The quadratics project started off with a worksheet centered on area. It was called The corral variation problem, and we were essentially tasked with finding the corral that produced the largest area. And through that assignment we learned what vertex form was. (Vertex form is y=a(x-h)^2+k, where h is the x coordinate of the vertex,and k is the y coordinate). Then we moved into learning about standard form and how to derive each of them from a parabola. We also learned how to find the X and Y intercept in standard and vertex form, as well as how to stretch a parabola. We also learned about complex and imaginary numbers and how to add,subtract,multiply,and divide them. Overall we learned a lot of things about quadratics.
The purpose of the quadratics activity was for it us to prove our understanding of quadratics by choosing to find a parabola of something in real life. I chose Do Parabolas Play into Satellite Dishes? I found a cross section of a dish online and I edited it onto a coordinate plane. Then I found the equation by looking at the intercepts and then plugging those into the equation to find A.
I liked the freedom we had with this project to choose our own things to measure. I think doing the project like this made me do better work because it was more engaging. I think that if you would do this again, more should be added to this. It felt more like an assignment than a project, mainly because the artifact was a small piece of paper. Maybe we could have done presentations. Also maybe assign this before it was assigned this year, I felt it was a little late in the year to assign it.
The purpose of the quadratics activity was for it us to prove our understanding of quadratics by choosing to find a parabola of something in real life. I chose Do Parabolas Play into Satellite Dishes? I found a cross section of a dish online and I edited it onto a coordinate plane. Then I found the equation by looking at the intercepts and then plugging those into the equation to find A.
I liked the freedom we had with this project to choose our own things to measure. I think doing the project like this made me do better work because it was more engaging. I think that if you would do this again, more should be added to this. It felt more like an assignment than a project, mainly because the artifact was a small piece of paper. Maybe we could have done presentations. Also maybe assign this before it was assigned this year, I felt it was a little late in the year to assign it.