Chapter 3: Linear Functions Section 3: Slope as Rate of Change
Topics in Algebra 1 © 2001 Texas Instruments Teacher Notes 3-27
Activities (continued)
Car Trip Word Problem
Distance Rate
(0,0) to (10,6) .6 mi/min
(10,6) to (15,6) 0 mi/min
(15,6) to (20,0)
M
1.2 mi/min
Notice that the rate is positive going away from home. The rate is negative on the return part of
the trip indicating the direction of going back home.
³
Try-It!
é
on Your TI
.
83 Plus or TI
.
73
Note
: There is a
³
Try-It for the TI-83 Plus and one for the TI-73; they are on separate pages.
Students review using the calculator to compute the slope of a line containing two points. They
also see how to use the calculator to do conversions. The TI
-
73 has conversion functionality
whereas users of the TI
-
83 Plus have to know how to set up the conversion. See the Student
Worksheet for instructions.
1.
0.133 ft per sec
2.
3.5 phone calls per hour
Have students discuss the meaning of the rates and their choice of representation. For example,
is 3.5 phone calls per hour the most meaningful way of communicating the rate of change or is 7
phone calls every two hours a better way of describing the rate? Have students justify their
reasoning.
3. (TI-83 Plus) or
6.
(TI-73)
The space shuttle travels 288.7 times faster than a car
(17321.59091 m
à
hr
P
60 mi
à
hr)
.
Calculator Problems
Tell students to follow the steps exactly on the calculators. Example screens are displayed on
the worksheets for students to compare with the calculator screens.
Additional Problems
Students work problems by hand and check on calculator.
1.
80
2
3
ft
sec
= 6.80
ft
sec
2.
126
km
hr