Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Make Math Visual W Alg Tiles
Make Math Visual W Alg Tiles
Making
Mathematics
More Visual
Using
Algebra Tiles
We purposely placed Diamond Problems in Unit Zero, before arithmetic with integers is
investigated in Unit One. Use these problems as an informal assessment of current student
skills. Do not stop and teach the class how to add integers. This will be thoroughly introduced
early in Unit One.
With your study team, see if you can discover a pattern in the three diamonds below. In the fourth
diamond, if you know the numbers (#), can you find the unknowns (?) ? Explain how you would do
this. Note that "#" is a standard symbol for the word "number".
10 6 4 ?
5 2 2 3 -1 -4 # #
7 5 -5 ?
Patterns are an important problem solving skill we use in algebra. The patterns in Diamond Problems
will be used later in the course to solve algebraic problems.
Copy the Diamond Problems below and use the pattern you discovered to complete each of them.
a) b) c) d) e)
12 4 8
1
3 4 -2 -3
2
7 -6
[ xy = 12; [ xy = 6; [ x = 3; [ x = 8; [ x = -2;
x+y = 7 ] x+y = -5 ] y=4] x+y = 8.5 ] y = -4 ]
f) g) h) i) j)
4 6
1
4 -9 -5 9
2
7 5 4
SQ-65. You have made or have been provided with sets of tiles of three sizes. We will call these
"algebra tiles". Suppose the big square has a side length of x and the small square has a side
length of 1. What is the area of:
Then ask, “If we put everything on the screen together, what is the area?”
[ 2x2 + 5x + 5 ] Keep modeling examples until the students are comfortable.
Example:
Combining tiles that have the same area to
write a simpler expression is called x
COMBINING LIKE TERMS. x2 x
1 1
+2 x2 + 2x
We write 2x to show 2(x) or 2 · x.
38 small squares
20 rectangles
5 large squares
+ =
SQ-68. You put your rectangle and two small squares with another pile of three rectangles and five
small squares. What is in this new pile? [ 4x + 7 ]
b) Show that 2x - x ≠ 2. ≠
x by 2x x x2 x2
Since two large squares cover the area, the area is 2x2 .
We can write the area as a multiplication problem using its dimensions:
x(2x) = 2x2
KF-57 asks students to discover that when the same tiles are grouped differently, their areas are
still equivalent. The Distributive Property is introduced, and will be revisited in depth in Days 7
and 8. The Distributive Property will be added to the tool kit in KF-78.
KF-57. Sketch the geometric figure represented by each of the algebraic expressions below.
[ solutions shown below ]
c) Compare the diagrams. How do their areas compare? Write an algebraic equation that
states this relationship. This relationship is known as
The Distributive Property. [ 4(x + 3) = 4(x) + 4(3) ]
Students may prefer to use Algebra Tiles to rewrite the following expressions. The numbers
were purposely chosen to allow for tile use. There is plenty of time for students to abstract the
Distributive Property. Allow teams to investigate this relationship at their own pace. Note that
we use the name immediately but introduce it formally after students have had time to work
with it.
KF-58. Use the Distributive Property (from KF-57) to rewrite the following expressions. Use Algebra
Tiles if necessary.
a) 6(x + 2) [ 6x + 12 ] c) 2(3x + 1) [ 6x + 2 ]
b) 3(x + 4) [ 3x + 12 ] d) 5(x - 3) [ 5x - 15 ]
x + 2 x + 2 x + 2
x x2 2x
x x
+ + +
1 1 1 x 2
Complete each of the following generic rectangles without drawing in all the dividing lines for the
rectangular tiles and unit squares. Then find and record the area of the large rectangle as the sum of
its parts. Write an equation for each completed generic rectangle in the form:
area as a product = area as a sum.
a) x + 3 b) c)
x + 7 2x + 1
x
x x
+ +
3 Hint: This one has
5 only two parts.
WR-72. Carefully read this information about binomials. Then add a description of
binomials and the example of multiplying binomials to your tool kit.
We can use generic rectangles to find various products. We call this process
MULTIPLYING BINOMIALS. For example, multiply (2x + 5)(x + 3):
2x + 5 2x + 5
x x 2x 2 5x
(2x + 5)(x + 3) = 2x2 + 11x + 15
+ +
area as a product area as a sum
3 3 6x 15
Example: x + 3
x x2 xxx
+ x 1 1 1
2 x 1 1 1
(x + 3)(x + 2) = x 2 + 5x + 6
product sum
a) c) e)
AP-11. Find the dimensions of each of the following generic rectangles. The parts are not necessarily
drawn to scale. Use Guess and Check to write the area of each as both a sum and a product as
in the example.
Example:
x + 3
x2 3x
x2 3x x
+
2x 6 2 2x 6
2
x + 5x + 6
= (x+2)(x+3)
a) c) e)
x2 5x x2 6x x2 5x
3x 15 3x 18 2x 10
(x + 5)(x + 3) (x + 6)(x + 3) (x + 5)(x + 2)
b) d) f)
2
x2 4x 2x 10x x2 4xy
3x 12 4xy 16y 2
(x + 4)(x + 3) 2x(x + 5) (x + 4y)(x + 4y)
FACTORING QUADRATICS
Use your tiles and arrange each of the areas below into a rectangle as shown in AP-2, AP-3, and the
example above. Make a drawing to represent each equation. Label each part to show why the
following equations are true. Write the area equation below each of your drawings.
a) x2 + 7x + 6 = (x + 6)(x + 1) c) x2 + 3x + 2 = (x + 2)(x + 1)
An effective visual way to move to the generic rectangle is to assemble one of the problems on the
overhead projector with the tiles. As the students watch, draw the generic rectangle, remove the
tiles, fill in the symbols, then factor. Students have used generic rectangles to multiply and will
now begin to use them to represent the composite rectangles to factor.
x2 4x
2x 8
What if we knew the area of a rectangle and we wanted to find the dimensions? We would have
to work backwards. Start with the area represented by x2 + 6x + 8. Normally, we would not be
sure whether the expression represents the area of a rectangle. One way to find out is to use
Algebra Tiles to try to form a rectangle.
You may find it easier to record the rectangle without drawing all the tiles. You may draw a
generic rectangle instead. Write the dimensions along the edges and the area in each of the
smaller parts as shown below.
Example:
x + 4
x2 4x
x2 4x x
+
2x 8 2 2x 8
We can see that the rectangle with area x2 + 6x + 8 has dimensions (x + 2) and (x + 4).
Use Algebra Tiles to build rectangles with each of the following areas. Draw the complete
picture or a generic rectangle and write the dimensions algebraically as in the example above. Be
sure you have written both the product and the sum.
a) x2 + 6x + [ (x + 4)(x + 2) ] d) x2 + 7x + 12 [ (x + 3)(x + 4) ]
8
b) x2 + 5x + [ (x + 1)(x + 4) ] e) 2x2 + 8x [ x(2x + 8) or
4 2x(x + 4) ]
c) x2 + 7x + [ (x + 1)(x + 6) ] f) 2x2 + 5x + 3 [ (2x + 3)(x + 1) ]
6
AP-19. USING DIAMOND PROBLEMS TO FACTOR
2x 2 10x 2x 2x 2 10x
2x 2 + 10x = 2x(x + 5)
For 2x2 + 10x, “2x” is called the GREATEST COMMON FACTOR.
Although the diagram could have dimensions 2(x2 + 5x), x(2x + 10), or 2x(x
+ 5), we usually choose 2x(x + 5) because the 2x is the largest factor that is
common to both 2x2 and 10x. Unless directed otherwise, when told to factor,
you should always find the greatest common factor, then examine the
parentheses to see if any further factoring is possible.
AP-70. Some expressions an be factored more than once. Add this example to your
tool kit. Then factor the polynomials following the tool kit box.
FACTORING COMPLETELY
Factor each of the following polynomials as completely as possible. Consider these kinds of problems
as another example of subproblems. Always look for the greatest common factor first and write it as a
product with the remaining polynomial. Then continue factoring the polynomial, if possible.
a) 5x2 + 15x - 20 [ 5(x2 + 3x - 4) = 5(x + 4)(x - 1) ]
b) x2 y - 3xy - 10y [ y(x2 - 3x - 10) = y(x - 5)(x + 2) ]
c) 2x2 - 50 [ 2(x2 - 25) = 2(x - 5)(x + 5) ]
© 2002 CPM Educational Program page 11
AP-79. THE AMUSEMENT PARK PROBLEM
may change so planners are assuming the park will be square and have a length of x. The
parking will be adjacent to two sides of the park as shown below.
parking
a) Your task is to list all the possible configurations of x Amusement
Park
land use with the 15 rows of parking. Find the areas +
of the picnic space for each configuration. Use the
techniques you have learned in this unit. There is ? parking
more than one way to approach this problem, so
show all your work. picnic area
[ Area = 14, 26, 36, 44, 50, 54, 56 ]
b) Record the configuration with the minimum and maximum picnic area. Write an equation
for each that includes the dimensions and the total area for the project. Verify your
solutions before moving to part (c).
[ (x + 14)(x + 1) = x2 + 15x + 14; (x + 7)(x + 8) = x2 + 15x + 56 ]
c) The Park is expected to be a success and the planners decide to expand the parking lot by
adding 11 more rows. Assume that the new plan will add 11 additional rows of parking in
such a way that the maximum original green space from part (b) will triple. Show all your
work. Record your final solution as an equation describing the area of the total = product
of the new dimensions.
[ (x2 + 26x + 168 = (x + 12)(x + 14) ]
d) If the total area for the expanded Park, parking and picnic area is 2208 square units, find
x. Use the dimensions from part (c) to write an equation and solve for the side of the
Park. [ 2208 = (x + 12)(x + 14); using Guess & Check x = 34 ]
EXTENDING FACTORING
In earlier units we used Diamond Problems to help factor sums like x2 + 6x + 8.
x + 4
8
x2 4x x x2 4x
2 4 + (x + 4)(x + 2)
6 2x 8 2 2x 8
We can modify the diamond method slightly to factor problems that are a little
different in that they no longer have a “1” in front of the x2 . For example, factor:
2
2x + 7x + 3
multiply
x+3
6 6 2 2x 2x2 6x
2x 6x
? ? 6 1 + (2x + 1)(x + 3)
1x 3 1 1x 3
7 7
YS-2. Factor each of the following quadratics using the modified diamond procedure.
In problem RS-58, we added tiles to form a square. This changed the value of the
original polynomial. However, by using a neutral field, we can take any number of
tiles and create a square without changing the value of the original expression. This
technique is called COMPLETING THE SQUARE. For example, start with the
polynomial: x2 + 8x + 12:
x2 x x x x x x x x 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1
x + 4
First, put these tiles together in the
usual arrangement and you can see a
“square that needs completing.” 2
x x
a) How many small squares are +
needed to complete this square?
[ Four ] 4
x + 4
b) Draw a neutral field beside the
tiles. Does this neutral field affect
the value of our tiles? [ No ] 2
x x Neutral Field
The equation now reads:
+
x2 + 8x + 12 + 0
4
c) To complete the square, we are
going to need to move tiles from
the neutral field to the square.
When we take the necessary four x + 4
positive tiles that complete the
square, what is the value of the 2 Adjusted
x x Neutral Field
formerly neutral field? [ -4 ]
+
(x2 + 8x + 12 + 4) + ( − 4)
complete square neutral field 4
d) Combining like terms,
x2 + 8x + 16 + - 4
e) Factoring the trinomial square, x + 4