Lesson 8

By now, students have had multiple opportunities to interpret graphs of functions and to create them (primarily by plotting known input-output pairs of a function or by using descriptions of the situation). Students have also acquired essential vocabulary to communicate about graphs of functions, and used average rate of change as a way to measure how a function changes.

In this lesson, students apply these insights and skills to interpret or create graphs of functions that are less well defined and that model real-life situations that are more complex. The lesson includes two main activities about flag-raising and two optional activities that use other contexts.

Information about the functions is presented in the form of verbal descriptions, video clips, and images. More ambiguity is involved here than in cases students have previously encountered, so they will need to persevere in sense making and problem solving (MP1). At times, the information given may be inadequate, so students will need to make assumptions and decisions in order to produce graphs that show the desired behaviors or meet certain requirements. Along the way, students engage in important aspects of mathematical modeling (MP4).

Devices are required for the digital version of the extension in the first main activity, Flag Raising (Part 1).

Prepare access to the video clips needed in the second main activity, Flag Raising (Part 2), and in the second optional activity, The Bouncing Ball.