We began the day by continuing our activities with the TI-Rover. When we finished, we looked at simulating some rover activity with Turtle graphics. The link is below.
We then looked at some links. The first was a link to video tutorials on using the TI-84 Plus CE. The second included links for various extra technology like USB Hubs and cables.
We reviewed some of our skills from previous days by working some problems from released copies of the TCAP. While working these problems, we took a look at the Numeric Solver. The Numeric Solver will solve equations of multiple variables if all but one value is known. We accessed the Numeric Solver by pressing MATH and UP.
We then examined some of the APPs on the TI-84 using problems to guide us. We looked at the INEQUALZ app to solve a linear programming problem. We used the PolySimul2 app to solve a system of linear equations. Emily then demonstrated how to store matrices into the calculator and use these to solve linear systems by calculating the RREF of the matrix from the matrix menu. Christina pointed out the matrices could be entered without a name by using ALPHA TRACE.
We practiced mixing pencil and calculator by examining the possible rational roots of a polynomial and we looked at investigating the average rate of change of a function both numerically and graphically by using GRAPH-TABLE mode which is found using the MODE key.
We continued the day by looking at some position-time graphs and talking about the 5 Practices for Orchestrating Productive Mathematics Discussions by Margaret Smith and Mary Kay Stein.
We finished by splitting up into groups by school to have discussion of technology practices and skills needed for each course and vertically planning how these should arise through the curriculum.