Q&A #19545  Graphing lines (slope/intercept)   View entire
discussion  From: Claire (for Teacher2Teacher Service) Date: May
17, 2008 at 19:49:25 Subject: Re: Graphing lines
(slope/intercept)  Hi, Sandy --  Thanks for writing to T2T. To
introduce linear equations to anyone, I'd first start with a
concrete situation that could be modeled that way. The most
important thing is to understand the concept of what a linear
function is, that something changes by a constant amount at each
stage. That gives meaning to the equations and graphs.  My
favorite way is to use pattern blocks, one shape at a time, and
connect them together in a train, keeping track of the perimeter
of the resulting rectangles at each stage. With students I use
the context of banquet tables, asking them to find how many
people can sit at tables formed by pushing, say, square tables
together.  No. of squares   Perimeter 1                   4 2
6 You lose two units where they connect. 3                   8 4
10 5