LEARN NC

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

Goal 3

Data Analysis and Probability - The learner will collect, organize, and interpret data with matrices and linear models to solve problems.

Objective 3.03

Create linear models for sets of data to solve problems.

  • Interpret constants and coefficients in the context of the data.
  • Check the model for goodness-of-fit and use the model, where appropriate, to draw conclusions or make predictions.

Resources aligned to this objective

Predicting the future with best-fit lines
In CareerStart lessons: Grade eight, page 2.1
In this lesson plan, students use scatter plots and best-fit lines to make predictions based on data. Students also discuss how scatter plots and best-fit lines are useful in certain careers.
Format: lesson plan (grade 9 Mathematics)
By Debbie Brooks, Peggy Dickey, and Jan Sullivan.
Homerun hoopla
This lesson is designed for students to gather and analyze data about baseball figures. The student will use the Internet or other resources to collect statistical data on the top five home run hitters for the current season as well as their career home run totals. The students will graph the data and determine if it is linear or non-linear.
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
By Anne Walters.
Data gathering - Linear regressions
In groups of three, students gather data by experiment or observation in one of nine activities. Each group models the data they gathered, creates a display, and presents results to the class using an overhead projector.
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
By Judy Pickering.

Resources on the web

Traveling Distances
Students interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept of the graph of real-life data. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Seeing music
In this Illuminations lesson, students calculate terms of a geometric sequence to determine frequencies of the chromatic scale. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The Regression Line
Students investigate the relationship between a set of data points and a line used to fit the data points using a computer-based interactive graphing tool. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Reflect on your work
In this lesson, students examine, re-examine, and compare the results obtained in previous lessons to enrich their mathematical understanding. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
My Graph Is...
Students select their own real-life data to plot and interpret. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Gather data
In this lesson, one of a multi-part unit from Illuminations, students explore the development of a mathematical model for the decay of light passing through water, in a rich exploration of exponential models in context. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Gallery Walk
Students view the work of other students in the class and explain their own work. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
The Effects of Outliers
Students investigate the relationship between a set of data points and a line used to fit the data points using a computer-based interactive tool, the Regression Line Applet. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Do you have a yen to go to college?
Uses a case study of college tuition to allow students to practice with exchange rates and making choices from several possible scenarios. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 10 Mathematics and Social Studies)
Provided by: National Council on Economic Education
The best way to see Europe
This lesson has the students perform a task that is not routinely thought of as requiring algebra skills (planning a trip) and shows them how to use algebra in their decision making processes. It uses technology tools to gather information, create graphs,... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: Patricia Dube, Beverly High School, Beverly, Massachusetts
Bathtub Water Levels
Students examine real-life data that illustrates a negative slope. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Barbie bungee
In this Illuminations lesson, students model a bungee jump using a Barbie doll and rubber bands. The distance to which the doll will fall is directly proportional to the number of rubber bands, so this context is used to examine linear functions. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 6–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Automobile Mileage: Years Since 1990 vs. Mileage
This lesson provides an opportunity for the students to analyze how changing the independent variable in a set of data can result in a different least squares regression line. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Automobile Mileage: Year vs. Mileage
Students plot data about automobile mileage and interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept in the resulting equation for the least squares regression line. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Automobile Mileage: Comparing and Contrasting
This lesson allows students the time they need to think about and discuss what they have done in the previous lessons. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Automobile Mileage: Age vs. Mileage
Students plot data about automobile mileage and interpret the meaning of the slope and y-intercept of the least squares regression line. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 9–12 Mathematics)
Provided by: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics