Lessons in Units
CCSS UnitsHow do municipal fines affect people with different incomes? Students write, solve, and graph systems of linear equations to determine how long it takes to pay off a ticket and debate the fairest ways for cities to raise revenues without harming their poorest residents.
How do viruses spread through a population? Students use exponential growth and logarithms to model how a virus spreads through a population and evaluate how various factors influence the speed and scope of an outbreak.
Could Inspector Javert have survived the fall? Students use quadratic models to determine how high the bridge was in Les Misérables, and explore the maximum height from which someone can safely jump.
How do you create simple video games? Students apply geometric transformations to build (and play) their own games.
How much is Domino’s really charging for pizza? Students use slope, y-intercept, and linear equations to explore the costs of different-sized pizzas at Domino’s and debate whether the pizza chain should be more transparent in its pricing.
How have video game consoles changed over time? Students create exponential models to predict the speed of video game processors over time, compare their predictions to observed speeds, and consider the consequences as digital simulations become increasingly lifelike.
Do taller sprinters have an unfair advantage? Students use proportions to find out what would happen if Olympic races were organized by height.
In basketball, should you ever foul at the buzzer? Students use probabilities to determine when the defense should foul...and when they should not.
Who should buy health insurance? Students use percents and expected value to explore the mathematics of health insurance from a variety of perspectives.