Cluster 2: Write expressions in equivalent forms to solve problems. (Algebra 1 - Supporting Cluster) (Algebra 2 - Major Cluster)Archived

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Clusters should not be sorted from Major to Supporting and then taught in that order. To do so would strip the coherence of the mathematical ideas and miss the opportunity to enhance the major work of the grade with the supporting clusters.

General Information
Number: MAFS.912.A-SSE.2
Title: Write expressions in equivalent forms to solve problems. (Algebra 1 - Supporting Cluster) (Algebra 2 - Major Cluster)
Type: Cluster
Subject: Mathematics - Archived
Grade: 912
Domain-Subdomain: Algebra: Seeing Structure in Expressions

Related Standards

This cluster includes the following benchmarks.

Related Access Points

This cluster includes the following access points.

Access Points

MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.3a
Write expressions in equivalent forms by factoring to find the zeros of a quadratic function and explain the meaning of the zeros.
MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.3b
Given a quadratic function, explain the meaning of the zeros of the function (e.g., if f(x) = (x - c) (x - a) then f(a) = 0 and f(c) = 0).
MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.3c
Given a quadratic expression, explain the meaning of the zeros graphically (e.g., for an expression (x - a) (x - c), a and c correspond to the x-intercepts (if a and c are real).
MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.3d
Write expressions in equivalent forms by completing the square to convey the vertex form, to find the maximum or minimum value of a quadratic function, and to explain the meaning of the vertex.
MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.3e
Use properties of exponents (such as power of a power, product of powers, power of a product, and rational exponents, etc.) to write an equivalent form of an exponential function to reveal and explain specific information about its approximate rate of growth or decay.
MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.AP.4a
Use the formula for the sum of finite geometric series to solve problems.
begin mathsize 12px style a open parentheses fraction numerator 1 space minus space r to the power of space n end exponent over denominator 1 space minus space r end fraction close parentheses end style

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this topic.

Formative Assessments

Rocket Town:

Students are asked to rewrite a quadratic expression in vertex form to find maximum and minimum values.

Type: Formative Assessment

Jumping Dolphin:

Students are asked to find the zeros of a quadratic function in the context of a modeling problem.

Type: Formative Assessment

College Costs:

Students are asked to transform an exponential expression so that the rate of change corresponds to a different time interval.

Type: Formative Assessment

Population Drop:

Students are asked to use the properties of exponents to show that two expressions are equivalent and compare the two functions in terms of what each reveals.

Type: Formative Assessment

Lesson Plans

Sorting Equations and Identities:

This lesson is intended to help you assess how well students are able to:

  • Recognize the differences between equations and identities.
  • Substitute numbers into algebraic statements in order to test their validity in special cases.
  • Resist common errors when manipulating expressions such as 2(x – 3) = 2x – 3; (x + 3)2 = x2 + 32.
  • Carry out correct algebraic manipulations.

It also aims to encourage discussion on some common misconceptions about algebra.

Type: Lesson Plan

Modeling Conditional Probabilities 2:

This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students understand conditional probability, and, in particular, to help you identify and assist students who have the following difficulties representing events as a subset of a sample space using tables and tree diagrams and understanding when conditional probabilities are equal for particular and general situations.

Type: Lesson Plan

Forming Quadratics:

This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students are able to understand what the different algebraic forms of a quadratic function reveal about the properties of its graphical representation. In particular, the lesson will help you identify and help students who have the following difficulties in understanding how the factored form of the function can identify a graph's roots, how the completed square form of the function can identify a graph's maximum or minimum point, and how the standard form of the function can identify a graph's intercept.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorials

Highs and Lows Part 2: Completing the Square:

Learn the process of completing the square of a quadratic function to find the maximum or minimum to discover how high a dolphin jumped in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Click HERE to open part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Highs and Lows Part 1: Completing the Square:

Learn the process of completing the square of a quadratic function to find the maximum or minimum to discover how high a dolphin jumped in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 of a 2 part series. Click HERE to open Part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Finding the Zeros of Quadratic Functions:

Learn to find the zeros of a quadratic function and interpret their meaning in real-world contexts with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Finding the Maximum or Minimum of a Quadratic Function:

Learn to complete the square of a quadratic expression and identify the maximum or minimum value of the quadratic function it defines. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also interpret the meaning of the maximum and minimum of a quadratic function in a real world context.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Problem-Solving Tasks

A Lifetime of Savings:

The purpose of this instructional task is to give students an opportunity to construct and find the value of a geometric series (A-SSE.4) in a financial literacy context. The task assumes that students have already developed the formula for a geometric series themselves; having them recognize the need for this formula (and look up if necessary) allows them to engage in MP 5, Use appropriate tools strategically. The task also provides students with an opportunity to look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning (MP 8), as the solution shows. This task also asks students to interpret the variables in the future value formula in the context of the problem (A-SSE.1).

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Triangle Series:

Students consider a diagram of five nested equilateral triangles diminishing in size according to a geometric series. The purpose of this task is to emphasize the adjective "geometric" in the "geometric" series, namely, that the algebraic notion of a common ratio between terms corresponds to the geometric notion of a repeated similarity transformation. Specifically, since the black triangles are all similar with the same scale factor, the total area of the black triangles is a geometric series. This task could be used either to introduce the geometric series as a worthy object of study, or as a geometric application of its use.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Course of Antibiotics:

In this task, students consider a real-world problem involving the decay of a drug in a patient's body. This task presents a real world application of finite geometric series. The context can lead into several interesting follow-up questions and projects. Many drugs only become effective after the amount in the body builds up to a certain level. This can be modeled very well with geometric series.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cantor Set:

This task leads to the generation of finite geometric series with a common ratio less than one as a means to explore properties of the Cantor Set. The Cantor Set is a fascinating set with many intriguing properties. It contains uncountably many points, which means that there are "as many" points in it as on the real line, yet the set contains no intervals of real numbers and it has length zero. All that is necessary to show that it has length zero is to look at what happens to a geometric series as we add more and more terms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Forms of Exponential Expressions:

There are many different ways to write exponential expressions that describe the same quantity, in this task the amount of a radioactive substance after t years. Depending on what aspect of the context we need to investigate, one expression of the quantity may be more useful than another. This task contrasts the usefulness of four equivalent expressions. Students first have to confirm that the given expressions for the radioactive substance are equivalent. Then they have to explain the significance of each expression in the context of the situation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Building a General Quadratic Function:

In this resource, a method of deriving the quadratic formula from a theoretical standpoint is demonstrated. This task is for instructional purposes only and builds on "Building an explicit quadratic function."

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Profit of a Company:

This task compares the usefulness of different forms of a quadratic expression. Students have to choose which form most easily provides information about the maximum value, the zeros and the vertical intercept of a quadratic expression in the context of a real world situation. Rather than just manipulating one form into the other, students can make sense out of the structure of the expressions.

(From Algebra: Form and Function, McCallum et al., Wiley 2010)

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Increasing or Decreasing? Variation 2:

The purpose of this task is to help students see manipulation of expressions as an activity undertaken for a purpose.

Variation 1 of this task presents a related more complex expression already in the correct form to answer the question.

The expression arises in physics as the reciprocal of the combined resistance of two resistors in parallel. However, the context is not explicitly considered here.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Ice Cream:

This task illustrates the process of rearranging the terms of an expression to reveal different aspects about the quantity it represents, precisely the language being used in standard MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.3. Students are provided with an expression giving the temperature of a container at a time t, and have to use simple inequalities (e.g., that 2t>0 for all t) to reduce the complexity of an expression to a form where bounds on the temperature of a container of ice cream are made apparent.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Graphs of Quadratic Functions:

Students compare graphs of different quadratic functions, then produce equations of their own to satisfy given conditions.

This exploration can be done in class near the beginning of a unit on graphing parabolas. Students need to be familiar with intercepts, and need to know what the vertex is. It is effective after students have graphed parabolas in vertex form (y=a(x–h)2+k), but have not yet explored graphing other forms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Seeing Dots:

The purpose of this task is to identify the structure in the two algebraic expressions by interpreting them in terms of a geometric context. Students will have likely seen this type of process before, so the principal source of challenge in this task is to encourage a multitude and variety of approaches, both in terms of the geometric argument and in terms of the algebraic manipulation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Tutorials

Geometric series:

Geometric series

Type: Tutorial

Power of a Power Property:

This tutorial demonstrates how to use the power of a power property with both numerals and variables.

Type: Tutorial

Unit/Lesson Sequence

Sample Algebra 1 Curriculum Plan Using CMAP:

This sample Algebra 1 CMAP is a fully customizable resource and curriculum-planning tool that provides a framework for the Algebra 1 Course. The units and standards are customizable and the CMAP allows instructors to add lessons, worksheets, and other resources as needed. This CMAP also includes rows that automatically filter and display Math Formative Assessments System tasks, E-Learning Original Student Tutorials and Perspectives Videos that are aligned to the standards, available on CPALMS.

Learn more about the sample Algebra 1 CMAP, its features and customizability by watching the following video:

Using this CMAP

To view an introduction on the CMAP tool, please .

To view the CMAP, click on the "Open Resource Page" button above; be sure you are logged in to your iCPALMS account.

To use this CMAP, click on the "Clone" button once the CMAP opens in the "Open Resource Page." Once the CMAP is cloned, you will be able to see it as a class inside your iCPALMS My Planner (CMAPs) app.

To access your My Planner App and the cloned CMAP, click on the iCPALMS tab in the top menu.

All CMAP tutorials can be found within the iCPALMS Planner App or at the following URL: http://www.cpalms.org/support/tutorials_and_informational_videos.aspx

Type: Unit/Lesson Sequence

Virtual Manipulative

Geometric and Harmonic Series- Limits:

This applet allows users to set up various geometric series with a visual representation of the successive terms, and the corresponding sum of those terms.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Original Student Tutorials

Highs and Lows Part 2: Completing the Square:

Learn the process of completing the square of a quadratic function to find the maximum or minimum to discover how high a dolphin jumped in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 2 of a 2 part series. Click HERE to open part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Highs and Lows Part 1: Completing the Square:

Learn the process of completing the square of a quadratic function to find the maximum or minimum to discover how high a dolphin jumped in this interactive tutorial.

This is part 1 of a 2 part series. Click HERE to open Part 2.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Finding the Zeros of Quadratic Functions:

Learn to find the zeros of a quadratic function and interpret their meaning in real-world contexts with this interactive tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Finding the Maximum or Minimum of a Quadratic Function:

Learn to complete the square of a quadratic expression and identify the maximum or minimum value of the quadratic function it defines. In this interactive tutorial, you'll also interpret the meaning of the maximum and minimum of a quadratic function in a real world context.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Problem-Solving Tasks

A Lifetime of Savings:

The purpose of this instructional task is to give students an opportunity to construct and find the value of a geometric series (A-SSE.4) in a financial literacy context. The task assumes that students have already developed the formula for a geometric series themselves; having them recognize the need for this formula (and look up if necessary) allows them to engage in MP 5, Use appropriate tools strategically. The task also provides students with an opportunity to look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning (MP 8), as the solution shows. This task also asks students to interpret the variables in the future value formula in the context of the problem (A-SSE.1).

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Triangle Series:

Students consider a diagram of five nested equilateral triangles diminishing in size according to a geometric series. The purpose of this task is to emphasize the adjective "geometric" in the "geometric" series, namely, that the algebraic notion of a common ratio between terms corresponds to the geometric notion of a repeated similarity transformation. Specifically, since the black triangles are all similar with the same scale factor, the total area of the black triangles is a geometric series. This task could be used either to introduce the geometric series as a worthy object of study, or as a geometric application of its use.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Course of Antibiotics:

In this task, students consider a real-world problem involving the decay of a drug in a patient's body. This task presents a real world application of finite geometric series. The context can lead into several interesting follow-up questions and projects. Many drugs only become effective after the amount in the body builds up to a certain level. This can be modeled very well with geometric series.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cantor Set:

This task leads to the generation of finite geometric series with a common ratio less than one as a means to explore properties of the Cantor Set. The Cantor Set is a fascinating set with many intriguing properties. It contains uncountably many points, which means that there are "as many" points in it as on the real line, yet the set contains no intervals of real numbers and it has length zero. All that is necessary to show that it has length zero is to look at what happens to a geometric series as we add more and more terms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Forms of Exponential Expressions:

There are many different ways to write exponential expressions that describe the same quantity, in this task the amount of a radioactive substance after t years. Depending on what aspect of the context we need to investigate, one expression of the quantity may be more useful than another. This task contrasts the usefulness of four equivalent expressions. Students first have to confirm that the given expressions for the radioactive substance are equivalent. Then they have to explain the significance of each expression in the context of the situation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Building a General Quadratic Function:

In this resource, a method of deriving the quadratic formula from a theoretical standpoint is demonstrated. This task is for instructional purposes only and builds on "Building an explicit quadratic function."

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Profit of a Company:

This task compares the usefulness of different forms of a quadratic expression. Students have to choose which form most easily provides information about the maximum value, the zeros and the vertical intercept of a quadratic expression in the context of a real world situation. Rather than just manipulating one form into the other, students can make sense out of the structure of the expressions.

(From Algebra: Form and Function, McCallum et al., Wiley 2010)

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Increasing or Decreasing? Variation 2:

The purpose of this task is to help students see manipulation of expressions as an activity undertaken for a purpose.

Variation 1 of this task presents a related more complex expression already in the correct form to answer the question.

The expression arises in physics as the reciprocal of the combined resistance of two resistors in parallel. However, the context is not explicitly considered here.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Ice Cream:

This task illustrates the process of rearranging the terms of an expression to reveal different aspects about the quantity it represents, precisely the language being used in standard MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.3. Students are provided with an expression giving the temperature of a container at a time t, and have to use simple inequalities (e.g., that 2t>0 for all t) to reduce the complexity of an expression to a form where bounds on the temperature of a container of ice cream are made apparent.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Graphs of Quadratic Functions:

Students compare graphs of different quadratic functions, then produce equations of their own to satisfy given conditions.

This exploration can be done in class near the beginning of a unit on graphing parabolas. Students need to be familiar with intercepts, and need to know what the vertex is. It is effective after students have graphed parabolas in vertex form (y=a(x–h)2+k), but have not yet explored graphing other forms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Seeing Dots:

The purpose of this task is to identify the structure in the two algebraic expressions by interpreting them in terms of a geometric context. Students will have likely seen this type of process before, so the principal source of challenge in this task is to encourage a multitude and variety of approaches, both in terms of the geometric argument and in terms of the algebraic manipulation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Tutorials

Geometric series:

Geometric series

Type: Tutorial

Power of a Power Property:

This tutorial demonstrates how to use the power of a power property with both numerals and variables.

Type: Tutorial

Virtual Manipulative

Geometric and Harmonic Series- Limits:

This applet allows users to set up various geometric series with a visual representation of the successive terms, and the corresponding sum of those terms.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this topic.

Problem-Solving Tasks

A Lifetime of Savings:

The purpose of this instructional task is to give students an opportunity to construct and find the value of a geometric series (A-SSE.4) in a financial literacy context. The task assumes that students have already developed the formula for a geometric series themselves; having them recognize the need for this formula (and look up if necessary) allows them to engage in MP 5, Use appropriate tools strategically. The task also provides students with an opportunity to look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning (MP 8), as the solution shows. This task also asks students to interpret the variables in the future value formula in the context of the problem (A-SSE.1).

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Triangle Series:

Students consider a diagram of five nested equilateral triangles diminishing in size according to a geometric series. The purpose of this task is to emphasize the adjective "geometric" in the "geometric" series, namely, that the algebraic notion of a common ratio between terms corresponds to the geometric notion of a repeated similarity transformation. Specifically, since the black triangles are all similar with the same scale factor, the total area of the black triangles is a geometric series. This task could be used either to introduce the geometric series as a worthy object of study, or as a geometric application of its use.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Course of Antibiotics:

In this task, students consider a real-world problem involving the decay of a drug in a patient's body. This task presents a real world application of finite geometric series. The context can lead into several interesting follow-up questions and projects. Many drugs only become effective after the amount in the body builds up to a certain level. This can be modeled very well with geometric series.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Cantor Set:

This task leads to the generation of finite geometric series with a common ratio less than one as a means to explore properties of the Cantor Set. The Cantor Set is a fascinating set with many intriguing properties. It contains uncountably many points, which means that there are "as many" points in it as on the real line, yet the set contains no intervals of real numbers and it has length zero. All that is necessary to show that it has length zero is to look at what happens to a geometric series as we add more and more terms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Forms of Exponential Expressions:

There are many different ways to write exponential expressions that describe the same quantity, in this task the amount of a radioactive substance after t years. Depending on what aspect of the context we need to investigate, one expression of the quantity may be more useful than another. This task contrasts the usefulness of four equivalent expressions. Students first have to confirm that the given expressions for the radioactive substance are equivalent. Then they have to explain the significance of each expression in the context of the situation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Building a General Quadratic Function:

In this resource, a method of deriving the quadratic formula from a theoretical standpoint is demonstrated. This task is for instructional purposes only and builds on "Building an explicit quadratic function."

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Profit of a Company:

This task compares the usefulness of different forms of a quadratic expression. Students have to choose which form most easily provides information about the maximum value, the zeros and the vertical intercept of a quadratic expression in the context of a real world situation. Rather than just manipulating one form into the other, students can make sense out of the structure of the expressions.

(From Algebra: Form and Function, McCallum et al., Wiley 2010)

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Increasing or Decreasing? Variation 2:

The purpose of this task is to help students see manipulation of expressions as an activity undertaken for a purpose.

Variation 1 of this task presents a related more complex expression already in the correct form to answer the question.

The expression arises in physics as the reciprocal of the combined resistance of two resistors in parallel. However, the context is not explicitly considered here.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Ice Cream:

This task illustrates the process of rearranging the terms of an expression to reveal different aspects about the quantity it represents, precisely the language being used in standard MAFS.912.A-SSE.2.3. Students are provided with an expression giving the temperature of a container at a time t, and have to use simple inequalities (e.g., that 2t>0 for all t) to reduce the complexity of an expression to a form where bounds on the temperature of a container of ice cream are made apparent.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Graphs of Quadratic Functions:

Students compare graphs of different quadratic functions, then produce equations of their own to satisfy given conditions.

This exploration can be done in class near the beginning of a unit on graphing parabolas. Students need to be familiar with intercepts, and need to know what the vertex is. It is effective after students have graphed parabolas in vertex form (y=a(x–h)2+k), but have not yet explored graphing other forms.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Seeing Dots:

The purpose of this task is to identify the structure in the two algebraic expressions by interpreting them in terms of a geometric context. Students will have likely seen this type of process before, so the principal source of challenge in this task is to encourage a multitude and variety of approaches, both in terms of the geometric argument and in terms of the algebraic manipulation.

Type: Problem-Solving Task

Tutorial

Power of a Power Property:

This tutorial demonstrates how to use the power of a power property with both numerals and variables.

Type: Tutorial