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Topic: Continuous /Discreet Graphing
Related Item: http://mathforum.org/mathtools/tool/13171/


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Subject:   RE: Continuous /Discreet Graphing
Author: Craig
Date: Jun 26 2006
One interesting thing you can do with this tool (since you mention discrete
graphing) is have students demonstrate limitations of discrete graphs.  For
example, if one runner's step size is 5 and the other runner's is 2, then it
might be possible for one to pass the other without being at the same place at
the same time.  You can ask students to explain what happens, and why it worked
that way.  This might be a bit advanced for 7th graders, but it might be
interesting for them to think about!

Start Runner 1:  10
Step Runner 1:    5
Start Runner 2:  20
Step Runner 2:    2

Runner 1 catches up with runner 2 at "step 3.33," but in the applet all that is
observed is that at step 3, runner 2 is behind, but at step 4, she is ahead.
Advanced students might try to come up with their own scenarios for this.

I had students in my Algebra 1 class make flip books that work just like the
applet--they positioned two objects (for some reason, tortoise and hare were
popular) on each page, and advanced one "step" per page.  Fun for the students,
fun to grade!
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