POTU #4 - Step Right Up

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

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

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 28, 2008

The Question:

1ABCDE
x ___ 3
ABCDE1

A five-digit number is represented by ABCDE. If we add the number 1 in front of ABCDE, then the product of 1ABCDE and 3 will be the six-digit number ABCDE1. What is the original five-digit number ABCDE?

Challenge # 9 - Speaker

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

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

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

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.

The Question:
Determine the smallest positive integer that is divisible by each of the first ten counting numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10).