Cynthia Lanius

Rectangle Pattern Challenges-

Teachers' Notes

This activity, written to comply with the NCTM Standards, and to support the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) uses a geometric pattern to teach that important concept of finding patterns and deriving a formula to fit the data.

Grade Levels: 7-12 (Even though finding the formulas might be too hard for lower grades, they can use part of the patterning activities)

Activity Procedures: In this lesson students will:

• Study 3 stages of a geometric pattern,
• Organize their information in a table,
• Look for number patterns,
• Write formulas and graph the relationships,
• Examine growth rates,
• Multiply polynomials, and
• Use formulas to make predictions.

Mathematics Topics: number patterns, relations, functions, formulas, graphing, linear and quadratic equations, constant differencing, symmetry.

Connecting Mathematics: Connects algebra and geometry.

Materials and media: Square grid paper, Internet access or print-out of activity, color tiles (optional)

Suggested Assessment: Questions with answers are provided, along with an explantion for finding the formulas. Evaluating student-created designs and tables provides an excellent form of assessment.

Answers.

Texas Curriculum Documentation:

• Algebra TEKS 111.32b
• TAAS 2a; 2f; 12a

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lanius@math.rice.edu