Day 3: Math 2

The Math of Roller Coasters - Key Features of Graphs of Quadratic Equations

Mathematics Learning Objectives:
Students will be able to transform a parabola using vertex form.
Students will be able to describe the domain and range of a parabola.
Students will be able to determine where a parabola is increasing or decreasing.
Students will be able to identify where the parabola is positive and negative.
Language Objectives:
1. Language Function: Explain
2. Vocabulary and Symbols: Domain, Range, Increasing, Decreasing, Positive, Negative, Vertex, Minimum,
Maximum, Roots, Translation, Vertex Form
3. Mathematical Precision: Students will be able to explain where a function is increasing or decreasing and
positive or negative. Students will be able to explain what the domain and range values are. Students will be
able to explain where the vertex is using a graph and an equation in vertex form.
4. Syntax: Students will learn how to write a quadratic in vertex form and how to write the domain, range,
increasing, decreasing, positive, and negative.
5. Language Supports: Students are asked to use the language frequently and consider the vocabulary with
graphs and equations.
Essential Question:
What are important features and characteristics of quadratic equations? How do I write these formally?
North Carolina Mathematics Standards:
NC.M2.F-IF.7 Analyze functions using different representations.
Analyze quadratic, square root, and inverse variation functions by generating different representations, by hand
in simple cases and using technology for more complicated cases, to show key features, including: domain and
range; intercepts; intervals where the function is increasing, decreasing, positive, or negative; rate of change;
maximums and minimums; symmetries; and end behavior.
NC.M2.F-BF.3 Build new functions from existing functions. Understand the effects of the graphical and
tabular representations of a linear, quadratic, square root, and inverse variation function f with 𝑘 ∙ 𝑓(𝑥), 𝑓(𝑥) +
𝑘, 𝑓(𝑥 + 𝑘) for specific values of 𝑘 (both positive and negative).
Common Core State Mathematical Practice Standards:
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 – Look for and make use of structure.
CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP8 – Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Materials:
Slide 9 of these Google Slides: Individual computers
https://tinyurl.com/ybqve287 SMART Board or projector to share student
Desmos Activity: https://tinyurl.com/yc44vfp8 responses in teacher view
Class Code for Desmos Activity: WYFQY7 Handouts/Guided Notes for Discussion
Student access: www.student.desmos.com
Differentiation: This lesson gives the student with Autism a chance to interact with others when they want.
This student will also receive the filled in notes. The student with dyslexia and dysgraphia will receive copy of
the notes and will be paired with the student that they work best with. The student that is an English Language
Learner has the opportunity to practice speaking and using the vocabulary.
Notes to the reader: Today we will look at how to stretch a quadratic equation and formalize their findings on
features of parabolas. The next learning segment will build off of these concepts. Students will work more in
applications of quadratic equations and will need this knowledge.
Time: 90 minutes
Time What is the teacher doing? What are students doing?
3 Launch Goal: To prepare students to work on Participate in launch activities.
mins the task for the day exploring key features of
quadratic equations with any a  0. Some students may know what Slalom is because
During the winter Olympics, there is a sport they watched the winter Olympics this year.
called Slalom. The goal is for skiers to ski Some students may not know what this is, so be
between a set of gates throughout a path. We are sure to explain it and show a picture.
going to “ski” through several gates as well using
quadratic equations. Ask them to open Desmos
10 Warm-up 1 & 2 Goal: For students to think Students will work through the first two slides in
mins about how the parabola would have to change, Desmos.
either stretching, reflecting, or translating, to go
between the set points.
Use pacing Example in instructional resources.
Explain that the dots color themselves in when
the parabola goes through the set.
Ask students how they knew what they needed to Some students may say they had to “flip” it, drag
do to the parabola when they were working. the points out, or stretch the parabola.
Keep note of what students are doing on their
computers. If any students have inaccurate
responses, keep an eye on them throughout the
lesson because they may need additional support
when thinking about what they need to do to the
parabola. They may need to talk out their ideas.
10 Challenge #1 Goal: For students to determine an Example in instructional resources. Encourage
mins equation of a parabola that would go between the students to use vertex form.
points (0, -4) and (3, -4).
Use pacing. If students are struggling to come up Students may say it needs to move down or move
with a solution, ask them to think about the right. They may say that the vertex should be on
concavity, vertex, any shift right/left, up/down, the right or left side (both are valid, they just need
stretching, etc. Ask them to consider if they had to adjust accordingly). They may say that they
x^2 what they would need to do to it, to make need to make it concave down.
sure if went through that point.
Ask students to share their solution with a
neighbor while you check for graphs you want to
highlight using teacher mode.
Highlight 3 different answers (1 concave up, 1
concave down, 1 translation). Have students
discuss the concavity of the parabola, if they
translated it, reflected it, stretched it by using a
value for a  1 or 0. Ask them to identify vertex
10 Challenge #2 Goal: For students to think about Encourage students to use vertex form.
min stretching/dilating a parabola (0<a<1).
Using pacing
Ask students to think about what they would need Students may struggle to answer this question.
to do if they just had x^2 to work with. Reference Encourage them to try different values like whole
back to the second warm-up about stretching. numbers, fractions between 0 and 1, etc. They
What might make a parabola become wider? need to see the change for themselves.
Ask them to consider if the parabola needs to Unless they choose a very small fraction, they
translate (move right/left, up/down). will need to move the parabola up or down
Ask to consider if it needs to reflect over an axis. depending on their chosen concavity.
 Share 3 different examples (1 concave up, 1
concave down, 1 translated)
10 Challenge #3 & Reflect Goal: Students will
min think about stretching a parabola (a>1) and
potentially reflecting. Check-point to see what
students understand about roots.
Ask students to consider if it becomes wider or
more narrow than x^2. Ask them to consider how
they could make the parabola narrower if they
just used a fraction between 0 and 1 to make it
wider.
Ask students to consider if they need to translate
the parabola or reflect it.
Share 3 examples, using 1 concave up, 1 concave
down, 1 translated, 1 reflected.
Do not review reflection. Pull a small group of
students together after reviewing how they did if
they missed this problem to go over what they’re
missing.
15 Challenge 4 & 5
mins Goal: Students will practice with considering 3
gates for the parabola to pass through. This adds
more constraints to their thinking.
Ask if they need to change concavity.
Ask students to consider if the parabola would be
wider or more narrow than x^2 and what we just
found about how we could stretch or make a
parabola narrow.
Ask students to think about where the vertex
needs to be located.
Ask students to share their parabola and how they
knew what they needed to change.
10 Settle a Dispute & Create an Impossible
mins Slalom Goal: For students to critique these
answers and identify misconceptions.
Ask students to talk to their neighbor when
thinking about this parabola. Ask them to come
with an answer, justification, and be prepared to
share their thinking.
Poll the room for ideas about who they think is
right. Ask someone to share their reasoning from
each group. Begin with both, then Thea, then
Mario, then Neither. Have students ask questions
of each other and convince others of their ideas.
Ask students to apply what they have used and
consider how they could make a slalom that
would be impossible to complete with a parabola.
Share 3 different graphs and ask students to
explain their reasoning.
17 Review Activity and what we learned
mins
Some may decide this would be easier if they
reflected the parabola over the x-axis.
Example in instructional resources.
Students may say that it needs to become more
narrow. They will need to identify that since they
just used a fraction between 0 and 1 that they
should consider a whole number.
***Important to discuss when going through
guided notes why this happens.
Some may decide they do need to move it,
potentially using a vertex of (4, 6) if the parabola
is concave down.
Make sure students are reminded of the previous
roller coaster activities in identifying where it
would intersect at the x-axis.
4: concave down and 5: concave up.
4: multiply by a fraction. 5: multiply by a number
greater than or equal to 1.
The vertex will need to change in both. So they
need to translate the parabola.
They must share their thinking about what they
considered when creating the parabola.
Students will share their reasoning with a
neighbor for who is right in the dispute.
Students will answer about who they thought was
right by raising their hand. Ask a representative
of their group answer to share their thinking. Ask
someone from another group why they disagree
and to share their reasoning respectfully.
Students can talk with their neighbors to come up
with ideas and explain their thinking.
Standard: calculations, looks simpler
 Pull up quadratics to support students in Vertex: identifying vertex, line of symmetry, and
discussing ideas. where the graph was translated
Recall the different forms and ask why one might Factored: identifying roots/x-intercepts
be more useful than another.
Axis of symmetry? What do you notice? Goes through the vertex
Ask students to tell you everything they know Only crosses once, x-value of 0
about the y-intercept for a parabola
Would the parabola still be a function if it crossesWould not still be a function because one x-
the y-axis twice? value, 0, would have 2 y-values.
Ask what else the roots are called? x-intercepts
How do you know how many there are? What is Discriminant > 0, 2 real roots; Discriminant = 0,
the relationship between the discriminant and the 1 real root; Discriminant < 0, no real roots
graph. If 2, it crosses x-axis twice; if 1 vertex is located
on x-axis; if 0, the parabola doesn’t touch x-axis
How do you know the concavity of the parabola? Value of a.
If a is positive, is the graph concave up or down? Concave up.
If a is negative, is the graph concave up or down? Concave down.
If the absolute value of a is between 0 and 1, what Makes it wider. Y-values change at a slower rate
does it do to your graph? Why? than they would normally do for x^2.
If the absolute value of a is greater than 1, what It makes it more narrow. Y-values change at a
does it do to your graph? Why? faster rate than they would normally do for x^2.
Tell me about the turning point. If our graph is It’s called the vertex. Positive; minimum; if it’s
concave up, a is what? What would the vertex be concave up, the vertex is at the bottom, so it’s the
called? Why? If our graph is concave down, a is minimum. Negative; maximum; if it’s concave
what? What would the vertex be called? Why? down, the vertex is at the highest point, so it’s the
You said vertex form would be helpful for maximum
finding the vertex easily, so how would I know (h, k)
what the vertex is with the general vertex form at
the top of your paper?
What is our domain? How would you describe it? It’s all the values you’re allowed to put in.
What is the range? How would you describe it? It’s all the values you can get out. The graph can
help you see it.
How do I know where a parabola is increasing? You can look at the graph. They point to the first
Okay, show me where the graph below is example and it’s on the right half of the axis of
increasing. So what are your y-values doing as symmetry. The y-values are increasing.
your x-values increase?
Where is your parabola decreasing? Show me. If Left side of the axis of symmetry. The y-values
we move along as the x-values increase, so from are decreasing as the x-values increase.
left to right, what is happening to our y-values?
How do I know what region of my parabola is Positive above the x-axis, negative below the x-
positive or negative? axis.
Make sure students understand that the positive
region we describe as the x-values that have
positive y-values. The negative region we
describe as the x-values with negative y-values.
5 Students will complete an exit ticket by
mins identifying the vertex form, concavity, vertex,
max/min, line of symmetry, domain, range,
increasing, decreasing, positive, negative, x-
intercepts, and y-intercept.