Creeping Up on Solving Equations

Home Nugget #18
Assigned on Tuesday October 2, 2007
Due on Wednesday October 3, 2007

Sheet labelled Practice for use after 4-1 all problems.
All work should be completed on a seperate sheet of paper.

FCAs
1 point: all work/solutions clearly shown on a separate sheet of paper
3 points: three random problems checked for accuracy

IN ADDITION
We had conversations today about expectations for home nugget assignments and how they are meant to be completed in thoughtful and meaningful ways. The vast majority of students admitted to not having met the criteria for home nugget #17 and will redo the lesson this evening. Following are samples for what to do for each math term chosen.

Term: Integers

A. I first saw the term integers during the class when the teacher wrote the poem, “integers, integers – what’s really in a name? The counting numbers, their opposites and zero are their claim to fame.” I was then asked to choose the integers from a list of numbers the teacher provided.
B. Integers are a kind of number family. They only include whole numbers, the opposites of the whole numbers and zero. Some examples of integers are 3, -5, 209 and 0. Numbers like 3/5,
-4.5 and 7/8 are NOT integers.


Term: Absolute Value

A. While I don’t remember when the term was introduced I do remember when I started to understand the word. I used to think the two bars around the number meant ‘find the opposite of the number.’ Then we started to do integer operations problems that involved absolute value and I realized it actually has to do with where a value is on the number line. I was forced to figure out what absolute value meant because I was being asked to compare values using the >, < and =" sign.">

B. Absolute value is a way of asking how far a number is from zero. So for instance you are asked to find the absolute value of –23. The answer is simply 23. Or you are asked to find the absolute value of 14. The answer is 14 because 14 is 14 spaces away from 0 on the number line.