- Created by: by Alan Bass and Terrie Teegarden, San Diego Mesa College
- Type of activity: lecture, small group problem solving (paper and pencil)
- Course level: Beginning Algebra
- Topic: Systems of linear equations
- Materials: graph paper
- Time required: 30 minutes
- Description: Each person/group will be assigned one or more equations representing ‘animal trails’. They will then determine where their trail intersects each of the two roads as the spot to lay their have-a heart trap. A graph is drawn to determine if the placement of the traps is correct.
- Implementation notes (follow up/discussion questions, pedagogical recommendations, etc.):
- Generally, students begin to solve systems by using graphing and then algebra. Once a student learns to solve the system by algebra, they often forget the connection to the graph. Hence in this lab, they will use algebra first and then graph their answers.
- Optional: Using a large sheet of graph paper, each group can put their traps on the graph. A different color can be used for each trap so that all the traps on road 1 are in one color and road 2 another color. For each color, the points should lie on the line for that road. The equations for the roads can then be drawn to determine which groups accurately placed their traps.
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- Created by: Chris Silva
- Type of activity: Instructor-guided hands-on activity
- Course level: Beginning Algebra
- Topic: review of linear equations / intro to systems of equations
- Materials: graph paper
- Time required: 30 minutes
- Description: Students will be presented with two different gas stations, and will have to come up with equations to determine the price of gas at each. They will do this by first calculating a few values, then using that process to come up with a general equation for each. The equations will be graphed in order to see the "break-even point", and this will be followed by a discussion of methods for finding solutions to systems of equations.
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