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Mathematics - Secondary Curriculum Secondary Mathematics I
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Strand: NUMBER AND QUANTITY - Quantities (N.Q)

Reason quantitatively and use units to solve problems. Working with quantities and the relationships between them provides grounding for work with expressions, equations, and functions (Standards N.Q.1-3).

Standard N.Q.1

Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays.

  • Access Ramp - Student Task
    This task has students design an access ramp, which complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements and include pricing based on local costs.
  • Felicia's Drive
    This Illustrative Mathematics task provides students the opportunity to make use of units to find the gas need to make some sensible approximations.
  • Fuel Efficiency
    Sadie has a cousin Nanette in Germany. Both families recently bought new cars and the two girls are comparing how fuel efficient the two cars are. Sadie tells Nanette that her family's car is getting 42 miles per gallon. Nanette has no idea how that compares to her famiy's car because in Germany mileage is measured differently. She tells Sadie that her family's car uses 6 liters per 100 km. Which car is more fuel efficient?
  • Harvesting the Fields
    This is a challenging Illustrative Mathematics task, suitable for extended work, and reaching into a deep understanding of units. The task requires students to exhibit MP1, Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
  • How Much is a Penny Worth?
    The price of copper fluctuates. Between 2002 and 2011, there were times when its price was lower than $1.00 per pound and other times when its priace was higher than $4.00 per pound. Copper pennies minted between 1962 and 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc by weight, and each penny weighs 3.11 grams. At what price per pound of copper does such a penny contain exactly one cent worth of copper?
  • Ice Cream Van
    The purpose of this Illustrative Mathematics task is to engage students, probably working in groups, in a substantial and open-ended modeling problem. Students will have to brainstorm or research several relevant quantities, and incorporate these values into their solutions.
  • Introduction to the Materials (Math 1)
    Introduction to the Materials in the Mathematics One of the The MVP classroom experience begins by confronting students with an engaging task and then invites them to grapple with solving it. As students ideas emerge, take form, and are shared, the teacher orchestrates the student discussions and explorations towards a focused mathematical goal. As conjectures are made and explored, they evolve into mathematical concepts that the community of learners begins to embrace as effective strategies for analyzing and solving problems.
  • Lesson Starter: Solving Math Problems with a Team
    Students will work in teams to solve mathematical problems; they listen to the reasoning of others and offer correction with supporting arguments; they modify their own arguments when corrected; they learn from mistakes and make repeated attempts at solving problems.
  • Module 4: Equations & Inequalities - Student Edition (Math 1)
    The Mathematics Vision Project, Secondary Math One Module 4, Equations and Inequalities, students use units in combinations to define new variables for use in modeling with equations and inequalities, and interpret expressions that are the result of combining units.
  • Module 4: Equations & Inequalities - Teacher Notes (Math 1)
    The Mathematics Vision Project, Secondary Math One Module 4 Teacher Notes, Equations and Inequalities, students use units in combinations to define new variables for use in modeling with equations and inequalities, and interpret expressions that are the result of combining units.
  • NUMBER & QUANTITY - Quantities (N.Q) - Sec Math I Core Guide
    The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and educators around the state of Utah developed these guides for the Secondary Mathematics I - Quantities (N.Q).
  • Runners' World
    This Illustrative Mathematics task provides students with an opportunity to engage in Standard for Mathematical Practice 6, attending to precision. It intentionally omits some relevant information. The incompleteness of the problem statement makes the task more amenable to having students do work in groups.
  • Selling Fuel Oil at a Loss
    This Illustrative Mathematics task is a modeling problem which ties in to financial decisions faced routinely by businesses, namely the balance between maintaining inventory and raising short-term capital for investment or re-investment in developing the business.
  • Solar Radiation Model
    The task is a seemingly straightforward modeling task that can lead to more involved tasks if the instructor expands on it. In this task, students also have to interpret the units of the input and output variables of the solar radiation function.
  • Traffic Jam
    Last Sunday an accident caused a traffic jam 12 miles long on a straight stretch of a two lane freeway. How many vehicles do you think were in the traffic jam? Explain your thinking and show all calculations.
  • Weed killer
    The principal purpose of this Illustrative Mathematics task is to explore a real-world application problem with algebra, working with units and maintaining reasonable levels of accuracy throughout.


UEN logo http://www.uen.org - in partnership with Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and Utah System of Higher Education (USHE).  Send questions or comments to USBE Specialist - Lindsey  Henderson and see the Mathematics - Secondary website. For general questions about Utah's Core Standards contact the Director - Jennifer  Throndsen.

These materials have been produced by and for the teachers of the State of Utah. Copies of these materials may be freely reproduced for teacher and classroom use. When distributing these materials, credit should be given to Utah State Board of Education. These materials may not be published, in whole or part, or in any other format, without the written permission of the Utah State Board of Education, 250 East 500 South, PO Box 144200, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-4200.