students will learn to manipulate equations with changes to the slope and the y-intercept.

Teacher planning

Materials needed

Time required for lesson

One class period

Scenario

As a pilot, you must check in periodically with air control and ensure you are on the right path to your destination. You must be able to make decisions based on changes in the flight plan at a moment’s notice. The flight path follows a set pattern so that all other pilots can know, with certainty, that their path is owned primarily by them and safety is not a problem.

The slope-intercept form provides a pattern to graphing linear equations and can be easily manipulated depending on the change in the slope or the y-intercept values. The Slope-Intercept Form Race is your chance to show off your quick thinking skills.

Activities

  1. Separate students into teams of five and have the teams align their chairs in vertical lines.
  2. Read the lesson scenario (above) to students, and hand out the slope-intercept form racing sheets. Explain to the students that they will be solving a series of problems in their teams, relay-race style.
  3. Have the first student in the line make the first change to the equation and when finished, pass it to the next student in line. The second student should make the second change and then pass it to the third student. This will continue until all five students have manipulated the equation. If a student notices an error made by a previous team member, he or she should correct it before moving on.
  4. When the team finishes, the last person should hold the paper in the air. Check to see that the answers are correct. When all the teams are finished, make the connection that in many careers, for example that of an airplane pilot, it is important to have an understanding of mathematical reasoning and teamwork.
  5. There are a total of five relay race forms provided. The number of rounds played will depend on the ability level of the students and your time parameters.
  6. Share with students career information about pilots and flight engineers. (See “Career Information” below.) For a summarizing activity, have students brainstorm other careers that might use linear equations.

Career information: Aircraft pilots and flight engineers

Career information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Nature of the work

Opportunities exist as pilots, co-pilots, and flight engineers, transporting passengers and cargo. One in five pilots are involved in tasks such as crop dusting; spreading seed for reforestation; testing aircraft; local air transport of passengers and cargo; firefighting; tracking criminals; monitoring traffic; and rescuing and evacuating injured persons.

Training, qualifications

Many pilots learn to fly in the military, but growing numbers have college degrees with flight training from civilian flying schools that are certified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). To qualify for these positions, you must have a commercial pilot’s license; be at least eighteen years old; and have at least 250 hours of flight experience.

To become qualified, individuals can get training: through the military; by attending an FAA approved flight school, (including colleges and universities that offer degree credit for pilot training); or by taking lessons at local airports from FAA approved flight instructors. Although some small airlines will hire high school graduates, most airlines require at least 2 years of college and prefer college graduates.

Earnings

In 2006, the median annual earnings of airline pilots, co-pilots and flight engineers were $103,590.

Job outlook

The employment of aircraft pilots is projected to increase about as fast as the average rate for all occupations through 2014. The strongest competition is among pilots seeking employment with major airlines.

Note: The local community college or airport might provide information concerning aviation training opportunities.

North Carolina curriculum alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Grade 8

  • Goal 1: Number and Operations -The learner will understand and compute with real numbers.
    • Objective 1.02: Develop flexibility in solving problems by selecting strategies and using mental computation, estimation, calculators or computers, and paper and pencil.
  • Goal 5: Algebra - The learner will understand and use linear relations and functions.
    • Objective 5.03: Solve problems using linear equations and inequalities; justify symbolically and graphically.