Tues 12/8

Today we examined diagonals in two dimensional shapes with Lesson 6.5. We learned that you can use the Pythagorean Theorem to find unknown diagonal lengths, as long as you can find a (sometimes hidden)right triangle in the larger shape to help you.

Need some help? Be sure to ask The Community!

Homework: Finish textbook pages 360-362

Wed 12/3

Today we spent some time reviewing for Common Assessment #3, which we'll take on Monday. A study guide is available in the Document Locker.

Here's the activity we did in class today. We worked through a few of these in class. You're welcome to finish the others on your own as part of your preparation.

Homework: Study for Common Assessment #3

Wed. 12/2

We continued our investigation of the powers of the Pythagorean Theorem today with Lesson 6.3.

Need some help? Be sure to ask The Community!

Homework: Finish textbook pages 344-348 (all)

Tues 12/1

Today we investigated the Converse of the Pythagorean Theorem with Lesson 6.2.

Need some help? Be sure to ask The Community! 

Homework: Textbook pages 339-342 (#4-6 & #11-12)

Wed 11/18

Today we continued the Pythagorean Theorem Lesson 6.1. and discovered the application in real world situations.  Complete homework from the lesson.

Homework: Page 334 Prob # 5. Be sure to read the instructions carefully.

Tues 11/10

We worked on a piecewise function activity in class today (instead of Lesson 4.5). It was awesome!

When we come back from our Veteran's Day holiday, we'll be taking the Chapter 4 Test on Friday. Be sure to study your pre-test, your chapter summary pages, and all the homework and class work from Chapter 4 to get yourself ready!

Need some help? The Community is here and ready to assist!



Homework: Finish the Piecewise Function Activity worksheet

Wed 11/4

We finished Lesson 4.3 today and are now proficient with both the standard form and the slope-intercept form for linear equations, includingconverting from one form to the other.

Homework: Rates of Change worksheet

Tues 11/2

Today we worked with equations written in standard form in the first half of Lesson 4.3.

Homework: TB pg 240 (#6a); Don't forget to use what you learned on #1-4 to help you!

Wed 10/28

We jumped into Chapter 4 today with Lesson 4.1 in class. We did problem 1 in groups and went over solutions together in class today.

Your homework is to do the Problem 2 worksheet to determine . . . will he catch him?

Here is the correct solutions for #4 on your homework tonight (in slope-intercept form):

y = 4/5x - 8

You'll need #4 to be correct in order to successfully complete the rest of the assignment.

Homework: Finish the Problem 2 worksheet

Thur 10/22

Today we finished the second half of Lesson 3.6, which focused on equations in standard form.

If you get stuck your homework tonight (it's definitely athinking assignment), remember you can use the Community to get some extra help.

Homework: Finish textbook pages 203-206 (#1-8, skip #2)

Wednesday HW Solutions: Equations in Slope-Intercept Form worksheet answer key

Wed 10/21

We learned three major things in the first half of Lesson 3.6 today:

• How to graph a function using slope-intercept form,
• How to write an equation in slope-intercept form given only the slope and a point, and
• How to write an equation in slope-intercept form given only two points

Tonight's homework focuses on the second two skills.

If you need some help on tonight's homework, check out the examples on pages 198 and 199 and the videos above! They'll show you exactly what to do with the info you have to determine the y-intercept and the slope. You can also post up where you need help in the Community.

Parents: After you child has reviewed the examples on those two pages, have them explain to you the process to find the equation of a line 1) given the slope and a point, and 2) given only two points. If they can explain their strategy in their own words, you know they're ready for their homework.

10/20

Today we finished Lesson 3.5 and can now determine the y-intercept from a graph, a table, a context, and an equation.

Parents: Ask your child to explain to you how to find the y-intercept in each of the four representations above. Have them show you an example of each in their textbook. If they can explain their process and their thinking, you know they've got it!

Homework: Textbook pages 192-194 "Talk the Talk" (#1-6)

Thurs 10/15

Today we learned how to find the y-intercept in a graph, table, context, and equation in Lesson 3.5. We did the first half of the lesson, and will finish it next week.

We'll be taking Common Assessment #2 Monday. Be sure to study all of Chapter 2 This weekend, and the first half of Chapter 3 (everything we've learned so far), so that you arrive fully prepared tomorrow. If you have any questions, post them up in the Community and we'll help you out!

Homework: Determining Y-Intercepts worksheet

wed 10/14

We finished our look at finding the rate of change / slope of an equation today in the second half of Lesson 3.4. We discovered that it's always a two step process:

1. Get the equation into
   y = mx + b format
2. The slope is the coefficient of x

Tues 10/13

Today we learned how to find the slope (also known as rate of change) from an equation in Lesson 3.4. We learned that when an equation is written in slope-intercept form, the coefficient in front of the variable x represents the slope. To find the slope, all we have to do is rewrite any equation in slope-intercept form!

Don't forget to check your class work with the answers linked above.

Homework: Slope from Equations Worksheet

Thurs 10/8

Today we tackled Lesson 3.3, which focused our attention on finding the rate of change and unit rate from a context.

We learned that there's not a set formula or method to solving these -it's all about thinking critically, evaluating what you'd need to know to answer the question, and using the clues given to determine the rate.

Homework: Textbook pages 167-170 (#6, 7, 9,)

Wed 10/7

We finished our look at rates of change from a table today with the last part of Lesson 3.2. The focus today was on tables that may or may not represent linear functions, and what it takes to tell the difference.

Homework: Textbook pages 160-161

Tues. 10/6

Today we continued our look at finding the rate of change and unit rate from a table with Lesson 3.2. We're now proficient with both informal and formal methods.

Sometimes, some students get tripped up not with the rate of change methods, but in adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers. If you need to brush up on those skills, use the daily practice links at the side to become an integer master!

Homework: Textbook pages 148-149

Thurs 10/1

Today we learned how to find the rate of change from a table with Lesson 3.2. We learned both an informal method (arrows) and a formal method (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1).

Be sure to practice the formal method on your homework tonight, as it's a more powerful way to determine a correct answer without error!
Don't forgets Steelers Tonight!!! After Homework!

Homework: Textbook page 154

Wed 9/30

We finished Lesson 3.1 in class today. All students should now be experts indetermining the rate of change and unit rate from a graph. Please remember to use the solutions linked above to check and correct your classwork and homework.

Be sure you understand and can use the key terms from this lesson:

• rate
• rate of change
• per
• unit rate
• rise
• run

Homework: Textbook page 143

Tues 9/29

Today we took a look at Lesson 3.1 in more detail, learning the four-step process to determine the rate of change from a graph.

Parents: Ask your child to describe the four-step process for finding the rate of change from a graph. If they're not quite confident, you'll know they need to review pages 133-134 before beginning their homework.

Homework: Finish textbook pages 137-139

Thurs 9/24

Congrats on finishing a quick, but productive, week! Enjoy your three-and-a-half-day weekend. :-D

Also, don't forget that the MATHia grading period closes on Friday night at midnight. Have you met your goals yet?

Tues 9/22

Together, you took a look at non-linear functions with Lesson 2.7. This completes our introduction to functions, and brings us to the Chapter 2 test.

Math 8 teachers will be available in The Community tonight from 7:30 to 8:30 to answer any questions you have about Chapter 2. All you have to do is log on and post a question, and we'll get right back to you!

Be sure to study tonight, review the key concepts with the Chapter 2 Summary, carefully study the Chapter 2 Pre-Test, and prepare all of your work for tomorrow's test (it's an open book, open assignment test). We want everyone to be successful, so please do your part. Come prepared!

Homework: Textbook page 114 "Talk the Talk"; Study for the test!

Thurs. 9/17

We finished Lesson 2.6 today, which now completes our analysis of linear functions. We should now be able to tellall the scenarios when U.S. Shirts is the better buy, and when Hot Shirts is the better buy (and be able to defend our reasoning to our boss!).
If there's anything from today's class work that didn't get finished in class or needs to be improved, please fix it up at home and feel free to check your answers with the link above. Get into the routine of checking your work at home daily and you'll find studying for tests and doing your homework is much easier!
Homework: Finish textbook pages 105-106

Wed 9/16

Today we continued our look at linear functions, equations, tables, and graphs with the first part ofLesson 2.6 and wrapped up the last part of Lesson 2.5.

We discovered that we've got a competitor in the shirt-making marketplace and our boss has tasked us with some analysis.

Homework: Textbook pages 96-97 "Talk the Talk"

Tuesday HW Solutions: Simplifying Expressions WS answer key

Tues 9/15

We finished Lesson 2.5 today, which focused on the shared relationships of equations, tables, and graphs. Be sure to review the solutions to today's class work to make sure you're on the right track and fully mastering all of these different skills.

Homework: Green Worksheet: Combining Like Terms

Thurs 9/10

We dove into linear functions today with Lesson 2.4. We took a look at how word problems, constants, variables, tables, expressions, equations, graphs, domains, and ranges are connected.

Tomorrow we'll be taking Common Assessment #1. Be sure to study tonight, to get a good night's sleep, and to eat a nutritious breakfast tomorrow. We want everyone to be successful!
Homework: Textbook pages 89-90 (#1-6)

Wed. 9/9

We finished our introduction to relations and functions today with the second half of Lesson 2.3. On to linear functions tomorrow, and our first common assessment on Friday!

Reminder: If you'd like to retake your chapter 1 test to improve your grade you can do so during lunch any day this week. The deadline is Friday.

Homework: Summarize what we learned yesterday and today, using and explaining all key terms (there are 10).

Tues 9/8

Today we began our look at relations and functions with the first half of Lesson 2.3. We'll finish the second half of the lesson tomorrow.

We'll also be taking Common Assessment #1 on Friday. It'll cover all the topics learned in Chapter 1. A study guide has been uploaded to the Documents Locker. The study guide, textbook chapter summary, and chapter 1 test will be your best study tools.

Parents: Ask your students about relations, functions, input, output, x values, y values, domain, range, mappings, and sets today to determine how much they learned. There were a lot of new key terms presented today that we want them to master.

Homework: Textbook pg 72 (#4-9)

Thurs.9/3

Today in class we finished our look at making sense of graphs and how they apply to the real world with the second half of Lesson 2.2.


Homework: TB pgs 64-65 #4 (a-d)

Wed. 9/2

We looked at the first part of Lesson 2.2 today, which focused on the characteristics of graphs. By now you should be able to explain the following terms in your own words:

• discrete graph
• continuous graph
• linear graph
• collinear points
• non-linear graph

Parents: Ask your student to describe each graph shown here (also available on pages 57 & 58 in our textbook) using the terms and methods learned today. If they can do it without using any resources, you know they mastered the lesson! 

Homework: Summarize what we learned today, using and explaining all key terms. Extra credit: Post your summary in The Community to share with your peers!

Tues 9/1

Today you jumped into Chapter 2 with Lesson 2.1, which focused on sequences with Mr. Simpson. We learned today that often times you have to do a lot of critical thinking and deep analysis to write sequences and discover patterns, clues, and rules. 

Tonight's homework will require this kind of careful consideration. Feel free to use all tools at your disposal (drawings, charts, tables, whatever!). Remember to think first about what the problem is asking you to do (is it only one thing, or more than one thing?). Then consider what you know, and what clues may have been left for you. The next step is to come up with a plan to solve.
I will return back on Wed.

Thurs. 8/27

We took our Chapter 1 test today in class. Those would were unable to complete the test, will be able to complete on Fri.

Parents: I look forward to seeing you tonight at Back to School Night! Classroom presentations begin at 6:30. Please ask your students for the schedule they wrote for you on Wednesday; it's a goldenrod sheet. 

Wed 8/26

Today we wrapped upLesson 1.3 with another look at writing and solving multi-step linear equations.

Be sure to check today's classwork at the link above. Solutions for the homework are also available here, but they do you no good if you don't do the thinking for yourself first! Try your best, then check and correct any mistakes you might have made. No shortcuts.

We'll be taking our Chapter 1 test tomorrow. Be sure to go back and study Lessons 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 to get yourself fully prepared! Doing math is always better thank looking at math. :-)

Homework: Textbook page 30 (#6-7)

Tues 8/25

We began the first half of Lesson 1.3 in class today, which was additional work with writing equations and solving equations. We worked through Problem 1 in class today and the first two parts of Problem 2. Be sure to double-check your class work with the lesson linked in the first sentence.

Your homework tonight is very similar to the class work problems, so make sure to have it out as a guide when working on homework tonight! The most important part of your homework is your thinking and effort. It may be tough, so just do your best and remember to check your answers afterwards to clear up any mistakes you made. Mistakes are fine, as long as you learn from them, and do the thinking on your own the first time.

Homework: Textbook page 28 (#3-4)