Assignment One:
A) Find 5 applications for some concepts in the “real world” from the internet that can be used in college algebra.
Using: http://health.yahoo.com/health/centers/weight_loss/10000.html
1) You can track your weight loss and use the tools found on this website to see how different methods of weight have different results. Which method had the greatest weight loss versus which method made you feel healthy? You can plot your weight loss over time to determine the equation (linear or quadratic). Try different techniques and compare equations.
Using: http://www.fedstats.gov/
2) Find statistics of your interest and create a hypothesis based on the data. For example, if you feel that teen pregnancy has increased in Florida, find data to support your argument and predict future numbers. Then you can provide possible solutions to the issue based on the data.
Using: http://sports.yahoo.com/
3) Relate algebra to your favorite sport. Examples would be track attendance of the games of your team and determine the equation (linear, nonlinear) and the reason why. For example, if your team is winning, in the playoffs, or finals the attendance to higher or if your team is losing the attendance is lower. Another example is to track batting averages, salaries, win/lose records, etc. and try to predict future outcome based on equations formed through data.
Using: http://finance.yahoo.com/
4) Track a particular stock for a month and determine if the data forms a linear or quadratic equation and then find the equation.
Using: http://weather.yahoo.com/
5) Find the temperatures for a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly for the state you were born in and determine if the data forms a linear or quadratic equation and then find the equation.
B) Find 5 website that can be used to enhance a traditional course. Explain how you would incorporate them into the course.
This website can be used for students to find data that can be used to create equations that can be linear, quadratic, or other forms of nonlinear equations.
This website can be used to help students learn algebra concepts by providing Power Point lesson that teaches new material.
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/sue.alias/
The following websites are good resources that explain factoring to students. The examples are well write and the explanations are detailed.
Main Page
http://rock.uwc.edu/galexand/baw/toc.htm
Factoring Polynomials
http://rock.uwc.edu/galexand/baw/twelve/lesson12.htm
http://rock.uwc.edu/galexand/baw/thirteen/lesson13.htm
The next sets of websites are interactive and allow students to use the concepts taught in the course. The first website allows students to learn about slope. The second and third websites allows students to graph linear and nonlinear functions and change various parts of the function. The forth and fifth websites help students with plotting points. The sixth website helps students determine what a function is. The final website peaks students interests by showing them math concepts found in some of their favorite movies.
1) Website Shows SLOPE
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/slopeslider/index.html
2) Website Graphs Functions (Linear and Nonlinear)
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/flyall/index.html
3) Website Graphs Functions (with functions and with data)
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/flydata/index.html
4) Website used to help students plot points
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/simpleplot/index.html
5) Website set as a game to help students plot points
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/coords/index.html
6) Website helps student determine what a function is
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/lfm/index.html
7) Math in the movies