Montessori Algebra

2008-05-12T12:13:00.003-04:00

Homework Assignments - Unit Four

HW #	Date Assigned	Date Due	Assignment
1	Blue 5/8 Red 5/12 Grn 5/14	Blue 5/12 Red 5/14 Grn 5/15	Handout - Venn Diagram p. 97-98 #1, 6-9, 14
2	Blue 5/12 Red 5/ Grn 5/	Blue 5/13 Red 5/ Grn 5/	p. 137 #5-8, 16, 20, 30
3	Blue 5/ Red 5/ Grn 5/	Blue 5/ Red 5/ Grn 5/

Red Assignments

2008-04-30T20:26:00.001-04:00

Red Homework Assignments

Fourth Marking Period

HW #	Date Assigned	Date Due	Assignment
16	4 / 7	4 / 9	p. 278 # 11, 19 p. 283 # 10, 23
17	4 / 9	4/ 11	Finish worksheet
18	4/11	4/14	p. 297 #2 p. 298 #7, 8, 10
19	4/14	4/16	p. 307-308 #2, 6, 8, 16, 25, 33
20	4/28	4/30	word problem from class
21	4/30	5/2	finish review handout

Green Assignments

2008-04-30T13:48:00.000-04:00

Green Homework Assignments

Fourth Marking Period

HW #	Date Assigned	Date Due	Assignment
17	4 / 9	4 / 10	p. 273 # 14, 18, 22, 24, 30, 42
18	4/10	4/11	finish worksheet from class
19	4/11	4/16	p. 283 #13, 18, 31, 35, 39
20	4/17	4/18	p. 297 #2 p. 298 #7, 8, 10
21	4/18	4/30	p. 307-308 #1, 2, 5, 11, 17, 18
22	4/30	5/1	p. 283 #30, 32 p. 308 #20, 22, 26
	5/1	5/2	complete review handout

Vacation

2008-04-18T10:16:00.004-04:00

Three new challenges have been posted with different due dates. Good luck with them! Also, if you have any homework missing, use this vacation time to work on it!

The only homework you have for over the break is the regents review packet (except the green class which has an additional textbook homework assignment). Be careful, some of the answers for the review packet are tricky! One of the multiple choice questions has a typo so if you feel you got the right answer but you don't see it listed, you're probably right.

I will not have access to a computer over the break so I will be unable to post comments to the blog or answer email.

Enjoy the vacation!

Challenge #13 (Split the Booty)

2008-04-18T10:14:00.000-04:00

For each challenge that you attempt, you must show all work and box your final answer to receive credit. DO NOT ERASE! It must be submitted hand written. Comments and emails will not be accepted. Remember, I cannot help you with these! Worth 3 points. Due: May 16, 2008

The Question:

A pirate crew at the end of the day split the booty collected. The first pirate got 100 gold pieces, and 1/6 of the remaining booty. The second one got 200 gold pieces, and 1/6 of the remaining booty. The third one got 300 gold pieces, and 1/6 of the remaining booty, etc. The last one only got what was left from the booty. At the end, every pirate had the same amount of gold pieces (from the booty). How many pirates were there, and how much booty was there in total?

Challenge #12 (The Family)

2008-04-18T10:13:00.001-04:00

For each challenge that you attempt, you must show all work and box your final answer to receive credit. DO NOT ERASE! It must be submitted hand written. Comments and emails will not be accepted. Remember, I cannot help you with these! Worth 3 points. Due: May 9, 2008

The Question:

Parents with two children - a son and a daughter - came to a wide river. There was no bridge there. The only way to get to the other side was to ask a fisherman if he could lend them his boat. However, the boat could carry only one adult or two children. How does the family get to the other side and return the boat to the fisherman?

Challenge #11 (New Operation)

2008-04-18T10:12:00.000-04:00

Assigned Homeworks

2008-03-31T17:02:00.004-04:00

UNIT THREE has begun! (I know you're all super excited!) These are the assignments that need to be in your homework folder.

NOTE: The red and green classes have different homework assignments than the blue class so please pay attention to what class you are in.

RED
Homework #1: Worksheet (Area and Perimeter)
Homework #2: Worksheet (Graph Sketches)
Homework #3: Worksheet (Inside Out)
Homework #4: p. 76-77 # 9-12, 18-21, 23
Homework #5: p. 223 # 12-15, 20
Homework #6: p. 222 #1, 5, 18, 21
Homework #7: p. 233 # 2, 3, 7-9, 16, 19, 20, 22
Homework #8: p. 253 # 26-30, 33
Homework #9: p. 217 # 5, 9 p. 255 # 6, 8 p. 264 # 27, 30
Homework #10: finish worksheet from class
Homework #11: p. 366 #23, 26 p. 103 #19, 21
Homework #12: p. 325 #2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 21-26
Homework #13: p. 330 #2, 3, 19, 28
Homework #14: p. 292 #2, 6, 7, 14, 22, 24

GREEN
Homework #1: Worksheet (Area and Perimeter)
Homework #2: Answer the questions from the class activity guide (Area of your Hand)
Homework #3: Worksheet (Graph Sketches)
Homework #4: Worksheet (Inside-Out)
Homework #5: p. 76-77 # 9-12, 18-21, 23
Homework #6: p. 223 # 12-15, 20
Homework #7: p. 222 #1, 5, 7, 9, 18
Homework #8: p. 233 #2, 3 7-9, 15, 19, 21
Homework #9: p. 234 # 31-33
Homework #10: p. 253 # 26-30, 33
Homework #11: p. 217 # 5, 9 p. 255 #6, 8 p. 264 # 27, 30
Homework #12: p. 264 #18, 21, 24, 25 p. 265 #5, 6
Homework #13: p. 366 #23, 26 p. 103 #19, 21
Homework #14: p. 325 #2, 3, 6, 8, 11, 21-26
Homework #15: p. 330 #2, 3, 19, 28
Homework #16: p. 292 #2, 6, 7, 14, 22, 24

BLUE
Homework #1: Worksheet (Graph Sketches)
Homework #2: Worksheet (Inside-out)
Homework #3: p. 76-77 # 9-12, 18-21, 23
Homework #4: p. 223 #12-15, 20
Homework #5: p. 222 # 1, 5, 18, 21
Homework #6: p. 233 # 2, 3, 7-9, 16, 19, 20, 22
Homework #7: p. 253 # 26-30, 33
Homework #8: p. 217 # 5, 9 p. 255 # 6, 8 p. 264 # 27, 30
Homework #9: p. 366 # 23, 26, p. 103 # 19, 21

POTU #4 - Step Right Up

2008-03-21T15:18:00.002-04:00

PLEASE NOTE! This POTU is ONLY assigned to the GREEN class! It is due for the green class on April 11th!

Step Right Up!

How would it feel to climb a flight of stairs if every step was a little higher or lower than the previous one? The constant measure for treads and risers on most stairs keeps you from tripping. Have you noticed that the stairs outside some public buildings slow you down to a “ceremonial” pace? Or that little-used stairs to a cellar seem dangerously steep? Investigate the standards for stairs in various architectural settings and learn the reasons for their various slopes.

Your project should include:

Tread-and-riser data and slope calculations for several different stairways.
The building codes or recommended standards in your area for home stairways. Is a range of slopes permitted? When are landings or railings required?
Scale drawings for at least three different stairways.

After you’ve done your research, consider this question: Does a spiral staircase have a constant slope?

POTU #4 Write-up:

Problem Statement: In your own words, describe what is being asked of you.

Process and Conclusions: Explain, in detail, the steps that you took to find your data (include sources) and arrive at your data. Include the requested drawings. Any photographs that you have taken should be included in this section. Address the questions being asked in the project.

Evaluation: standard evaluation write-up.

Extra Credit

2008-03-19T09:08:00.004-04:00

In a fraction, the line that divides the numerator from the denominator has a special name. What is it? First five to post the correct answer gets a 3 point coupon :)

Challenge #10 - ABCDE

2008-03-12T10:29:00.001-04:00

Challenge # 9 - Speaker

2008-03-03T12:11:00.001-05:00

For each challenge that you attempt, you must show all work and box your final answer to receive credit. DO NOT ERASE! It must be submitted hand written. Comments and emails will not be accepted. Remember, I cannot help you with these! Worth 3 points. Due: March 14, 2008

The Question:
A speaker comes to your school to make a sixty minute presentation in the auditorium. Thirty percent of the students in attendance heard the entire speech and 10 percent slept through the entire talk. Half of the remaining students heard one-fourth of the speech and the other half heard three-fourths of the talk. What was the average number of minutes of the talk heard by the students in the audience?

End of Unit Project

2008-02-15T10:29:00.003-05:00

End of Unit 2 Project

Task: Create a student handbook for the material covered in unit two. Your handbook should be student friendly.

Your handbook must include:
A cover with a title and author
Table of contents
For each topic, give:
Step by step instructions and how to solve
At least two examples following the instructions
Written piece: Where can this topic be seen or used in everyday life?
Answer key
Reflection (see below)

Required Topics:
Literal Equations
Simplifying Expressions
Exponents and scientific notation
Motion Problems
Coin/Value problems
Percentage Problems
Inequalities
Operations with polynomials (distributive property, FOIL, division)
Factoring
GCF
DOTS
TRI (a=1, a>1)
Solving Quadratics (including word problems!)
Rational Expressions

Reflection:
How did completing this project help you to better understand the unit? What topics did you find most challenging? Do you still feel this way?

Extra Credit:
Select one topic that you are interested in. Create a short story that leads to using that concept. Illustrate your story. For an example of what this may look like, ask your teacher.

Due:

Red/Blue - March 3rd

Green - March 5th

Exam Topics

2008-02-13T09:45:00.003-05:00

1. Distributive Property
2. FOIL
3. Factoring
- GCF
- DOTS
- Trinomial
- Rainbow (AC) method
4. Quadratic Equations
5. Word Problems
6. Rational Expressions (simplifying and performing operations)
7. Literal Equations
8. Exponents

REMINDER! All makeup homeworks need to be in your homework folder by Friday at the latest. They will be graded over the break!

Challenge #8 - First Ten Counting Numbers

2008-02-07T14:42:00.000-05:00

Homework List - 3rd Marking Period

2008-01-31T11:24:00.000-05:00

Current Homeworks that should be in your homework folder for the third marking period:

Homework #13: page 485 # 44, 48, 52, 54
Homework #14: page 493 # 4, 8, 14, 28, 29
Homework #15: Finish worksheet from class (Quadratic Equations Word Problems)
Homework #16: pages 493-494 # 17, 32a, 33, 34
Homework #17: page 525 # 6, 8, 15, 16, 17
Homework #18: page 550 #12, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23

POTU #3 - The String Problem

2008-01-17T21:35:00.000-05:00

Part I: A string is stretched corner to corner on a floor tiled with square tiles. If the floor is 28 tiles long and 35 tiles wide, over how many tiles does the string cover?

Part II: Generalize for any rectangular room whose floor is covered with square tiles.

Be sure to follow all the standard POTU Write-Up guidelines. See past post http://montessori-algebra.blogspot.com/2007/12/potu-write-up.html for these guidelines.

PLEASE ASK QUESTIONS IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING!

Due:
Blue: Thursday, January 31
Green: Thursday, January 31
Red: Friday, February 1

Reminder!

2008-01-09T20:54:00.001-05:00

Marking Period ENDS Friday, January 18th!! That's next week!!!

Please make sure that your homework folders are updated and complete. So far, since returning from vacation you have been given the following homeworks:

Homework #9: page 525 # 2, 4, 14, pages 503-504 # 6, 8, 10, 16, 20, 21

Homework #10: pages 473-474 # 22, 32, 36, 40, 46

Homework #11: pages 489-490 # 6, 8, 10, 19, 20, 35

Homework #12: page 484 # 24, 30, 32, 38 page 489 # 11, 18

Homework #13: page 485 # 44, 48, 52, 54

Homework #14: page 493 # 4, 8, 14, 28, 29

Homework #15: Finish worksheet from class

Challenge #7 - Same Remainder

2008-01-07T20:32:00.000-05:00

The responses for the last challenge were weak! Try this one... it will count as extra credit (3 points) and is due by Friday, January 18. Show all work. DO NOT ERASE! It must be submitted hand written. Comments and emails will not be accepted. Remember, I cannot help you with these!

The Question:
If you divide the following four different numbers 313, 364, 449, and 670 by the same number and you get the same remainder for all. What is the number you are dividing by?

Extra Credit

2007-12-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

Challenge #6 extra credit due by Friday, January 4th! Make sure that you show all work to receive partial credit. DO NOT ERASE! Do not email it or post answers but you can post questions. All submissions must be hand written.

Good Luck!

Tips for Test

2007-12-18T10:40:00.000-05:00

Literal Equations:
* isolate the variable

Simplifying Expressions:
adding polynomials: line up like terms and combine like terms
subtracting polynomials: change the signs, line up like terms, and combine like terms

Exponents and Scientific Notation:
1. for multiplication, add exponents
2. for division, subtract exponents
3. with terms with in ( ) multiply exponents
4. any number to the 0 power is 1
5. any number to a negative exponent needs to be rewritten

Motion Problems:
* list knowns and unknowns or list your main characters
* draw a picture
* d= vt
* same direction set equal
* opposite direction add

Coin Value Problems
* list knowns and unknowns or list your main characters
* set up an equation that has at least one variable and an equal sign

Percent Increase Problems
* original + original (%) = final
* underline the key words and numbers in the word problem

Inequalities:
* open circle = greater than OR less than
* closed circle = greater than or equal to OR less than or equal to
* draw a number line

Homeworks

2007-12-17T20:16:00.000-05:00

Many of you have not completed the required homework assignments. Below is a list of the homeworks assigned so far this marking period. Half of them were handouts that you will have to pick up from me during the school day.

HW# Assignment
1 p. 177 # 1,2,4,12,16,22
2 p. 468-469 # 16, 20, 26, 32, 34
3 p. 393-394 # 4, 7, 28, 52
p. 398 # 2, 16, 22
p. 404 # 30, 38, 40
4 handout
5 handout
6 handout
7 handout
8 p. 192-193 # 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 23

All homeworks are due in your folder by Friday, December 21st. After this date I will not accept make-ups.

Challenge # 6 - Eleven Times

2007-12-13T11:42:00.000-05:00

For each challenge that you attempt, you must show all work and place your final answer in the space provided below. These have no due dates but can be counted towards your average if you wish. Please check the appropriate box before handing it in.

The Question:
Find the least positive integer that is eleven times the sum of its digits.

Count this in average? ____ YES ____ NO

Posting

2007-12-11T14:52:00.000-05:00

I understand that some of you are not used to using a blog before now. I have heard you say that you are unable to post comments. Please keep in mind that I moderate comments to make sure that there are no "spam comments."

For those of you who may not be familiar with blogs, to leave a comment, click the link that says comments at the end of a post. Clicking on this link will also allow you to see comments others have already made. On the right side of the screen, fill in the comment that you want to leave. Then, if you have a google account, you can sign in but this is not required. You can enter who you are as a nickname (so I can give you each individual credit for using the blog!) or leave a comment anonymously (but then you don't get the credit). Keep in mind that your comment will not be posted until I allow it to be posted.

If you have further questions, you can email me or come during lunch and I'll show you how to use the blog then.

Keep this page bookmarked because I'm going to post an extra credit really soon!

POTU #2 - Reversed Squares

2007-12-08T11:10:00.000-05:00

The Story:
A mathematician was bored during a long train ride from Upstate New York to New York City. Having a little notebook and a pencil always handy, she began to scribble the following:

The Task:
1. What is the mathematician investigating here?
2. Can you find patterns when you continue her investigation for 2-digit numbers? For 3-digit numbers? For numbers of any amount of digits?
3. The differences above (297 and 792) are divisible by 99. What about the differences of reversed squares for any 2-digit number? What about 3-digit numbers? What about numbers with any amount of digits?

Be sure to follow all the standard POTU Write-Up guidelines.

DUE:
Blue: Tuesday, Dec. 11th
Red: Wednesday, Dec. 12th
Green: Wednesday, Dec. 12th

POTU - Write Up

2007-12-08T11:07:00.000-05:00

About Problems of the Unit:
Problems of the Unit (POTU) are an important part of the algebra curriculum. They will give you experience in carrying out extended investigations of complex problems. They give you a chance to work on your mathematical writing. You will be expected to explain your thinking more fully in these assignments than in regular class activities or homework. Be sure to leave ample time for this writing.

Standard POTU Write-up Categories:
1. Problem Statement – State the problem in your own words. Your problem statement should be clear enough that someone unfamiliar with the problem could understand what it is that you are being asked to do.
2. Process and Solution – Describe what steps you took in attempting to solve the problem. Include steps that didn’t work out or that seemed like a waste of time. Complete this part of the write-up even if you didn’t solve the problem. State your solution as clearly as possible. Explain why you think your solution is correct and complete. (If you obtained only a partial solution, give that. If you were able to obtain more general results, include.)
3. Evaluation – Discuss your personal reaction to this problem. For example, you should comment on these questions.
· Did you consider the problem educationally worthwhile? What did you learn from it?
· How would you change the problem to improve it?
· Did you enjoy working on the problem?
· Was the problem too hard or too easy? Why did you feel this way?

Welcome!

2007-12-08T10:13:00.000-05:00

In order to have better access to assignments being conducted in class and at home, most, if not all, assignments will be posted to the blog. You can post comments to myself or to classmates. If you are struggling with a project, you can seek guidance from your classmates by posting questions. You can even post anonymously... keep in mind though that I would like to see who is using the blog as a tool and will keep that in mind when doing grades. Using this site as a tool shows that you are trying and putting in a lot of effort!

Extra credit and challenge problems will be posted occasionally as well. I recommend you bookmark this page and check back often.