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Mathematics 3206
GOVERNMENTOF
NEWFOUNDLAND
AND LABRADOR
DivisionofProgramDevelopment
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Acknowledgments
The departments of education of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and
Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island gratefully acknowledge
the contributions of the following groups and individuals toward the
development of this Mathematics 3206 mathematics curriculum guide.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ii
CONTENTS
Contents
Introduction
Background ................................................................................ 1
Rationale .................................................................................... 2
Meeting the Needs of All Learners ................................................. 4
Career Connections ..................................................................... 4
Curriculum
Outcomes
Program Design
and Components
Course
Organization
iii
CONTENTS
iv
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
Background
INTRODUCTION
Rationale
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Career
Connections
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Curriculum Outcomes
Curriculum
Outcomes
Framework
Essential Graduation
Learnings
Aesthetic Expression
Citizenship
Communication
Graduates will be able to use the listening, viewing, speaking, reading, and
writing modes of language(s) and mathematical and scientific concepts and
symbols, to think, learn, and communicate effectively.
Personal Development
Problem Solving
Graduates will be able to use the strategies and processes needed to solve a
wide variety of problems, including those requiring language and
mathematical and scientific concepts
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Technological
Competence
General
Curriculum
Outcomes
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Key-Stage
Curriculum
Outcomes
Specific
Curriculum
Outcomes
In the table that follows, the Specific Curriculum Outcomes for Course
1206 and Course 2206 are listed.
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
10
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
11
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
1
the formula area of a triangle ABC = bc sin A to
2
solve problems
12
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
13
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
14
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Independent Study
Students in Course 2206 will also conduct an
independent study.
By the end of Course 2206, students will be expected to
I1 demonstrate an understanding of a mathematical
topic through independent research
I2 communicate the results of the independent
research
I3 demonstrate an understanding of the mathematical
topics presented by other students
15
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Elaboration: Number sense includes understanding number meanings, developing multiple relationships among
numbers, recognizing the relative magnitudes of numbers, knowing the relative effect of operating on numbers,
and developing referents for measurement. Number theory concepts include such number principles as laws
(e.g., commutative and distributive), factors and primes, and number system characteristics (e.g., density).
Key-Stage Curriculum Outcomes (KSCO)
16
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
17
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
18
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
19
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
20
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
21
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
22
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
23
CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
24
Essential Graduation
Learnings (EGLs)
broad cross-curricular
expectations
Examples
Graduates will be able to use the listening,
viewing, speaking, reading, and writing modes of
language(s) and mathematics and scientific
concepts and symbols to think, learn, and
communicate effectively.
contributes to
General Curriculum
Outcomes (GCOs)
broad mathematical
expectations
Key-Stage Curriculum
Outcomes (KSCOs)at
the end of grades 3, 6, 9,
and 12
Specific Curriculum
Outcomes (SCOs)for
each grade level
25
Program Level
Course 1
Advanced
Mathematics
Academic
1204
Practical
Mathematics 1206
Course 2
Mathematics 2205
Course 3
Course 4
Mathematics 3205
Mathematics 3207
Mathematics 2204
Mathematics 3204
Mathematics 3103
Mathematics 2206
Mathematics 3206
26
Content
Organization
27
Mathematical
Modeling
Relations and
Functions
28
Communicating
Mathematics
Multiple
Representations
29
Learning and
Teaching
Mathematics
30
Summary of Changes
in Instructional
Practices
Integrating
Technology
quickly or easily
create and explore numeric and geometric situations for the purpose
of developing conjectures
perform simulations of situations that would otherwise be impossible
to examine
easily link different representations of the same information
model situations mathematically
observe the effects of simple changes in parameters or coefficients
analyse, organize, and display data
31
Learning
Resources
This curriculum document represents the central resource for the teacher
of mathematics with respect to Mathematics 3206 of the high school
mathematics program. Other resources are ancillary to it. This guide
should serve as the focal point for all daily, unit, and yearly planning, as
well as a reference point to determine the extent to which the curriculum
outcomes have been met.
Nevertheless, other resources will be significant in the mathematics
classroom. Textual and other print resources will be significant to the
extent they support the curriculum goals. Schools, school districts, and
Departments of Education should work together in making professional
resources available to teachers as they seek to broaden their instructional
and mathematical skills. As well, manipulative materials and appropriate
access to technological resources need to be at hand.
It is highly recommended that teachers familiarize themselves not only
with Foundation for the Atlantic Canada Mathematics Curriculum, but
also with Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics,
Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics, Assessment Standards for
School Mathematics, and Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
(NCTM, April 2000). Because of the extent of information contained in
these documents, teachers are cautioned that assimilation of the ideas
contained will require much reflection, discussion, and rereading. All
high school mathematics teachers may wish to join the National Council
of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) for professional growth.
Membership can include a subscription to The Mathematics Teacher, a
journal that contains a wealth of information and practical teaching
suggestions. Institutional or individual membership can be obtained by
telephoning 1-800-235-7566 (NCTM order office), or by contacting the
NCTM representative on your mathematics teacher associations
executive.
32
Assessing and
Evaluating Student
Learning
In recent years there have been calls for change in the practices used to
assess and evaluate students progress. Many factors have set the demands
for change in motion, including the following:
new goals for mathematics education as outlined in Curriculum and
Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics
The curriculum standards provide educators with specific information
about what students should be able to do in mathematics. These goals
go far beyond learning a list of mathematical facts; to also emphasize
such competencies as creative and critical thinking, problem solving,
working collaboratively, and the ability to manage ones own learning.
Students are expected to be able to communicate mathematically, to
solve and create problems, to use concepts to solve real-world
applications, to integrate mathematics across disciplines, and to
connect strands of mathematics. For the most part, assessments used
in the past have not addressed these goals. New approaches to
assessment are needed if we are to teach and address the goals set out
in Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics.
understanding the bonds linking teaching, learning, and assessment
Much of our understanding of learning has been based on a theory
that viewed learning as the accumulation of discrete skills. Cognitive
views of learning call for an active, constructive approach in which
learners gain understanding by building their own knowledge and
developing connections between the facts and concepts. Problem
solving and reasoning become the emphases rather than the
acquisition of isolated facts. Conventional testing, in which students
answered questions for the purpose of determining if they could recall
the type of question and the procedure to be used, provides a
window into only one aspect of what a student has learned.
Assessments that require students to solve problems, demonstrate
skills, create products, and create portfolios of work reveal more
about the students understanding and reasoning of mathematics. If
the goal is to have students develop reasoning and problem-solving
competencies, then teaching must reflect such, and in turn,
assessment must reflect what is valued in teaching and learning.
Feedback from assessment directly affects learning. The development
of problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills will be a realized
only if assessment practices are in alignment with these goals.
In planning assessment, it is important to decide whether technology
will be permitted. Certain assessment items become trivial when
technology is used. It is recommended that when technology is an
integral part of instruction, it should be permitted when those aspects
are assessed. However, there will be times when assessment tools are
created such that it is inappropriate to permit technology use. When
the goal is for students to demonstrate mental facility, calculator use
can interfere.
33
What Is Assessment?
Why Should We
Assess Students?
34
inform parents of their childs progress so that they can provide more
effective support
certify the level of achievement for each outcome
If we assume that assessment is integral to instruction and that it will
enable effective intervention in instruction, then it is essential that
teachers develop a repertoire of assessment strategies.
Assessment
Strategies
Documenting classroom
behaviours
35
36
COURSE ORGANIZATION
Course Organization
Course Design
The Two-Page
Spread
37
COURSE ORGANIZATION
38
Unit 1
Patterns
(10 Hours)
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
Scientists have invented a time machine (1983). By setting the dial, you can move
forward in time. Set it forward 6 minutes and you will be in the year 1988. Set it
forward 16 minutes, and you will be in the year 1993; Set it forward 26 minutes,
and you will be in the year 1998; 36 minutes, year 2003. If the machine continues
in this manner, in what year will you be if the timer is set ahead 65 minutes?
This information can be organized as follows:
Time set forward
0
6
16
26
36
Year
1985
1988
1993
1998
2003
65
Students might notice that the numbers (after the second) in the first column
increase by 10, while the years (after the second) in the second column increase
by 5. They could use this pattern to predict the answer for 66, then adjust for 65.
Some students may even plot the ordered pairs and use the graph to verify or make
predictions.
Students should extend the patterns they observe and describe the pattern using
numbers, words, pictures and/or geometric shapes. For example, see the activities in
on the next page.
40
PATTERNS
Patterns
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C5)
1) For each of the following sets, give the next element of the set. State in your own
words what you think the patterning rule is.
a) 80, 40, 20, 10, _____
Patterning rule: ______________
b) James, Jill, Joan, John, ________
Patterning rule: _________
c) 1, 8, 27, 64, 125, ________
Patterning rule: ___________
e) 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ___________
Patterning rule: ______________
f) Alvin, Barbara, Carla, Dennis, __________
Patterning rule: ________________
g)
Patterning rule: ___________
h)
1 2 3 4
, , , , ...
2 3 4 5
b)
3) An empty street car picks up five passengers at the first stop, drops off two
passengers at the second stop, picks up five passengers at the third stop, drops off
two passengers at the fourth stop, and so on. If it continues in this manner, how
many passengers will be on the streetcar after the 16th stop?
41
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C6 One of the greatest mathematicians of the Middle Ages was Leonardo of Pisa,
called Fibonacci. He wrote a book on arithmetic and algebra titled Liber Abacci. This
book was influential in introducing to Europe the Hindu-Arabic numerals with which
we now write numbers. One of the many interesting problems in this book was about
rabbits. Students might be asked to solve this problem and look for a pattern.
A pair of rabbits one month old are too young to produce more rabbits, but
suppose that in their second month and every month thereafter they produced a
new pair. If each new pair of rabbits does the same and none of the rabbits die,
how many pairs of rabbits will there be at the beginning of each month?
The number of pairs of rabbits at the beginning of each month form a sequence:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13 ... known as the Fibonacci Sequence. Its terms follow a
simple pattern. Ask the students to describe this pattern.
The Fibonacci Sequence has shown up in an amazingly wide variety of creations. For
example:
1) The petals of many flower speciestheir petals commonly occur only in Fibonacci
number configurations.
2) The seeds in the flower head of a sunflower spiral in two different directionsthe
numbers of spirals are Fibonacci numbers.
3) The same is true in the spiral of pineapples, and pine cones.
4) In many trees, the leaves spiral around the stem. The number of turns required to
find a leaf in a position directly above another leaf is a Fibonacci number.
5) There is also a connection between the Fibonacci Sequence and musical scales
6) Likewise, this sequence is shown in the reproduction of bees.
Students can explore some of the above situations to find out more about how the
sequence applies to the situations listed. See the next page for examples.
Students might also explore the ratio between terms in the sequence and connect it to
1 5
. If the largest square is removed from a rectangle whose
2
dimensions are in the golden ratio (length: width), another rectangle will remain
whose dimensions are, again, the golden ratio. To explore the ratios between
successive terms, ask students to divide the larger term by the one that precedes it.
For example, 5 divided by 3, or 13 divided by 8, or 34 divided by 21. Ask them to
record the answers for several of these ratios as decimals and notice the pattern that
seems to be developing as the terms get larger. Compare the ratios to the decimal
approximation of the golden ratio. (The successive ratios seem to be approaching the
value of the golden ratio.)
... continued
42
PATTERNS
Patterns
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C6)
1) In Fibonaccis rabbit problem,
a) How many pairs of rabbits will there be at the beginning of the seventh month?
b) How many pairs will there be at the beginning of the 12th month?
c) How many pairs of adult rabbits (at least one month old) will there be at the
beginning of the seventh month?
d) How many baby rabbits (less than one month old)
will there be?
2) Fibonacci numbers have some remarkable properties.
a) Find the missing numbers in this sequence of
sums.
b) Describe the pattern.
Pattern B
Pattern C
Pattern D
43
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C4 Students extend previous knowledge to describe and reason about a variety of contexts
using the mathematical relationships. They should have had experience in creating and using
symbolic and graphical representation of patterns, especially those tied to linear and
quadratic growth. In this course these experiences will be extended to arithmetic, quadratic,
and geometric sequences, with particular focus on quadratic and exponential relations.
C4 demonstrate an
understanding of patterns that
are arithemetic, quadratic,
cubic, and geometric
C7 relate arithmetic patterns
to linear relations
C21 create and analyse scatter
plots and determine equations
for the curves of best fit,
using appropriate technology
To begin this unit, students should extend their work with patterns to include investigation
of sequences of numbers that fall into two categories:
1) arithmetic sequences (a sequence with a common difference between consecutive terms)
2) quadratic sequences (a sequence made up of consecutive terms found by raising
consecutive counting numbers to the same power)
C7 Students should clearly see that an arithmetic sequence leads to a relationship that is
linear and can be described as a rule. Students could be given the sequence 2 5 8 11 14
and be asked for the 100th term. They can see
(t1) is
1 st term
that there is a common difference of 3, and by
nd
term
) is
2
(t
2
completing an organized list they might be able
rd
th
th
term
) is
3
(t
3
to predict the 100 term, then the n term.
Teachers should help students to note that
5 th term
(t4) is
numbers in an arithmetic sequence have a
th
100 term (t100) is
common difference, that the common difference
th
term
n
(tn) is
is a constant, and that it is connected to the slope
of the line. When the pattern is expressed with symbols, students need to make sense of the
constant term in the equation and its connection to the pattern. Note: the general formula
for arithmetic sequence is not part of the course.
Students should always be given the opportunity to work with the five representations of a
concept; context, concrete, pictorial, verbal, and symbolic as the concept is being developed.
Students might be given the diagram of towers and be asked to construct it with cubes and
record the heights. Then, they should describe the pattern in words and perhaps attempt to
create a context for which this pattern exists. They could then graph this relationship.
Students could talk about the height of the towers increasing by 3 as the tower number
increases by 1. They should see that this is connected to
the slope of the graph, and that the slope is the
coefficient of the independent variable in the equation.
They could examine the y-intercept and discuss why it
has no meaning in this context. They might conclude
that the y-intercept would be 1 and that it would
represent the next height of towers (if that were
possible) in the other direction. Finally, they might be
asked to describe the relationship between the tower number in the sequence and the height
of the tower and predict the height of the 10th tower. They might do this by obtaining an
equation that would represent the relationship between the number of the towers and their
heights.
C21 As a way of getting their equation, students could use graphing technology. To do this,
for example, they could enter the tower number in list 1 and the height of each tower in list
2 on a TI-83 and use LinReg to obtain the equation y = 3x 1. It is important to discuss
with students that while LinReg produces an equation, it is meaningful only in the context
for integers greater than or equal to 1.
... continued
44
PATTERNS
Patterns
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C4/C21)
1) Complete each sequence and find the nth term.
a) 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, _, _, _, ... nth.
b) 3, 6, 9, 12,
_, _, _, ... nth.
c) 2, 7, 12, 17,
_, _, _, ... nth.
Performance (C4/C7)
2) Explain why each of the above is called an arithmetic sequence.
Performance (C4/C7/C21)
3) Explore the following dot patterns and determine if they form an arithmetic
sequence or not. Explain.
number of dots per side: n 1 2 3 4 ... 10... 20
number of dots in array: s
45
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C4 Ask students to examine the dot pattern given below and complete the table of
values.
C4 demonstrate an
understanding of patterns that
are arithmetic, quadratic,
cubic, and geometric
They might notice that each n-value (the number of dots on each side of the square)
is squared to get each s-value (the number of dots in the whole array). They could use
this to predict the answers for n = 10 and 20. Students could then describe the
pattern in words and arrive at s = n2.
They should be able to describe the difference
between this pattern and the arithmetic patterns
looked at previously. Here, there is no common
difference between successive terms. The differences
are 3, 5, and 7. However, if the common differences
are subtracted students would see a common difference occur at the second level.
When this happens students should understand that an equation with an n2
(quadratic) will result. Coming up with the equation is not the goal, however. They
should understand that there is a way to describe the relationship with an equation.
The sequence where there is a common difference but it is not at the first level is a
quadratic sequence.
Students might use cubes to build towers (see the discussion on the previous page) to
compare the growth rate visually between a quadratic relationship and that of an
arithmetic sequence (linear relationship).
As suggested above, quadratic sequences have common differences only after the first
level of differences. Students should examine the following diagram, extend the
diagram, and complete a table. The sequence represents the number of cubes in each
element of the pattern.
125 216
PATTERNS
Patterns
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C4)
1) The area of the following regions is the number of units inside.
a) Copy and complete the following number sequence for the areas of these
regions. 2 5 __ __ __ __
b) What kind of sequence do the areas form?
c) Copy and complete the number sequence of the perimeters 6, 10, _, _, _
d) What kind of sequence do the perimeters form? Explain.
2) These figures illustrate a sequence of squares in which the length of the side is
successively doubled.
a)
b)
c)
d)
3) The first terms in the sequence of triangular numbers are illustrated by the figures
below.
a) Write the five numbers illustrated and continue the sequence to show the next
five terms.
b) Find the differences between the terms. Is there a common difference?
c) Find the difference between the terms in the differences.
d) Are triangular numbers terms in an arithmetic sequence? Explain.
4) Teachers could ask students to explain how finding common differences in patterns
helps identify the type of sequence, and how that might help them identify what
kind of equation might represent.
47
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C4 Students should continue the study of patterns to note that not all sequences of
number have common differences. A geometric sequence is a number sequence in
which each successive term may be found by multiplying by the same number.
Students should be able to contrast geometric sequences with other sequences.
C4 demonstrate an
understanding of patterns that
are arithmetic, quadratic,
cubic, and geometric
48
PATTERNS
Patterns
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C4)
1) Teachers could ask students to copy the following geometric sequences, writing in
the missing terms:
a)
5 10 15 20
b)
2 8 32 128 512 K
c)
d)
10
15 K
K
80 40 20 10
e)
3 20 37 54
71 K
f)
2 6 24 120 720 K
g)
60 51 42 33 24 K
h)
32 48 72 108 162 K
4) Teachers could ask students to use graphs to show how there is a difference in any
three patterns above. Explain how the graph helps you decide if the sequence is
arithmetic, or geometric.
5) Stella explained that the sequence {7, 43, 125, 271, 499, 827, 1273, 1855 ... } is
linear because it has a common difference. Discuss whether you agree with Stellas
reasoning.
49
PATTERNS
Patterns
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
50
Unit 2
Quadratics
(15-20 Hours)
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C29/C12/C1 In Mathematics 1206 and in the preceding unit of this course, students have
analysed and applied arithmetic sequences and have connected them to linear relations,
reaffirming their understanding that a linear relation represents a constant growth rate. In
this course, as students begin to study quadratic relationships, they should note connections
to these quadratic sequences (common difference at the second level), examined in the
previous chapter.
C29/C12/C1/C21 In this unit students should examine situations presented in graphs and
tables, and determine if they can be described as a linear or quadratic relationships. Students
should be able to determine equations for patterns using regression and whether the
relationship has a maximum or minimum value by examining the numerical coefficient of
the x2 term. If the numerical coefficient of x2 is negative, then the graph is reflected in the xaxis causing the vertex to be at the highest point of the graph, giving a maximum value. They
should also be able to get this information from a table. Finally, students should be able to
solve problems by interpolating or extrapolating using the graph or equation.
C29/C12/C1/C5 The campsite problem (on the next page) asks campers to stake out their
campsite with 50 metres of string with which they are to create the rectangular boundary.
One side does not require string, being a river bank.
Students must find the length and width
measurements to maximize the area of their campsite.
As students plot a graph of width versus area they will
note that as they increase the width a unit at a time,
the area of the campsite does not increase at a constant
rate. They will see as they continue to plot ordered
pairs that the graph will take on a parabolic shape.
Since the graph has its vertex at the highest point,
students should expect the coefficient of x2 in the
equation to be negative.
C5/E2 From the table of width versus area,
students should notice the symmetry in the
area values. They should also notice that as
the width increases metre by metre the area
increases at a different rate each time.
They should be able to say that the relationship is
quadratic and that the graphical representation
would be parabolic.
A similar pattern can be seen in the table at the
right. Students should be able to predict the next yvalue using common differences between successive
y-terms, the next two y-values will be 12 and 10.
Students should focus on the visual patterns and the symmetry in both the graph and the
table. This is particularly evident in the table and graph shown below.
52
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
1) Which of the following tables do you think will produce a i) linear relationship? ii)
quadratic relationship? iii) neither? Explain.
a)
x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 2 4 6 8 10 12
b)
x 3 2 1 0 1 2
x 5 3 1 1 3 5
c)
y 18 8 2 0 2 8
y 16 12 8 4 0 4
2) Compare the data in these tables. Which table(s) do you think represents a
quadratic relationship? Explain your thinking and tell whether the coefficient of
the quadratic term is positive or negative.
a) x 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
y 90 75 60 45 30 15 0
b) x 0 10 20 30 40 50
y 5 11 16 20 23 25
c) x 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
y 0 10 18 24 28 30 30 28 24 18 10
Time
(min)
Height
(cm)
0 1
2
3
4 5
12 7.6 4.2 1.8 0.4 0
4) Create a graph and/or a table of values that represents a relationship that is linear,
quadratic, or neither. Give it to your partner and ask him/her to determine which it
is and explain why.
Pencil and Paper (C21)
5) For questions 1, 2, and 3 above, determine the equation for the curve of best fit
using technology.
Performance (C1/C5/E2)
6) As campers arrive at By the River campsite, they are given string (50 m) and four
stakes with which they are to mark out a rectangular region for their tent. Antoine
suggests that they use the river for one boundary, which would give more string for
the other sides.
a) Andre wants to make the width (the sides perpendicular to the river) 10 m.
What will be the length of the other side?
b) Describe fully in words how the length of the boundary changes as the width
increases through all possible values.
c) Find the area enclosed by the boundary for each different width.
d) Sketch a graph to show how the area enclosed changes as the width increases.
e) Crystal wants to find the dimensions that produce the greatest area.
i) Describe in words a method by which you could find this length and
width.
ii) Use your method to help Crystal.
MATHEMATICS 3206 CURRICULUM GUIDE
53
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C1/C21/F3 To get the equation for a parabola, students should create a scatter plot from
data. The focus should be on using the given information to generate enough data points so
that students can determine the curve of best fit for the scatter plot using appropriate
technology. They will use quadratic regression to determine the equation, unless the
pattern is obvious.
F3/F4 Students would choose quadratic regression when they are quite sure of a parabolic
shape.
The emphasis should be on exploring the visual display of the relationship. Students should
be aware that this relationship can be represented by an equation they could generate using
technology. They should use the graph and the equation to make predictions and answer
questions. Students should have a variety of experiences exploring the use of quadratic
regression. Students should be given contexts where it is of interest to them to interpolate
and extrapolate.
Example:
A company is planning to make 15-cm circular personal pizzas and party pizzas (50 cm).
They want to determine what price to charge for each new size pizza. Their current price
list for other circular pizzas is given in the table below:
Diameter (cm) 25 30 38 46
Price in dollars 5.25 6.33 9.00 12.93
Ask students to create a graph of the relationship and estimate the price of 15-cm and
50-cm pizzas using the graph. Have them predict the price of a 40-cm pizza. Students
should note that it makes sense that this relationship is quadratic, since the area of a circle
is obtained by squaring the radius, and squaring a variable leads to a quadratic
relationship. An extension of this activity might be to provide various brochures from
local pizza places and have different groups of students find the mathematical model for
each place. They should present their findings as an advertisement for a pizza place that is
introducing their new personal and party-size pizzas.
C12 Students should, through a variety of experiences with relations, come to recognize the
elements in a real-world problem that suggest a particular model, e.g., area suggests a
quadratic function, since it changes at a different rate as the width of the rectangle increases.
Trajectory suggests a quadratic function just in its natural going-up-and-down pattern, with
a maximum value, denoted in the equation by a negative coefficient of x2.
C1/C8 Students must be able to model situations with and solve problems using a quadratic
relation. Situations may be presented in words (or words and equations) or by graphs and/or
tables of values. When solving a problem, students might be expected to use an equation to
predict or to get a table to see the maximum value. They might begin by collecting data or
reading the given data, or by creating graphs using appropriate scales, domains, and ranges.
For example, the problem might be to calculate the hangtime of a punt in a football game.
Students can picture the ball after it is kicked. The path it follows looks parabolic. A
proper domain can easily be selected since the ball is not likely to hang longer than 6
seconds. The range is limited by the height the ball will reach.
54
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C1/C21/F3/F4/C8)
1) Teachers could ask students to collect data, sketch a graph, and model the following
situation in order to predict answers and solve the problem:
Extend a 3 m wire from the back of a desk to the top of the chalkboard and mark
10 cm intervals. For a starting position, let a carrier roll along the wire, and time
how long it takes for the carrier to reach each of the marks along the wire up to 2
m. From this data, predict how long it will take to reach 2.5 m and 3 m. Verify
your prediction.
2) Chantal pulled the plug in her bathtub and watched closely as the water drained.
She made marks on her tub and used them later to determine the quantity of
water remaining in the tub at various time intervals. The table contains the data
she determined.
Time in seconds
15 25
48
60 71 100 120 130 150 180 190
Water (litres) remaining 55 51.1 42.6 38.6 35 26.5 21.4 18.8 14.6 9.5 7.9
a) Teachers could ask the students to model the data with an equation using
technology expressing litres of water remaining in terms of time.
b) Teachers could ask the students how much water was in the tub when the plug
was pulled how long will it take to empty, and to explain why they chose to
model the data with the function they chose.
Computer Software:
Performance (C1/C12/C8)
3) This picture represents the path of a ball as it flies through the air.
a) Ask students to describe how the height of
the golf ball changes.
b) Ask them to sketch a graph to illustrate their
description and explain why they drew it like
they did.
c) When a golf ball travels through the air (goes
way up into the sky, then comes back to land
on the ground) do you think it maintains the
same speed at all times? Explain.
d) Where in its flight is the speed of the ball the
slowest? Explain.
4) I threw a ball up into the air from the roof of my house. It landed on the street.
Sketch a picture of the flight of the ball. How is it the same as the flight of the golf
ball in question #3? How is it different?
5) From the table below, describe in words the relationship between an embryos
length and age.
Age (months) 2 3 4 5 6
Length (cm) 1 9 14 18 20
55
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C14 In a previous course, students explored the factors of a quadratic equation and their
connection to the horizontal axis intercepts on graphs. In this course students will be
expected to solve all quadratic equations by using graphs (e.g., reading horizontal axis
intercepts) or by using the quadratic formula.
Students should explore horizontal axis intercepts in a meaningful context. For example, a
problem involving diving off a cliff gives students an opportunity to explore the vertex
coordinates and horizontal axis intercepts in a meaningful way. Because it is a graph of
height versus horizontal distance, this graph is in fact a picture of the event.
2a
It is only necessary for students to be able to use and apply the quadratic formula. Students
might then be asked to use the quadratic formula to determine where the diver enters the
water. Since the quadratic formula has a symbol, two possible roots will result. Only one
would represent where the diver enters the water. The other is an inadmissable root. Take
this opportunity to talk about inadmissable root and how, in real context, often the use of
only one of the roots of the equation is appropriate. Students need to use the formula several
times to get used to substituting the values for a, b, and c. As well, they should check the
answers with the graphing calculator to ensure that the use of the formula is correct and to
validate for themselves that the formula really does work.
... continued
56
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C14/C23)
1) Richard and Elaine shot two missiles at a target whose coordinates are (71, 0).
Richards missile followed a path defined by the equation h = t2 + 60t + 828,
while Elaines missile followed a path defined by the equation h = t2 + 60t + 892,
where h is height in metres and t is time in seconds. Both missiles overshot the
target. Which missile overshot the target the most? Richard said that his missile
was three times further from the target than Elaines. Is he correct? Justify.
Performance (C14/B3)
2) a) Solve the following quadratic equations, then use the solution(s) to match each
equation with its corresponding graph, if possible:
i)
x2 3x 10 = 0
ii)
x2 = 2x +15
iii)
x2 25 = 0
iv)
x2 + x = 12
v)
x2 + x + 12 = 0
vi)
x2 = 3x + 5
Performance (C14/C23)
3) In 1919, Babe Ruth hit a very long home run in a baseball game between the
Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants. The trajectory of the ball is given by
the equation y = 0.0017 x 2 + x + 3, where x represents the horizontal distance
(in feet) and y the vertical distance (in feet) of the ball from home plate.
a) What was the greatest height reached by the ball? [150]
b) How far from home plate did the ball land? [591]
c) At what height was the ball when it crossed the plate? [3]
... continued
57
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
A3 Since irrational numbers arise when solving quadratic equations, discussion should
centre around whether an exact or an approximate solution is appropriate. Students will
always be expected to give their answers using significant digits correctly. Students should be
fully cognizant of the inaccuracies caused by rounding errors.
if x 2 = 25
x = 5, and discuss the reasoning that should occur:
if x = 5, then x 2 = 25
if x = 5, then x 2 = 25
This brief activity provides opportunity for worthwhile discussion that solidifies
students understanding of operation sense and the underlying importance of
definitions and order of operations. For example, the difference between 22 and (
2)2 can be understood by recognizing what the base is and then performing the
squaring operation first.
Students should also understand that if (x + 2) (x + 3) = 0, then one or both of the
factors (x + 2) and (x + 3) must be zero, and how this leads to the solution that has
two possible answers. For example:
if x + 2 = 0
x = 2
if x + 3 = 0
x = 3
{2, 3}
58
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Pencil/Paper (B3/A3)
4) Hector has been told that the width (x) of a
3x = 5 2x 2
rectangular field can be found using the equation
3x = 5 2x2 . On the right, he is using the quadratic
step 1: 2 x 2 + 3x 5 = 0
formula to find the width.
a) State the equation.
3 9 + 40
step 2:
b) Explain what Hector did to get the equation in
4
step 1.
c) Explain what Hector did to get the equation in step 2. Is he correct? Explain.
d) Ask students to solve the original equation. Ask them what number system is
represented in the solution?
5) Revisit question 1) on the last two-page spread. Ask students to use the quadratic
formula to determine the time it would take for each missile to hit the ground.
Compare the answers obtained this time to the answers obtained the first time.
Compare your answers. How are they the same? Different?
6) a) Explain how the graphing calculator displays the x-intercepts, and how this is
different than the answer you get using the quadratic formula.
b) Redo question 2) on the last two-page spread using the quadratic formula.
Compare your answers.
59
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C1 model real-world
phenomena using quadratic
equations
C23 solve problems involving
quadratic equations
B9 perform operations on
algebraic expressions and
equations
B1 demonstrate an
understanding of the
relationships that exist
between arithmetic
operations and the operations
used when solving equations
The campsite problem discussed on pp. 52-53, and pasture problem problem discussed
on the opposite page provide the opportunity for students to use a trial and error approach,
and perhaps a spreadsheet to help with the calculations. In the campsite problem, they
might begin by trying a width dimension of 5 m. This should lead them to reason that the
length would have to be 50 m less twice the 5 m or 40 m. Students might organize the trials
into a table with headings Width, Length, and Area. Some students may wish to go further
and set up a spreadsheet, or use the table feature on the graphing calculator. For
instructions on how to use the T.I-83 plus graphing calculator for a similar activity, refer to
the handout from the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Educations
Mathematics 3204/3205: Supplementary Support Materials, Unit I, Investigation 4. This
supplementary document was sent out to all schools and can also be found on the
Department of Education website. This approach would require them to establish formulas
for the three categories x for width, 50 2x for length, and x (50 2x), for area. Then
as they enter different width values, the length and area would automatically appear on the
spreadsheet.
Others may graph the width versus the area and find the maximum by tracing the path to
the curve until they find the highest point. They would then be expected to interpret it as
the greatest area.
C23/B9/B1 When using a quadratic equation to solve a problem students might first have
to rearrange the equation into general form (ax2 + bx + c = 0), so they can determine the
values for a, b, and c. They should be aware of the equation-solving process that allows them
to manipulate the equation into the appropriate form. For example, if given the equation
2 ( x + 5) = 3x,2 students might first expand the left hand side, thus enabling them to
rearrange the equation so that the sum of the terms will be zero.
2 ( x + 5 ) = 3x 2
2 x 10 = 3 x 2
0 = 3 x 2 +2 x +10
60
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C1/C23/B9/B1)
1) A football is kicked into the air and follows the path h = 2x2 + 16x, where x is the
time in seconds and h is the height in metres.
a) What is the maximum height of the football?
b) How long does the ball stay in the air?
c) How high is the ball at 6 seconds?
d) How long does it take the ball to reach a height of 15 m?
61
QUADRATICS
Quadratics
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
62
Unit 3
Exponential Growth
(20 Hours)
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C29/C13/C11/C5 Having already studied linear and quadratic relations in this and
previous courses, students should extend their study of relationships to those that are
exponential. Students have connected linear functions with arithmetic sequences and
quadratic functions with quadratic sequences, and now they should connect exponential
functions with geometric sequences. For example, they might want to revisit the paper
folding activity (from an earlier course) that produced data for the thickness of a simple sheet
of paper. When they graph this relationship, they may not be able to distinguish it from a
quadratic relationship at first. The students fold the paper in half, in half again, etc. They
can easily see from the table that after folding the paper in half the fifth time, they have a
thickness 32 times what they started with.
Number of folds 0 1 2 3 4 5
Thickness
1 2 4 8 16 32
Powers of 2
20 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 5
Ask them to extend the table using their understanding of the pattern. Have students create
and graph a similar table for the quadratic relationship y = x2. Ask them to describe what
happens to both graphs and tables after the seventh value. When asked to find a pattern in
the data, students will try constant growth and see that the data is not linear. They might try
common difference and find that the data is not quadratic. Students should note the
common ratio, e.g., and hence connect this kind of relationship to geometric sequence.
C13 Teachers should talk to students about the growth characteristic of exponential
relationships. As one variable increases at a constant rate, the other increases or decreases as
a multiple of the previous one, e.g., the common ratio between terms for the situation above
is 2.
C29/C13/C11/C5
Return to the paper-folding activity and focus Number of folds 0 1
1
on the area of the paper. Students should
Area
1
2
notice that as the paper is folded in half, the
0
1
1
each time
area gets smaller by a factor of
2
(e.g.,
Powers of 2
3
1
4
1
8
2 2 2 3
1
1
1
the original, the original, the original, ...). They
2
4
8
can compare this situation, its table, and graph with the
thickness situation and note that both are exponentialthe
first, a growth; the second, a decay. Students could be asked to
consider if the area would ever become zero.
This might help them understand that an exponential
relationship should always approach an asymptote (a line to
which the graph approaches at an extreme value but never
touches).
64
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
13
11
(ii)
(iii)
(ii)
(iii)
Computer Software:
11
(iv)
65
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
Byron and Jethro were comparing their allowances. Byron receives 1 cent on the
first day, 4 cents on the second, 9 cents on the third, 16 cents on the fourth day,
and so oneach day receiving an amount equal to the the square of the day of the
month in cents. Jethro convinced his parents to pay him 1 cent on the first day of
the month, 2 cents on the second day, 4 cents on the third day, and so oneach
next day receiving double the amount than on the previous day. Who has more
money accumulated at the end of one week, two weeks, three weeks, a month?
C11 Students might want to model the growth of the allowances using towers of
cubes and create tables to compare the accumulated amounts of money, for both
Byron and Jethro as the month progresses. Students should try to describe the rates of
growth in words and draw graphs.
Accumulated Amounts
day
1 2
Byron 1 5 14 30 55
Jethro 1 3
15 31
Compound Interest
Students should feel comfortable moving from one representation to the other (graph,
table, context, verbal, symbol) regardless of what representation of the exponential
relationship they are given. Given the graph, they should be able to recognize its shape
and represent it with a table or in words. Given the table of values, they should be
able to see the exponential pattern and describe it in words.
66
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C29/C5)
1) A culture of bacteria was grown in a laboratory. The table below shows the number of
bacteria present at different times.
Time (hours)
Number
a) Begin by studying the table. Can you see any pattern in the data?
b) Compare the numbers of bacteria in the culture at zero hours and at three hours. In
the same way, compare the numbers at one and four hours, two and five hours, three
and six hours, four and seven hours. What do you notice? Use the pattern you have
found to predict the number of bacteria after 8, 9, 10, and 11 hours.
c) What is the approximate growth ratio (population increase per hour)? What do you
notice? Use this to predict the number of bacteria after 8, 9, 10, and 11 hours. Do
your answers agree with your earlier predictions?
Performance (C13/C5/C11)
2) Why do you think that the Canadian government declared chain letters illegal? Use
words, graphs, tables, and/or equations to help explain your answer.
A chain letter usually contains a message that encourages the reader to send money or
a gift to the top name on a list of up to 10 names, then to erase the top name and add
his or her own name to the bottom of the list. Then the reader is to send this letter to
20 friends, asking each of them to do the same.
Performance (C29/C13/C5/C11)
3) Match the situation given with the relationship (linear, quadratic, exponential) that
would best describe the value of the investment rate.
Situation 1: Billy invests in his friends new cyclo-motor machine. Billy gives $500 to
his friend. His friend says that each month he would set aside 1% of Billys
investment and return the $500 plus the amount set aside at the end of two years.
Situation 2: Maria invests in Sallys ITS business. Sally says she will repay Maria the
amount of money invested plus the amount earned at 12% yearly interest. The first
month she will calculate 1% of the amount invested and add it to the invested amount so
that the next month the 1% will be calculated on the new total, thus earning interest on
the amount plus interest.
Situation 3: Sally offers Harold a different deal. She says she will repay him with the
money that accumulates after she puts $1 into an account and each month triples the
amount that was put in the last time.
a) Which way would you prefer to invest your money? Explain your reasoning. Include
tables of values and graphs.
4) Given the graph
a) Prepare a table of values.
b) Explain how you know that the relationship in the
graph is exponential.
c) Describe the relationship using the context of
compound interest.
67
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
68
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C21/F2/F4/C25)
1) Any cube larger than 2 2 2 cm
dimensions
constructed with cubes will, when
of the cube
dropped in a paint can and removed, have
3 3 3
some of its cubes with three faces painted,
4 4 4
some with two faces painted, some with
5 5 5
one face painted, and some with no faces
M
painted. For any n n n cube (n > 2),
n n n
complete the table and use it to generate
an equation that can be used to determine
the number of faces with:
a) no faces painted
b) one face painted
c) two faces painted
d) three faces painted.
12
2) Conduct the following experiment to determine how long it takes a cup of boiled water
to lose half its heat.
a) boil water and pour into a cup
b) insert temperature probe
c) gather temperature data and create a scatter plot
d) fit a curve to the data and find its equation
3) Tower of Hanoi Problem. Use a 1 3 grid and havee
number
minimum
available several blocks, each a different size. With one
of blocks
moves
or more blocks placed in one cell (on top of one
1
1
another in descending order of sizecalled a tower),
2
3
the objective is to transfer the tower to another cell in
3
the minimum number of moves obeying these rules: (1)
4
move only one block at a time to constitute one move
and (2) a block may only be placed on top of a larger
5
block (or on no block) at any time.
a) Complete the table for this game.
b) Generate the function that would relate the number of blocks to the minimum
number of moves.
Paper and Pencil (C21/F2/F4/C25)
4) A population growth equation P = 3.8(1.017)t gives an annual percentage population
growth of 1.7% for Australia, where P represents population and t represents time in
years.
a) Write the annual percentage growth rate of a country whose population is given by P
= 60(1.035)t.
b) A countrys population has an annual percentage growth of 6.4%. Its population in
1985 was 53 million. Write an equation to give the population in millions t years from
1985.
c) If r is the annual percentage growth, and the initial population is P, write the equation
that gives the population at time t.
5) Kate bought a computer for $3000 to use in a business she is setting up. If it depreciates
at a rate of 30% per year, what will be the depreciated value after one year, two years, ...
five years? Find an expression for its value after n years and show it on a graph.
Approximately how long does it take for the value of the computer to reduce to half the
present amount?
69
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
A8 In todays financial world, most situations are not calculated using simple interest (I =
Prt). Interest is not calculated just once during the life of a loan or investment, but quite
frequently. For example, the mortgage on a house may be compounded semi-annually.
Students should understand that if they invest their money in a situation that involves
compound interest, they will be paid interest on their interest. As the money accumulates in
this way, the growth is exponential. Have students explain how they know this.
A8 demonstrate an
understanding of the
exponential growth of
compound interest
C26 solve problems that
require the application of
compound interest
B5 demonstrate an
understanding of and apply
compound interest
C26 Students should explore the different ways that compound interest is used in banking
and through investment. This will include some work with annuities (see p. 76).
$100 is invested at 10% per year compounded semi-annually and is cashed after two
years. Interest will be calculated four times (two times each year). At the end of six
months the $100 investment will earn 5% (compounded semi-annually), so that six
months later your $105 will earn 5% interest again, growing to $110.25. At the end of
the fourth interest-earning period (two years) the $100 will have grown to $121.55. Ask
students to create a table and plot the relationship between time periods and total
amount of money. Ask them to explain the patterns they see. What is the common ratio?
B5/A8 Students should learn that the calculation described above can be done more
efficiently using the formula A = P (1 + r) t where t is the number of compounding periods.
To help students understand this formula, ask them to find 5% of $100 and then add it to
$100. They should get 100 0.05 $5 , added to $100 (1 0 0 1.05 105 ) . Help them
understand that the (1 + r) is the 105%. (It may help some to show that P (1 + r) is the same
as P + Pr or $100 + $100 0.05 .) Ask students to explain why A = P (1 + r)t describes an
exponential relationship. How is the formula A = P (1 + r)t the same as y = abx? Ask students
to relate the a and P, and the b and (1 + r).
To help students understand the exponent t, you might have them use the constant feature
on their calculators. For example, on the TI-83 have students do the first calculation (first
compounding period) 100 enter 2nd ans x 1.05 enter , then just press enter
for each subsequent compounding period. Ask students to describe what is x happening
and how the number of times they push enter relates to the value for t, the number of
compounding periods.
A8/C26/B5 Students should use the compound interest formula not only to determine
how much an investment will be worth some day, but also how much needs to be invested
A
70
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
a) Explain how the debt growth in these situations is different. Explain why.
b) Which situation requires more money to satisfy? Explain why.
c) Graph these two situations and describe how the graphs differ.
Performance (A8/C26/B5)
3) Islays grandmother Sharon gave Islays mother $1200 on the day Islay was born.
Islays mother invested the money at 11.4% per year compounded quarterly.
Complete the following steps to see how much money Islay will have on her 18th
birthday.
a) 0 months = $1200
0.114
b) 3 months = $1200 x 1+
0.114 0.114
c) 6 months = $1200 x 1+
( 285 )2 = ____
1+
= $1200 1.0
4
4
0.114
3
d) 9 months = $1200 x 1+
x ________= $1200 (1.0285 ) = ____
4
e) 1 year
0.114
= $1200 x 1+
x ________ = ____________ = ____
4
f) 2 years
0.114
= $1200 x 1+
x ________ = ____________ = ____
4
0.114
g) 10 years = $1200 x 1+
x ________= ____________ = ____
4
0.114
h) 18 years = $1200 x 1+
x ________= ____________ = ____
4
Performance (A8/C26/B5)
4) Islay decides to cash in the money from the investment (#3) just after her 18th
birthday to use it as a down payment on the purchase of a car. The car she needs
will cost $14 595.27 including tax. She borrows the difference at 12.4% per year
compounded semi-annually over three years. What will be her monthly payments?
(Use the Time-Value-Money APPS for this question.)
5) Bobby has just won $50 000 in the lottery. He decides to invest just enough of
the $50 000 so that in three years he can purchase a $30 000 car. He will invest
now at 12.5% per year compounded quarterly. How much of the $50 000 will be
left to buy his math teacher a present? (Ans: $29 262.63)
MATHEMATICS 3206 CURRICULUM GUIDE
71
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C11 Now that students have had some opportunity to analyse graphs and use them
to explore rates of change, they should take some time to explore other patterns. In
particular, they should explore the pattern that determines the shape and location of
the exponential graphs and how that might change as the equation changes. By
looking at graphs of y = 2 x and y = 3 x and y = 10 x, students should notice that they all
pass through the point (0, 1), the focal point.
C13/A1/A2 Studying patterns in the graphs and tables will bring up many important
concepts dealing with number sense. For example,
i) In the paragraph above students should be able to generalize that any base to
the exponent 0 will result in 1.
ii) In creating the table for y = 2x, when x = 1, 2 , y will result in fractions
A1 demonstrate an
understanding of and apply
zero and negative exponents
A2 develop, demonstrate an
understanding of, and apply
properties of exponents
1 1
, , ... Instead, students may use their calculators and get y-values of 0.5,
2 4
0.25 ...
1
2
1
4
1
2
Upon further investigation, they should notice that 2 = , and 2 = , and
3 1 =
1
1
2
, and 3 = . Pronouncing decimals as fractions will help students make the
3
9
connections. For example, when students see 0.5, they should say this as fivetenths, and 0.25 is pronounced twenty-five hundredths. All of this will be visually
reinforced as they find these corresponding values on the graphs. Students should be
able to describe these equalities in words, and they should be encouraged to view
1
connection with the approach taken in earlier grades but needs to be reinforced and
extended. Mental math activities should reinforce understanding.
Students should look closely at the generalized equation y = a x and explore what
happens to its graph:
a) when
i)
a=1
ii)
0<a<1
iii) a = 0
iv)
v)
a<0
a>1
x=0
iv)
x=
1
2
ii)
x = -1
v)
x=
1
3
iii)
x=1
72
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Stimulus
i) On the first day I received one cent, the second day two
cents, the third day four cents, the fifth day eight
cents, ... [Ans: (c) ]
ii) y = bx, where b is greater than 0 and less than 1
[Ans: (a) ]
iii) y = 2 x [Ans: (a) ]
b)
v) y = [Ans: (c) ]
2
3
vi)
c)
x 3
y 30
10 5 4.99
d)
3
1
2
1
2) Explain how you would know that if 2 = , then = .
2
3
2
3) Use the graph y = 4 x to explain why 40 = 1.
4) Evaluate:
i)
5
ii) 30 + 2 2
73
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
A2/A1/C5 Students may already have realized from their work with compound
interest and money growth that, in the equation A = 750 (1.05)n , when
n = 0, (1.05)0 = 1, and since they have not yet invested their money (n = 0), they still
have the $750 they started with.
A2 develop, demonstrate an
understanding of, and apply
properties of exponents
A1 Zero and negative exponents can be explored using patterns when exponential
functions are studied. For example, complete the table below for y = 10 x by
generalizing the pattern observed.
A1 demonstrate an
understanding of and apply
zero and negative exponents
C5 determine and describe
patterns and use them to solve
problems
104
10000
10-1
103
1000
10-2
102
100
10-3
101
10
100
rule?
10-4
As students explore negative exponents, they should realize that a number with a
negative exponent can always be written with a positive exponent, but one form is not
better than another, just different. Traditional teaching of exponents has left the
impression that a base raised to a negative exponent should be changed to a base
raised to a positive. In many contexts (e.g., scientific notation) the negative exponent
is preferred.
C5 Students have learned in previous courses that scientific notation can be used to
record numbers using proper significant digits. For example, to express the number
2900 (two significant digits) with three significant digits, use this form: 2.90 10 3 .
An effort should be made to remind students of the patterns for scientific notation.
Discussion: If you want to express 385 as a number in scientific notation, then you
could write 385 as
74
385
100 , which simplifies to 3.85 100, or 3.85 10 2 .
100
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
1
9
b) 30 = 1
c) 3 0.5 B 1.732
d) 8 with a base 2
e) 3 250 000 in scientific notation
3) Explain how 625 can be expressed using base 5.
Mental math (A2/A1)
4) Express
a) 32 with a base 2
b) 27 with a base 3
c) 16 as a power of 2.
as a whole number
5) Solve
a) 4x = 16 b) 3x = 9 c) 2(5x) = 50 d) 33 = x
Performance (A2/A1/C5)
1
6) Greg loses points on a test for saying that
2
7) Divide
75
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
C26/B5 Students should solve a variety of problems using various techniques that involve
exponential equations. Several of these contexts have been referred to in earlier elaboration
such as compound interest, the allowance problem, and population growth.
0.1
A = $5000 1 +
12
the present value of a loan payment. For example, Toby decides to invest enough money
now so that in 3 years, he can help his daughter buy a car. He wants to give her $3000.
How much must he invest now at 12.5% compounded semi-annually?
P =
6
1.0625
B6 An annuity is a sequence of payments made at equal time intervals. The amount of the
annuity is the sum of the sequence of payments, including all the interest earned. Examples
of annuities include mortgage payments, pension cheques, and payments made to repay
loans. Annuities can be illustrated visually with a time diagram. Consider Wiburs situation:
Wilbur wishes to save money for a stereo system. He plans to set aside $50 per month,
beginning at the end of January, and to invest his money in a savings program that
pays at 12% per year compounded monthly. Wilburs last payment will be made at
the end of December.
Note that Wilburs first payment is at the end of the first payment period. Wilburs
January payment will earn interest at 12% per year, compounded monthly, for 11
months. Using the compound interest formula
nt
i
A = P 1 +
n
= 50 (1 + 0.01) or 50 (1.01)
11
11
Similarly his second payment will be 50(1.01)10 , and these payments for a
sequence of values all the way to the December payment of 50(1.01)0 , or just
$50.
Students can be given the formulas for interest, annuities, etc. when in testing
situations in this course.
... continued
76
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (C26/B5)
1) Dorothy buys a $15 000 car. She is able to pay $3000 as a down payment. She
borrows the rest of the money from a bank at 10.25% per year, compounded semiannually over five years. If she makes payments at the end of each month, what is
the total amount she will pay for the car? [Ans: $18 311.24 ]
2) Ronnie would like to have $8500 available when he graduates from high school to
help expand his business. How much should he invest now at 12% per year,
compounded monthly, in order to have the $8500 two years from now?
3) Mr. and Mrs. Maze wish to give their newborn son a cheque for $20 000 on his
21 st birthday. How much money must they invest at his birth if the money will
earn 4.8% per year compounded semi-annually.
a) Read Arthurs solution and attempt to find any errors.
b) Explain to Arthur what he did wrong and how to fix it.
20000 ( 1 + .048 )
2
21
4) The following time diagram represents the amount of an annuity with a term of
five years:
a) What is the payment being made?
b) What is the annual interest rate?
77
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
B6 The same pattern will continue for all Wilburs payments. Wilburs 11th or secondlast payment will be made at the end of November. This $50 payment will earn
interest for only one month, so it will amount to 50(1.01)1 . His final payment will
earn no interest, since he plans to take all the savings and buy the stereo.
Each of his payments earns interest except the last, and the accumulated sum,
including interest, becomes the total amount he receives. To find the total amount,
students should add the 12 payments
50(1.01)0 + 50(1.01)1 + 50(1.01)2 + ... + 50(1.01)12 .
B6/C26/B5 Students should be encouraged to use the Finance feature on the TI-83
calculator to find the sum, in addition to adding the 12 payments as in the example
above. Using the Finance feature, students will select 1:TVM Solver ... and enter
values in appropriate places. N is the total number of payments (12 in the above
example). I% asks for the interest rate as a percentage. PV is the present value (zero in
this case since Wilbur begins with no money). PMT is the payment amount ($50 in
this case). FV is the future value, which is the sum of all the payments and
accumulated interest (the sum of the 12 payments in the example above). Since this is
the amount students need to find, they will leave the value as zero and come back to
this in a moment. P/Y is the number of payment periods (in this case 12), and C/Y is
the number of compounding periods (in this case 12). The payments are at the end of
the month. Now return the cursor to the FV, and press Solve (2nd Enter) to
calculate the sum, or future value.
A variation on the annuity problem would happen when a future value is given and
the present value is asked for. For example:
Lucy and Pierre are saving money to celebrate their parents 50th anniversary in
three years. They would like to have $5000 for the occasion. What would they
have to invest now at 10% per year, compounded monthly, to reach their
objective?
5000 = P(1 + .083)36
P = 5000/(1.083)36
78
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (B6/C26/B5)
7) The following time diagram represents the amount of an annuity with a term of
five years:
a) How does the diagram help you to recognize that this represents an annuity
situation?
b) What is the periodic payment?
c) What is the annual interest rate?
d) How many payments are made?
8) Betty Lou begins to work part-time when she turns 16 and plans to begin the
course at age 19. She is looking to her future costs of education. She wants to
know how much money she will need to set aside at the beginning of each month
at 10% per year, compounded monthly, in order to have $10,000 for first year of
studies in an information technology course. [Ans: $237.36 ]
9) Complete the time diagram.
The interest is 7% per year, compounded annually. Payments of $1500 are made
annually for 10 years.
10) Cindi plans to save for community college in three years. She decides to invest
$1000 twice a year at 15% per year, compounded semi-annually. Draw a time
diagram to represent her investment.
11) Joanne and Sheila set up an annuity so that in 12 years they will have enough
money to purchase a new tractor for their horse farm. They deposit $4750 at the
end of every six months in an account that earns 11% per year, compounded
semi-annually. Set up a time diagram to illustrate their situation.
12) The Allens are interested in buying the house listed in the following ad:
Saint John, 2 storey, 3 BRs, centre hall plan, immaculate decor, hardwood floors,
ground-level family room, and new kitchen. Huge mature treed lot. Asking
$264 800.
They have a down payment of $150 000 and would take a mortgage with their
bank at 12.5% per year, compounded monthly, and amortized over 25 years.
a) What is the value of the mortgage?
b) What is the monthly interest rate?
c) How many mortgage payments will they have to make?
d) What are their monthly payments?
79
EXPONENTIAL GROWTH
Exponential Growth
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
80
Unit 4
Circle Geometry
(30 Hours)
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E1 perform geometric
constructions and analyse the
properties of the resulting
figures
E5 apply inductive reasoning
to make conjectures in
geometric situations
E10 present informal
deductive arguments
E6 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply centres of
circles
E7 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply chord
properties in circles
E8 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply angle
relationships in circles
E5/E10 Geometric figures such as segments, lines, angles, polygons, circles, and
planes are each sets of points that are subsets of the universal set called space. In
synthetic (Euclidean) geometry, these geometric figures can be drawn anywhere on a
plane in space; in analytical (coordinate) geometry, a reference system is added, and
important points on the figures are assigned coordinates. Using transformations,
these figures, with or without coordinates, can be moved in space by following
specific rules. In all perspectives students seek to discover patterns among figures or
within a fixed figure.
Students need many opportunities to explore geometric situations, look for common
elements (or patterns) in them, and make appropriate conjectures. They also need to
reach an understanding that, while this inductive process of observing multiple cases
and conjecturing seems to imply the truth of a relationship, deductive reasoning is
required to establish the truth of any conjecture in general. As part of this process,
students should also realize that measurements with tools i) are not accurate and ii)
deal only with specific cases and are, therefore, not adequate as proofs.
Students should be exposed to informal proof, with the understanding that a logical
argument can take many different forms. This unit provides the opportunity for
students to present informal deductive arguments.
E6/E7/E8/E5/E10 In particular, contexts will be explored, and theorems conjectured,
proven, and applied, with respect to chord properties in circles, inscribed and central
angle relationships, and centres of circles. The treatment of these circle topics is not
intended to be exhaustive, but is determined to a significant extent by the contexts
examined.
82
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (E1/E6/E5)
83
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E1 perform geometric
constructions and analyse the
properties of the resulting
figures
E5 apply inductive reasoning
to make conjectures in
geometric situations
84
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (E1/E5)
85
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
In the activity on the next page, teachers should ask students to respond to the two
questions above the graph in the first paragraph. The teacher might provide diagrams
for each situation and have students orally discuss how they might find the middle of
( )
the goal line AB or how to determine how far the ball is from the middle of the
goal line. Parts (a), (b), (c), and (d) in the third column are designed to help lead the
students to be able to better answer the questions being discussed.
For example, finding the lengths AC and BC on the graph in column three are simple
for students, since they just have to count from A to C to get the length AC and from
C to B to get the length CB. Part (b) assures that students note the right angle and
thus in (c) can use the Pythagorean relationship to find length AB. In (d) students
should find midpoints of AC and BC by going halfway. Teachers should help
x1 + x2 , y1 + y2
students connect the halfway coordinates with
= (mean of x2
2
coordinates, means of y- coordinates), so that students can use this midpoint formula
to find the midpoint of AB.
When students attempt (e) remind them how they found the length of AB using the
Pythagorean Theorem. The teacher then needs to lead them to see that the
coordinates can be used to get the same result. By subtracting the x values for A and B
they get the length AC, and by subtracting the y values they get length BC; thus
developing the distance formula: d =
2
( x2 x1 ) 2 + ( y 2 y1 ) . Part (e) provides
86
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (D2)
1) You are a computer game designer. In the game you are designing, a player needs to
toss a ball to land as close as possible to the centre of a goal line. Sometimes the
goal line is horizontal, but not always. You know that the computer screen is made
up of pixels that can be assigned coordinates. How can you find the midpoint of
any goal line, and how can you determine the
distance of the players ball from the centre of the
goal line?
a) How long is AC? BC?
b) What kind of angle is <ACB?
c) Find the distance AB.
e) Create a right triangle to help you find the length of RS in each diagram.
Computer Software
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
R (1,7)
S
(6,4)
S (6,2)
(2,1)
87
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E1/E6/E5 Students need to begin their study of circles by exploring patterns and
making and verifying conjectures. They might begin their exploration with an activity
like the following:
E1 perform geometric
constructions and analyse the
properties of the resulting
figures
E6 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply centres of
circles
E5 apply inductive reasoning
to make conjectures in
geometric situations
E2 describe and apply
symmetry
E10 present informal
deductive arguments
Activity
On a blank sheet of paper (or using technology) place any two points P and Q.
Construct a circle that passes through P and Q such that PQ is not the diameter
and explain how you located the centre (C). What kind of a triangle must PQC
be? Explain.
Construct three other circles that pass through P and Q. Name their centres D, E,
and F.
Fold P onto Q, making a crease to indicate the fold line.
What do you notice about the points C, D, E, and F?
Name the point where the crease intersects P, Q, as M. Is M the midpoint of PQ?
Justify your answer.
Is PQ to the fold line? How do you know?
Make a conjecture. Test your conjecture.
Take any point A on the fold line, join it to P and Q. Make a conjecture. Test your
conjecture.
E1/E6/E5/E2 While exploring patterns (as in the previous activity), students might
use paper-folding techniques and/or measurement tools like rulers, dividers,
compasses, and protractors. In so doing they will be using both transformational and
Euclidean techniques. They will also be observing lines and points of symmetry, and
they should be expected to describe the symmetry and how it defines certain figures
like isosceles triangles and rhombi. They will also be using inductive reasoning to
make conjectures such as
Any point that is equidistant from two points on a circle must be on the
perpendicular bisector of the chord joining those two points, or its converse
Any point that is on the perpendicular bisector of a chord of a circle must be
equidistant from the end points of that chord.
E1/E10 Teachers will need to model the thinking processes necessary to generate
informal proofs. As well, it may well be necessary to spend time reaquainting students
with the geometric properties with which they are already familiar (e.g., congruent
triangles, angle sum of a triangle, vertically opposite angles, parallel line theorems).
Consider passing out transparencies to students copied from a
blackline master such as the diagram shown. Have each student
or group locate at least one point that is equidistant from the
endpoints of the chord. Overlay the transparencies on the
overhead to see that the points form the perpendicular bisector
of the chord.
88
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (E1/E6/E5/E2/E10)
Activity (E1/E6/E5)
g) Have students explore the two centre points (the circumcentre and the incentre)
and describe what they notice about them. Have them include discussion about
why this might be true on this triangle.
h) Have students describe the symmetry in the triangle, and include in their
discussion the terms bisector of the vertex angle, the perpendicular bisector of
the base, median, and altitude.
i) Have students examine the intersection points that occur when they draw the
three medians and the three altitudes of a triangle. Have them compare these
points of intersection with points P and Q, using isosceles triangles as well as
other triangles. Students should discuss how symmetry plays a role in all of the
above conjectures, and describe the special characteristics of symmetry in
isosceles and equilateral triangles.
j) Have students solve this problem: Mary and Bill both want their inscribed
circle to pass through the centre of their circumscribed circle. How can they
achieve this? [Ansl: Construct an isosceles right triangle]
Note: This is a good problem to explore using geometry software.
89
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E1/E7 While students are considering the shape of their isosceles triangle, the
opportunity may arise for them to explore the relationships between chord length and
nearness to the centre of the circle.
E1 perform geometric
constructions and analyse the
properties of the resulting
figures
E7 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply chord
properties in circles
E5 apply inductive reasoning
to make conjectures in
geometric situations
E10 present informal
deductive arguments
D2 determine midpoints and
the length of line segments
using coordinate geometry
Activity:
a) Begin with a circle (make your own) and mark the centre point.
By folding, create five chords (creases) of different lengths.
Fold one end of each chord onto itselfmake a crease.
Investigate the lengths of these creases from the centre of the circle to the
chordmake a conjecture.
b) Begin with any circle (make your own) and mark the centre point.
Make five folds creating 5 chords all of equal length (fold into the centre).
Investigate the distance that each is from the centremake a conjecture.
E1/E7/E5 From (a), students might conjecture that the longer the chord is, the closer
it is to the centre; from (b), chords of equal length are the same distance to the centre.
E10/D2 Students might use coordinates to find lengths and
midpoints to help reach these conjectures. For example, by
superimposing a coordinate system, students can calculate the
midpoints of AC and BC and the distances for the
midpoints to the centre.
90
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (E1/E7/E5/E10)
1) Construct two circles with the same radius r so that each circle passes through the
centre of the other circle. Label the centres P and Q, and construct the segment
PQ. The two circles intersect at A and B.
a) What is the relationship between the segments AB and PQ? Explain your
thinking. [AB PQ ]
b) Explain how you might prove your conjecture in (a).
2) Construct a large circle and two non-parallel congruent chords
that are not diameters.
a) Compare their distances to the centre of the circle. [They
are the same.]
b) Write your findings in (a) as a conjecture.
c) Test your conjecture on other circles.
d) Explain how you might prove your conjecture.
Performance (D2)
3) Do question 2 above one more time, this time on a piece of graph paper. Use
coordinates to find distances. Start with the centre at (0, 0).
4) Given that A (7, 9) and B (3, 5) are the endpoints of the diameter of a circle,
show that C (2, 2) is the centre. Determine if the
point D (9, 7) is on the circle. Explain.
5) Given the diagram, and the coordinates for A, B,
C, and D, ask students to find the midpoints of
AB and CD . Have them explain why this point
must be the centre of the circle.
Performance (E1)
6) Use a circular object to trace a circle onto your
paper. Without using a compass, locate the centre of the
circle. (Use a compass to check your work.)
Performance (E1/E7)
7) A piece of circular plate was recently dug up on an island
in the Mediterranean Ocean. The discoverer of the plate
wishes to calculate the diameter of the original plate.
Describe how he could do this.
91
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E1/E8/E5 While exploring ideas and relationships within circles, some students made
the following conjectures:
a)
b)
c)
d)
E1 perform geometric
constructions and analyse the
properties of the resulting
figures
E8 explore, make conjectures
about, and apply angle
relationships in circles
E5 apply inductive reasoning
to make conjectures in
geometric situations
92
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (E1/E8/E5)
SAO =
[900 ]
0
iii) if ARM = 44 then APM =
[44 ]
iv) Draw the angle AMD , what is its measure?
Explain. [900 . It is inscribed in a semicircle.]
Performance (E1/E8/E5)
2) Using geometry software,
a) Construct a circle, with any two chords that do not intersect
within the circle.
b) Extend the chords to intersect outside the circle.
c) Make a conjecture relating the measure of the angle formed
outside the circle by the intersecting chords and the measures of the two
intercepted arcs. [The angle is equal to half the difference of the measures of the
two intercepted arcs.]
Performance (E10)
3) O is the centre of the circle shown at the right above. The two central angles are
congruent. Write a argument that would convince your friend that AB = MN.
93
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
E10 As students make conjectures and test their validity, they should be encouraged
to go beyond testing the conjectures by explaining or trying to verify them with
logical, deductive reasoning.
94
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (E10)
Celia said that this does not prove for all angle measures,
only for those given in the diagram (1). Use diagram (2) to
prove for all angle measures.
4) Given any isosceles triangle, explain why you think that the intersection of the
bisectors of the base angles would be the centre for the inscribed circle.
Performance (E10)
5) Caleb conjectured that every triangle has an inscribed circle. Henry does not think
he is correct. How could you convince Henry that Caleb is correct?
6) a) Show by construction that the three medians of a triangle intersect at one
point.
b) Do you think this will always be true? Test your
conjecture on this triangle.
c) Do you think that the intersection of the medians is
on the same line as the centres of the inscribed and
circumscribed circles of any triangle? Explain.
95
CIRCLE GEOMETRY
Circle Geometry
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
96
Unit 5
Probability
(15-20 Hours)
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
G2 develop an understanding
that determining probability
requires the quantifying of
outcomes
G3 demonstrate an
understanding of the
fundamental counting
principle and apply it to
calculate probabilities
Should they do their math homework tonight or during their spare period before
math class tomorrow?
Should they challenge a friend to a game of racquetball or checkers?
Should they buy a ticket on a car raffle?
Should they take their umbrella today?
Before making the decision, what they must ask themselves is What is the chance of
this decision working out in my favour?
In probability, events are given numbers ranging from 0 to 1, where 0 refers to things
that never happen and 1 refers to things that always happen.
In their previous studies (grades 79) students have created and solved problems
using probabilities, including the use of tree and area diagrams, and simulations.
They have compared theoretical and experimental probabilities of both single and
complementary events, and dependent and independent events. Theoretical
probabilities are those that result from theory (what should happen mathematically),
while experimental probabilities are those that result from experiments or repeated
trials of performing the event. Students also have examined how to calculate the
probability of complementary events. The probability of an event happening and its
complement add to make 1. They also study two independent events, A and B, where
the probability of A and B is equal to P ( A ) P ( B ) .
G2/G3 Sometimes the task of listing and counting all the outcomes in a given
situation is unrealistic because the sample space may contain hundreds or thousands
of outcomes.
The fundamental counting principle enables students to find the number of
outcomes without listing and counting each one. If the number of ways of choosing
event A is n(A) and the number of ways of choosing an independent event B is n(B),
then n ( A and then B ) = n ( A ) n ( B ) , and n(A or B) = n(A) + n(B). The first is the
multiplication principle, the second, the addition principle.
Sometimes events are not independent. For example, suppose a box contains three
red marbles and two blue marbles, all the same size. A marble is drawn at random.
The probability that it is red is
picking a red marble again is
3
. If the marble is then replaced, the probability of
5
3
. However, if it is not replaced, then when another
5
2
. The probability for the
5
second selection of a marble is dependent on the first selection not being returned to
the box.
... continued
98
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (G2/G3)
1) Two students are playing grab with a deck of special grab cards. One student
has a triangular shaped deck with 16 ones, 12 twos, 8 threes, and 4 fours. The
other has a rectangular-shaped deck with 10 each of ones, twos, threes, and fours.
The decks are well shuffled. One person turns over the top card of the triangular
deck while the second person turns over the top card of the rectangular deck. A
grab is made when two cards match (a double).
a) There are 40 cards in each deck. What is the total number of pairs of cards
which could be played? [Ans: 32, since there are at most 10 matches for ones,
10 matches for twos, 8 matches for threes and 4 for fours.]
b) How many of these pairs are double ones; that is, a one from the triangular
deck and a one from the rectangular deck? [Ans: 10]
c) How many are double twos? double threes? double fours?
d) For equally likely outcomes, the probability of an event is the number of
outcomes that correspond to the event divided by what?
e) So, the probability of a double one is what divided by the total number of
pairs?
f) Use the multiplication principle and your answers to (c) to find the probability
of i) a double one, ii) a double two, iii) a double
g) A circular deck has 10 ones, 20 twos, 10 threes, and no fours. Calculate the
probability of a grab if a triangular deck is played against a circular deck.
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
Performance (G2/B3)
2) Telephone numbers are often used as random number generators. Assume that a
computer randomly generates the last digit of a telephone number. What is the
probability that the number is:
a) an 8 or 9 ? [Ans: 1 ]
5
b) odd or under 4 ?
[Ans:
1
4
2
7
+
= ]
5 10
10 10
10
10
3) A airplane holds 176 passengers, 35 seats are reserved for business travellers,
including 15 aisle seats, 40 of the remaining seats are aisle seats. If a late passenger
is randomly assigned a seat, find the probability of getting an aisle seat or one in
the business travellers section.
4) Use the given table, which represents the number of people Age
Number
who died from accidents and their respective ages, and in
04
3843
each case assuming that one person is selected at random
514
4226
from this group
1524
19 975
a) Find the probability of selecting someone under 5 or
2544
27 201
over 74.
4564
14 733
b) Find the probability of selecting someone from 15 to
6574
8 499
64.
75+
16 800
c) Find the probability of selecting someone under 45 or
from 25 to 74.
99
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
G3 demonstrate an
understanding of the
fundamental counting
principle and apply it to
calculate probabilities of
dependent and independent
events
3
, while the probability of selecting blue without
5
2
. The probability of selecting a red and a blue without replacement
4
3 2 6
would be P ( r and b) = = .
5 4 20
Consider the experiment of a single toss of a standard die. There are six equally likely
outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. Define certain events as follows:
A: observe a 2
B: observe a 6
C: observe an even number
D: observe a number less than 5.
1
1
(observe a 2), P ( B) = (observe a 6). What about P(A or B) (observe a
6
6
2 or 6)? This can be shown two ways:
P ( A) =
n ( A) + n ( B )
total number of ways
1+ 1 2
= or P (A or B)= P (A)+ P (B )= 1 + 1 = 2 .
6
6
6 6 6
Will this be true for any two events? The events observe a 2, and observe a 6 are
called mutually exclusive events, or disjoint because one can observe only a 2 or a 6,
not both at the same time. On the other hand, events like
C and D above have at least one element in common, and
therefore are not mutually exclusive. Consider the events
C and D.
The event (C or D) includes all the outcomes in C or D
or both. That is,
P(C or D ) = P (observe an even number or a number less than five)
= (observe 2, 4, 6, or observe 1, 2, 3, 4)
Every outcome except five is included in (C or D). Thus there are exactly 5 favourable
outcomes. Thus P(C or D ) =
3 4 7
5
. But P (C ) + P ( D) = + = , which cannot be
6
6 6 6
100
3 4 2 5
+
=
6 6 6 6
MATHEMATICS 3206 CURRICULUM GUIDE
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (G3)
1) Discuss whether the following pairs of events are mutually exclusive and whether they are
independent. [Note: some groups may be sensitive to examples using a standard deck of
cards.)
a) The weather is fine; I walk to work.
b) I cut a deck of cards obtaining a queen; you cut a 5.
c) I cut the deck and have a red card; you cut a card with an odd number.
d) I select a voter who registered Liberal; you select a voter who is registered Tory.
e) I found a value for x to be greater than 2; you found x to have a value greater than
3.
f) I selected two cards from the deck; the first was a face-card, the second was red.
2) If 366 different possible birthdays are each written on a different slip of paper and put in
a hat and mixed,
a) Find the probability of making one selection and getting a birthday in April or
51
October. [Ans:
]
366
b) Find the probability of making one selection that is the first day of a month or a July
date. [Ans: 12 + 31 1 = 42 = 7 ]
366
366
366
366
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
61
3) A store owner has three student part-time employees who are independent of each other.
The store cannot open if all three are absent at the same time.
a) If each of them averages an absenteeism rate of 5%, find the probability that the store
cannot open on a particular day. [Ans: 1 x 1 x 1 = 1 = 0.000125]
20
20
20
8000
b) If the absenteeism rates are 2.5%, 3%, and 6% respectively for three different
employees, find the probability that the store cannot open on a particular day.
c) Should the owner be concerned about opening in either situation a) or b)? Explain.
4) There are 6 defective bolts in a bin of 80 bolts. The entire bin is approved for shipping if
no defects show up when 3 are randomly selected.
a) What is the probability of approval if the selected bolts are replaced? not replaced?
b) Compare the results. Which procedure is more likely to reveal a defective bolt?
Which procedure do you think is better? Explain.
5) Mary randomly selects a marble from a bag containing 13 each of black, white, red and
blue marbles. The marbles of each color are numbered from 1 to 13. What is the
probability that Mary will select either a 10 or a red? Below is Freds solution. Explain
what Fred is thinking. Will his attempt lead to a correct answer? Explain.
P (10 or red) =
Journal
4 + 13 17
=
52
52
6) Consider the table of experimental results. Comment on the following solution attempts.
a) If one of the 2072 subjects is
randomly selected, the probability of
getting someone who took Seldane
or a placebo is 781
665
1446
2072
2072
4144
0.3489
b) If one of the 2072 subjects is randomly selected, the probability of getting someone
who took Seldane or experienced drowsiness can be found by
781
237
+
2072 2072
1018
2072
0.491
101
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
G6 Expressions of likelihood are often given as odds. For example, 50:1, expressed
fifty to one, is an expression of odds for a situation where the event is not very
likely to happen. The use of odds makes it easier to deal with money exchanges that
result from gambling. The likelihood of an event can be expressed in terms of the
G6 demonstrate an
understanding of the
difference between probability
and odds
B7 calculate probabilities to
solve problems
odds against that event, or the odds in favour. For exam p le,if P (A)=
against
A=
P( A)
P (A)
3
5
2
5
2
, then odds
5
3
er
2 where A is the complement of A or not A. The answer
is expressed as 3:2, or three to two. The corresponding odds in favour are 2:3.
In other words, odds against equals the ratio of unfavourable outcomes to favourable
outcomes. Odds in favour equals the ratio of favourable outcomes to unfavourable
outcomes.
For bets, the odds against an event represent the ratio of net profit to the amount bet.
odds against event A = (net profit) : (amount bet)
Suppose a bet pays 50:1. If the odds arent specified as being in favour or against,
they are probably the odds against the event occurring. If a person were to win a bet
with 50:1 odds, that person would make a profit of $50 for each $1 bet. The person
would collect $51.
G6/B7 Suppose an electrical circuit has 50:1 odds against failure. What are the odds
against two such separate and independent circuits both failing? The best way to
solve this problem is to first convert the 50:1 odds to the corresponding probability
1 1
1
=
. This gives the probability
51 51 2601
102
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
1) Ask students to complete the following conversions: [Note: Some groups may be sensitive
to situations involving gambling.]
a) If P(A) = 2/7, find the odds against event A occurring.
[Answer: 5:2]
b) Find the probability of event A if the odds against it are 9:4.
[Answer: 4/13]
c) If the odds against an event are 7:3, what are the odds against
this event occurring in all of three separate and independent trials? [Answer: 973:27]
d) In a fair game, all of the money lost by some players is won by
others. For one fair game, a $2 bet nets a profit of $16. Find
the odds against winning and find the probability of winning. [Answer: 8:1, 1/9]
e) A standard roulette wheel has 38 different slots numbered 1
through 36 and 0, and 00. If you bet on any individual number,
the casino gives you odds of 35:1. What would be fair odds if
the casino did not have an advantage?
[Answer: 37:1]
f) The actual odds against winning when you bet on odds at
Computer Software:
[Answer: 9/19]
Performance (G6/B7)
2) A slot machine has three drums, each of which contains different symbols, often fruit and
bars. When the machine is activated all three drums roll. On this machine the first drum
stops first, then the second drum, then the third. If the drums stop at a winning
combination of symbols, then coins will fall into a metal tray. The chance of this
happening depends on the distribution of the symbols on the drums. The table below
shows a typical distribution: [Note: Some groups may be sensitive to examples involving
Drum 3
Drum 2
Drum 1
Symbol
gambling.]
cherry
lemon
plum
orange
banana
bar
double bar
6
3
1
4
3
2
3
6
1
5
5
1
3
1
1
6
7
2
4
1
1
Probability
Payoff Odds
3 1 1 = 3
3/7500=
1 5 1 = 5
5/7500=
500 to 1
300 to 1
400 to 1
20 to 1
3 to 1
75 to 1
5 to 1
2 to 1
103
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
Suppose the students want to find the probability that a family with 3 children
contains exactly one girl. If students cannot compute the theoretical probability and
do not have the time to locate three-child families for observation, the best plan might
be to simulate the outcomes for three-child families. One way to accomplish this is to
toss three coins to represent the three births. A head could represent the birth of a
girl. Then, observing exactly one head in a toss of three coins would be similar, in
terms of probability, to observing exactly one girl in a three-child family. Students
could easily toss the three coins many times to estimate the probability of seeing
exactly one head. The result gives them an estimate of the probability of seeing exactly
one girl in a three-child family. This is a simple problem to simulate, but the idea is
very useful in complex problems for which theoretical probabilities may be nearly
impossible to obtain.
Students need work on connecting simulation results to the original problem. When
choosing a simple device to model the key components in the problem, they have to
be careful to choose a model that generates outcomes with probabilities to match
those of the real situation. Students could use devices such as coins, dice, spinners,
objects in a bag, random numbers tables and random number generators. On the TI83 plus, the built-in function randBin (found under Math-PRB) can simulate many
situations.
Students need to understand that the experimental probability approaches the
theoretical probability as the number of trials increases. They should also realize that
knowing the probability of an event gives them no predicting power as to what the
outcome of the next trial will be. However, after enough trials, they should be able to
predict with some confidence what the overall results will be.
When conducting simulations students should follow a process like the one outlined
below (see next page for an actual class activity):
Step 1: State the problem clearly.
Step 2: Define the key components.
Step 3: State the underlying assumptions.
Step 4: Select a model to generate the outcomes for a key component.
Step 5: Define and conduct a trial.
Step 6: Record the observation of interest.
Step 7: Repeat steps 5 and 6 until 50 trials are reached.
Step 8: Summarize the information and draw conclusions.
104
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Activity (G1)
1) Marie has not studied for her history exam. She knows none of the answers on the
seven-question true-and-false section of the test. She decides to guess at all seven.
Estimate the probability that Marie will guess the correct answers to four or more
of the seven questions. Ask students to complete the following:
a) What is it that you are being asked to do?
b) To perform a simulation, what assumptions should you make?
c) Describe the model you would choose to perform the simulation.
d) Pretend that you are watching the simulation. Describe what you observe for
the entire simulation.
e) What conclusion do you think would be made?
2) Suppose a stick, or a piece of raw spaghetti, has been broken at two random
points. What is the probability that the three pieces will form a triangle? (pieces
must touch end to end).
a) Ask students to describe the process that might be used to estimate the answer
using experimental probability.
b) Instead, ask students to conduct a simulation. Assume the spaghetti is 100 units
long. Generate two random numbers between 0 and 100 using each as a side of
a triangle. Determine the length of the third side. Check to see if the numbers
represent the lengths of the side of a triangle?
c) Repeat a number of times to determine the experimental probability and
compare with others in your class.
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
Performance
3) Dale, a parachutist, jumps from an airplane and lands in a field. What are the
chances that Dale will land in a particular numbered plot? Make a field grid using a
normal sheet of graph paper divided into four equal areas.
a) Model the situation by tossing a thumbtack onto the grid from a metre or more
away. (If the tack bounces off the sheet, dont count it as a toss.) In your
response consider several questions:
i)
Is there an equal chance to land in each plot?
ii)
How many times did Dale land in plot 1?
iii)
Compare what was found in the experiment with what you expected to
find.
b) Conduct the experiment again, but use a field divided into plots A and B to
find the probability that Dale will land in Plot A.
c) Perform a simulation to answer the same problem as in
(b). Compare the results of the simulation with that of
the experiment. Comment.
4) Perform simulations to estimate the probability of each
event.
a) What is the probability that all five children in a family will be girls?
105
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
Bread
Filling
Extras
white
whole-wheat
tuna
chicken
cheese
egg
sprouts
lettuce
B7 calculate probabilities to
solve problems
G3 demonstrate an
understanding of the
fundamental counting
principle and apply it to
calculate probabilities
From the tree diagram students can really see that there are 16 equally likely outcomes
They could use the Fundamental Counting Principle to check their results
(2 4 2 = 16).
G4/B7/G3 Using an area model gives a pictorial representation of the analysis, which
provides visual insights into the concepts of probability. Reliance on geometric skills
allows the development of those concepts, which a lack of arithmetic skills would
normally impede. Dividing a region in proportion to the appropriate probabilities
appeals to students intuitive understanding of probability. For example:
Rita has two dice, one red, one blue. Help her determine the probability of having the
red die show an even number and the blue die an odd number. Using a square to
1
of the square to represent the
2
probability, the red die will show an even number. Students should
be asked to explain why this makes sense. Have students complete
the problem. They should then shade the upper half of the square
to represent the blue die showing an odd number (three odd
numbers of six possible numbers). The overlapped shaded region
will indicate the probability of both events being true.
Blue die
even
even odd
Red die
Using a similar method, ask students to find the probability that when Rita throws
both dice, the red one shows a number less than five, and the blue one, a number
greater than one.
The teacher might ask students to check their answers using tree diagrams and/or the
4
106
5 20 5
=
=
.
6 36 9
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (G4/B7/G3)
1) Barb and Ann are having a contest to see who can hit a target first. Both Barb and
Ann have a 50% chance of hitting their target on each shot. If Barb lets Ann go
first each time, what is the probability that Ann wins?
2) A certain restaurant offers select-your-own desserts. That is, a person may select
one item from each of the categories listed:
Ice Cream
Sauce
Extras
vanilla
chocolate cherries
strawberry
caramel
peanuts
chocolate mint
a) Using a tree diagram, list all possible desserts that can be ordered.
b) Would you expect the choices of a dessert to be equally likely for most
customers?
c) If the probability of selecting chocolate mint ice cream is 40%, and vanilla ice
cream is 10%, chocolate sauce is 70%, and cherries 20%, describe the dessert
with the highest probability of being selected.
3) A certain model car can be ordered with one of three engine sizes, with or without
air conditioning, and with automatic or manual transmission.
a) Show, by means of a tree diagram, all the possible ways this model car can be
ordered.
b) Suppose you want the car with the smallest engine, air conditioning, and
manual transmission. A car agency tells you there is only one of the cars on
hand. What is the probability that it has the features you want, if you assume
1
the outcomes to be equally likely? [Ans: ]
12
4) In a restaurant there are four kinds of soup, 12 entrees, six desserts, and three
drinks. How many different four-course meals can a patron choose from? If 4 of
the 12 entrees are chicken and two of the desserts involve cherries, what is the
probability that someone will order wonton soup, a chicken dinner, a cherry dessert
and milk? [Ans: 864 and 8 = 1 ]
864
108
5) Licence plates for cars often have three letters of the alphabet then three digits from
0 to 9. How many possible different licence plates can be produced? What is the
probability of having the plate CAR 000?
6) A spinner is marked with an A or B as shown. Each round consists of either one or
two spins. The player with the highest score wins. To begin the game, player 1
spins first. If the spinner lands in the area marked A, player 1 scores a point, and
this ends the round, and player 2 spins again to begin round 2. If on the first spin
the spinner lands in the area marked B, then player 2 spins the spinner; player 2
scores 2 points if the spinner lands in B, and player 1 scores 1 point if it lands in A.
Use the square grid to.
a) Find P(A will score on a given round).
b) Find P(B will score on a given round).
MATHEMATICS 3206 CURRICULUM GUIDE
107
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
G7 distinguish between
situations that involve
permutations and
combinations
108
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
The essential difference between these two situations needs to be discussed and
emphasized. Eventually, Problem A should be described as a permutation (order is
important), Problem B as a combination (order not important).
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
2) The manager of a baseball team needs to decide the batting order for the season
opener. In how many ways can the first four batters be arranged on the batting
roster? Is this a permutation or combination question? Explain. [Ans: 24;
Permutation]
3) As a promotion, a record store placed 12 tapes in one basket and 10 compact discs
in another. Pierre was the one millionth customer and was allowed to select 4 tapes
and 4 compact discs. To find how many selections that can Pierre make, does one
use permutations or combinations? Explain. [Combination]
4) Three identical red balls (R) and two identical white balls (W) are placed in a box.
How many ways are there of selecting the balls in the following order? [Ans: 12]
RWRRW
5) Find the total number of arrangements of the letters of the word SILK. [Ans: 24]
109
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
A6 develop an understanding
of factorial notation and apply
it to calculating permutations
and combinations
Example 2, at a music festival, eight trumpet players competed in the Baroque class.
After the judging, they were awarded 1st, 2nd, 3rd ... down to 8th place. In how many
ways could their placements be awarded?
If all the trumpet players were given a standing, first, second, third, ... , eighth, then
there are eight people eligible for first, which leaves seven eligible for second, six
people eligible for third ... leading to a calculation 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 . This
product can be written in a compact form as 8! and is read eight factorial.
In general,n ! = n(n - 1)(n - 2) (3)(2 )(1),where n N and we define 0! = 1.
A6 If there are only three prizes to be given, how many ways could placement be
awarded?
Students should reason that eight people are eligible to come first, only seven are
eligible to come second, and six are eligible to come third 8 7 6 336 . This
could be worded How many permutations are there of eight distinct objects taken
three at a time?
A1/G8 The symbol commonly used to represent this is 8 P3 , or nP3 for the number of
n objects taken r at a time. Students should notice that
P = 8 7 6
8 3
P =
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
5 4 3 2 1
P3 =
8!
5!
P3 =
8!
(8 3 ) !
8 3
In general, n Pr =
n!
(n - r ) !
110
P
5
5 5
5!
= 4! = 24 .
5
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
1) The town of Karsville, population 32 505, is designing its own licence plates for
residents to place on the front of their automobiles.
a) Ask students to use counting principles to determine the best of the following
three options and to explain their choice:
i)
ii)
iii)
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
5!
= 5 4 [ (F) ]
4!
ii)
10
iii)
iv)
8 2
8=
10!
[ (T) ]
7!
P = 56 [ T ]
100 P4 = 100 99 98 97 [ T ]
b) Create a story where each expression above would be used in the solution.
Paper and Pencil (A6/G8)
7) There are five non-collinear points on a plane.
a) How many segments can be formed using these five points as endpoints?
b) If consecutive points are joined, a convex polygon is formed. How many
diagonals does this polygon have?
8) A local pizza restaurant has a special on its 4-ingredient 20-cm pizza. If there are 15
ingredients from which to choose, how many different specials are possible?
111
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
A6/G7 There are five members on the executive of the students council. If these five
were elected from a list of 10 candidates for executive positions, the number of ways
10 people can be slotted into five positions would be found using permutations
A6 develop an understanding
of factorial notation and apply
it to calculating permutations
and combinations
G7 distinguish between
situations that involve
permutations and
combinations
10 5
10!
= 30240 .
(10 - 5)!
Now, from these five elected people a committee of three is struck: If the five people
are represented by A, B, C, D, and E, then clearly a committee with A, B, and C is
the same as a committee with C, A, and B. So, the order of the selection is not
important, and the arrangement is called a combination. Therefore, since ABC, ACB,
BAC, BCA, CAB, and CBA are all considered the same committee, they represent
one combination. The number of permutations of A, B, and C is 3!. Thus, the
number of committees from the original list of 10 candidates
number of ways the executive was chosen
3!
30240
=
3!
= 5040
P
That is 10C 3 = 10 3 = 5040
3!
=
and the number of committees from the five people on the executive selected would
be 5 C 3 =
P
3!
5 3
10 .
Students should now apply combinations in a few simple problems where they would
n!
be expected to use the formula r = 5 C3 = r ! (n - r ) ! or use technology that performs
combination calculations.
112
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (A6/G7)
1) Mrs. Sandhurst has the following books on her reading list: Great Expectations,
Lord of the Flies, The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, Fifth Business, The Stone
Angel.
a) In how many ways can Mrs. Sandhurst arrange these books on her bookshelf?
[Ans: 720]
b) What is the probability that Fifth Business is next to The Stone Angel on her
1
shelf? [Ans: 3 ]
c) If a student borrows two of the books before she arranges them on the shelf,
how many fewer arrangements does she have? [Ans: 114]
d) If she arranges any four of the books on the shelf, how many fewer arrangements
does she have? [Ans: 96]
2) On the pinball machine below, a ball falls from the top to the bottom. How many
different paths can the ball follow assuming the ball falls without being pushed
upwards? [Ans: 4 x 4 x 3 = 48]
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
For the TI-83 Plus
APP - Probsim (free from
http://education.ti.com)
113
PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
B8 determine probabilities
using permutations and
combinations
B7 calculate probabilities to
solve problems
One practical use of permutations and combinations is in the field of probability. For
example, a deck of 52 cards is shuffled well. What is the probability that A, K, Q of
spades will be dealt to you as the first three cards?
Students might reason that since they want to see three particular cards from 52
possible cards, they would use nPr or 52 P3.
52
P3 =
52!
(52 - 3)!
52!
132 600
49!
1
132600
Combinations are sometimes used along with other counting techniques. For
example, ask students to read the following problem, analyse Susans solution, identify
any error and report their findings:
Susan belongs to the schools seven member in-line skaters club. The club has been
asked to select two girls and two boys to go to Toronto to take part in a skaters
convention. What is the probability that Susan will be selected if there are three
boys and four girls in the club?
Susans solution:
there are 4 C2 ways to select two girls
so, 4 C 2 = 4!/(2!2!)= 6 ways
there are 3 C2 ways to select two boys
so, 3 C 2 = 3!/ (1!2!)= 3 ways
because there must be two girls and two boys, there are 6 + 3 = 9 ways of
forming the group that is going
if the four people are selected at random, the probability that Susan is selected
would be 1 in 9
114
PROBABILITY
Probability
Worthwhile Tasks for Instruction and/or Assessment
Suggested Resources
Performance (B8)
1) There are 30 students in your mathematics class. Three students are selected to sit
on a committee.
a) How many committees can be formed if each member has equal status?
b) How many committees can be formed if the first person chosen is the
chairman, the second is the secretary, and the third is the treasurer?
2) Five identical red balls (R) and two identical white balls (W) are placed in a box.
How many distinguishable ways are there of selecting the balls in the following
order?
RWRRWRR
Computer Software:
Richard Parris, Winstats
(free from http://
math.exeter.edu/rparris)
Performance (B8/B7)
3) Nine people try out for nine positions on a baseball team. Each position is filled by
selecting players at random. Assume all players are equally qualified for every
position.
a) In how many ways could the positions be filled?
b) What is the probability that Duffy will be the pitcher?
c) What is the probability that David, George or Duffy will be first baseman?
d) What is the probability that David, George, or Duffy will be first baseman and
Eleanor or Georgina will be pitcher?
4) The numbers on a raffle ticket contain three digits. The first digit cannot be zero.
a) What is the probability of ticket number 917 winning the grand prize? What
assumption did you make?
b) What is the probability that a ticket with three as a second digit wins the grand
prize?
5) Three black marbles and two white marbles are in a box. Without looking in the
box player A randomly chooses two of the five marbles. If they are the same colour,
player A wins, if they are a different colour, player B wins.
a) What is the probability that player A wins? __________
What is the probability that player B wins? __________
b) Some combinations of black and white marbles will produce a fair game. Can
you find a combination to make it a fair game? Can you find another?
c) Create a simulation for this game.
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PROBABILITY
Probability
Outcomes
ElaborationInstructional Strategies/Suggestions
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