CLASSROOM CHALLENGES
A Formative Assessment Lesson
Forming Quadratics
Forming Quadratics
MATHEMATICAL GOALS
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:
Understanding how the factored form of the function can identify a graphs roots.
Understanding how the completed square form of the function can identify a graphs maximum or
minimum point.
Understanding how the standard form of the function can identify a graphs intercept.
INTRODUCTION
The lesson is structured in the following way:
Before the lesson, students work individually on an assessment task that is designed to reveal
their current understandings and difficulties. You then review their work, and create questions for
students to answer in order to improve their solutions.
After a whole-class discussion, students return to their original assessment tasks and try to
improve their own responses.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Each individual student will need two copies of the assessment task Quadratic Functions and a
mini-whiteboard, pen, and eraser, or graph paper.
Each pair of students will need Domino Cards 1 and Domino Cards 2, cut horizontally into ten
dominoes.
TIME NEEDED
15 minutes before the lesson, and 80-minute lesson (or two 40-minute lessons.) Timings are
approximate and will depend on the needs of the class.
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-1
Student Materials
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a.
"
b.
Q(....,....)
R (....,....)
S (....,....)
2. The graph of a quadratic function has a y intercept at (0,5) and a minimum at (3, !4).
a.
b.
S-1
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-2
Common issues
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-3
one of which one has two roots, the other one or none;
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-4
Factored Form:
1. y = x2 10x + 24
2. y = (x 4)(x 6)
3. y = (x 5)2 1
The y-intercept is at the point (0,24). The graph has a minimum, because the
coefficient of x is positive.
Equation 2.
The graph has a minimum and has roots at (4,0) and (6,0).
Equation 3.
5. y = 2(x + 4)(x 5)
What is the same and what is different about the graphs of these two equations? How do you
know?
For example, students may answer:
Equation 2 will be steeper than Equation 1 (for the same x value Equation 2s y value will be
double that of Equation 1).
Forming Quadratics
T-5
Place Card H on your desk. Figure out, which of the two remaining cards should be placed to the
right of card H and which should be placed to its left.
A
2
y = x + 2x " 35
............................
............................
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y = x " 8x + 15
y = "x " 6x + 16
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y = (x " 4) " 1
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"
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$%&!'()
y = "(x + 3) 2 + 25
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-6
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You have two tasks during small-group work: to make a note of student approaches to the task, and
support student problem solving.
Make a note of student approaches to the task
Notice how students make a start on the task, where they get stuck, and how they respond if they do
come to a halt. You can use this information to focus a whole-class discussion towards the end of the
lesson.
Support student problem solving
Try not to make suggestions that move students towards a particular approach to this task. Instead,
ask questions to help students clarify their thinking. If several students in the class are struggling with
the same issue, write a relevant question on the board. You might also ask a student who has
performed well on a particular part of the task to help a struggling student.
The following questions and prompts may be helpful:
Which form of the function makes it easy to determine the coordinates of the roots
/y-intercept/turning point of the parabola?
How many roots does this function have? How do you know? How are these shown on the graph?
Will this function be shaped like a hill or a valley? How do you know?
Sharing work (5 minutes)
As students finish matching the cards, ask one student from each group to visit another groups desk.
If you are staying at your desk, be ready to explain the reasons for your groups matches.
If you are visiting another group, write your card matches on a piece of paper. Go to another
groups desk and check to see which matches are different from your own.
If there are differences, ask for an explanation. If you still dont agree, explain your own thinking.
When you return to your own desk, you need to consider as a pair whether to make any changes
to your own work.
You may want to use Slide P-2 of the projector resource to display these instructions.
Collaborative work: completing the equations (15 minutes)
Now you have matched all the domino cards, I would like you to use the information on the
graphs to fill in the missing equations and parts of equations.
You shouldnt need to do any algebraic manipulation!
Support the students as in the first collaborative activity.
For students who are struggling ask:
This equation is in standard form but the final number is missing. Looking at its graph, what is
the value for y when x is zero? How can you use this to complete the standard form equation?
You need to add the factored form equation. Looking at its graph, what is the value for x when y
is zero? How can you use this to complete the factored form equation?
Sharing work (5 minutes)
When students have completed the task, ask the student who has not already visited another pair to
check their answers those of another pair of students. Students are to share their reasoning as they did
earlier in the lesson unit.
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-7
Extension work
If a pair of students successfully completes the task then they could create their own dominos using
the reverse side of the existing ones. To do this students will need to use algebraic manipulation to
figure out all three forms of the function. Once students have written on all the dominos they should
give them to another pair to match up. This is a demanding task so you may want to limit the number
of dominos students use.
Whole-class discussion: overcoming misconceptions (10 minutes)
Organize a discussion about what has been learned. The intention is to focus on the relationships
between the different representations of quadratic functions, not checking that everyone gets the right
answers.
Ella, where did you place this card? How did you decide?
Ben, can you put that into your own words?
What are the missing equations for this graph? How did you work them out?
Did anyone use a different method?
Improving individual solutions to the assessment task (10 minutes)
Return to the students their original assessment Quadratic Functions, as well as a second blank copy
of the task.
Look at your original responses and think about what you have learned this lesson.
Using what you have learned, try to improve your work.
If you have not added questions to individual pieces of work, then write your list of questions on the
board. Students should select from this list only the questions they think are appropriate to their own
work.
If you find you are running out of time, then you could set this task in the next lesson or for
homework.
SOLUTIONS
Assessment task: Quadratic Functions
1.
a. A matches 3, because it has two positive roots and a positive y-intercept.
B matches 4, because it has one positive and one negative root.
C matches 1, because it is the only function with no roots.
D matches 2 because it is the only function with a maximum value.
2.
b.
a.
y = (x 3)2 4 or y = x2 6x + 5
b.
y = (x 5)(x 1). The function crosses the x-axis at (5,0) and (1,0).
Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-8
A
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y = x 2 + 2x " 35
y = (x " 5)(x + 7)
y = (x +1) 2 " 36
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y = x 2 " 8x +15
y = (x " 3)(x " 5)
y = (x " 4) 2 "1
!"
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y = x 2 "16
y = (x " 4)(x + 4)
y = (x " 0) 2 "16
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!"
y = x 2 + 8x +15
y = (x + 5)(x + 3)
y = (x + 4) 2 "1
#$%!&
y = x 2 " 8x +17
No roots
y = (x " 4) 2 +1
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!
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y = x2
y = (x " 0)(x " 0)
y = (x " 0) 2 + 0
Teacher guide
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"
y = "(x + 3) 2 + 25
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!!!$
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Forming Quadratics
"""#
T-9
"#$%&
y = x 2 " 8x +16
y = (x " 4)(x " 4)
y = (x " 4) 2 + 0
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(%'
'
!"#$%&'(
y = "x 2 + 8x -15
y = "(x " 3)(x " 5)
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y = "(x " 4) 2 +1
I
1
y = " x 2 + 4 x " 7.5
2
(x " 3)(x " 5)
y="
2
(x " 4) 2 1
y="
+
2
2
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Teacher guide
Forming Quadratics
T-10
Quadratic Functions
1. Here are 4 equations of quadratic functions and 4 sketches of the graphs of quadratic functions.
A. y = x 2 " 6x + 8
1.
a.
B. y = (x " 6)(x + 8)
2.
C. y = (x " 6) 2 + 8
3.
4.
b.
Q(....,....)
R (....,....)
S (....,....)
2. The graph of a quadratic function has a y intercept at (0,5) and a minimum at (3, 4).
a.
b.
Student Materials
Quadratics Functions
2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
S-1
Domino Cards: 1
A
y = x 2 + 2x " 35
y = .......................
y = .......................
B
y = x 2 + 8x..........
y = ......................
y = (x + 4)2 "1
C
y = x 2 " 8x..........
y = (x " 4)(x " 4)
y = .......................
y = "x 2 + 8x..........
y = .........................
y = "x 2 " 6x + 16
y = "(x + 8)(x " 2)
y = "(x + 3)2 + 25
Student Materials
Quadratics Functions
2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
S-2
Domino Cards: 2
F
y = x 2 ..................
y = (x " 4)(x + 4)
y = ......................
G
y = x 2 " 8x........
No roots
y = ......................
y = x 2 " 8x +15
y = (x " 3)(x " 5)
1
y = " x 2 + 4x..........
2
( x " 3)( x " 5)
y ="
2
y = ............................
y = x2
y = .....................
y = .....................
Student Materials
Quadratics Functions
2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
S-3
Matching Dominos
Take turns at matching pairs of dominos that you think belong
together.
Each time you do this, explain your thinking clearly and carefully to
your partner.
It is important that you both understand the matches. If you don't
agree or understand, ask your partner to explain their reasoning.
You are both responsible for each other s learning.
On some cards an equation or part of an equation is missing. Do not
worry about this, as you can carry out this task without this
information.
Projector Resources
Forming Quadratics
P-1
Sharing Work
If you are staying at your desk, be ready to explain the reasons for your
group's matches.
Projector Resources
Forming Quadratics
P-2
CLASSROOM CHALLENGES
We are grateful to the many teachers, in the UK and the US, who trialed earlier versions
of these materials in their classrooms, to their students, and to
Judith Mills, Carol Hill, and Alvaro Villanueva who contributed to the design.
This development would not have been possible without the support of
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
We are particularly grateful to
Carina Wong, Melissa Chabran, and Jamie McKee
2012 MARS, Shell Center, University of Nottingham
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