Making Connections
If algebra is about seeing patterns and making connections, how can we connect number, geometry & algebra? One approach... think about the number 180; 180 degrees on a straight line 180 degrees is the sum of the interior angles in a triangle 180 degrees in a semicircle 180 is an even number and a multiple of 10 180 in standard form looks like this 1.8 x 10 ^2 Is 180 a happy or an unhappy number? What pairs of numbers add up to 180? How many different pairs can you find? What patterns can you see? How do you know if you have found all the pairs? A spreadsheet is one way for students to experiment : Use the View> Show Formula option to introduce students to the algebraic logic behind spreadsheet formulae How could we draw this? How else could we draw this? How could this be written using symbols? 120 + 60 or 120 + 60 = 180 Target 180 Two numbers add to 180. If I know one number what could the other number be? Use a table like this as