LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Symbolic analysis

http://illuminations.nctm.org/LessonDetail.aspx?ID=L479

A lesson plan for Grades 9–12 Algebra 1

Provider: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

About this resource

Appropriate grades
9–12
Subjects
mathematics (algebra)
Provider
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Legal

Creative Commons License

This catalog record is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. This license applies to the content of this page only and does not apply to the referenced website.

This investigation illustrates the use of iteration, recursion and algebra to model and analyze a changing fish population. Graphs, equations, tables, and technological tools are used to investigate the effect of varying parameters on the long-term population.

In this lesson, students will:

  • Use iteration, recursion and algebra to model and analyze a changing fish population.
  • Use equations to investigate the effect of varying parameters on the long-term population.

NCTM Standards and Assessments covered by this lesson:

  • Students will use symbolic algebra to represent and explain mathematical relationships.
  • Students will write equivalent forms of equations, inequalities, and systems of equations and solve them with fluency—mentally or with paper and pencil in simple cases and using technology in all cases.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Mathematics (2004)

Grades 9–12 — Algebra 1

  • Goal 1: Number and Operations - The learner will perform operations with numbers and expressions to solve problems.
    • Objective 1.02: Use formulas and algebraic expressions, including iterative and recursive forms, to model and solve problems.
  • Goal 4: Algebra - The learner will use relations and functions to solve problems.
    • Objective 4.01: Use linear functions or inequalities to model and solve problems; justify results.
      • Solve using tables, graphs, and algebraic properties.
      • Interpret constants and coefficients in the context of the problem.
    • Objective 4.03: Use systems of linear equations or inequalities in two variables to model and solve problems. Solve using tables, graphs, and algebraic properties; justify results.