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  • Wolfram - Alpha Activity - Topic, Radical Functions - Intermediate Algebra Activity 9

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    Technology is an important part of learning mathematics. For decades, graphing calculators were the primary tool used to accomplish this. Upon completion of college, however, students rarely use or see the need for these devices. A growing trend exists instead towards computers, smart phones and other devices running Internet software that has become extremely powerful, easy to use and low-cost or free of charge. Effective mathematics instruction should keep up with this trend by incorporating these types of programs. It will benefit students three ways: (1) introduce students to the latest tools of science and technology; (2) provide students with life skills that are more likely to apply to the real world; and (3) reinforce concepts of the mathematics involved in their coursework. Wolfram|Alpha represents one of the most exciting, broadly applicable, powerful and easy to use of all the computational programs available. About one-third of the questions in these Intermediate Algebra activities teach input and command syntax; one-third emphasizes answer interpretation; and one-third reinforces the concepts and material of Intermediate Algebra. The projects are meant to be started after finishing the corresponding chapter(s) in the students' textbook.

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    Technology is an important part of learning mathematics. For decades, graphing calculators were the primary tool used to accomplish this. Upon completion of college, however, students rarely use or see the need for these devices. A growing trend exists instead towards computers, smart phones and other devices running Internet software that has become extremely powerful, easy to use and low-cost or free of charge. Effective mathematics instruction should keep up with this trend by incorporating these types of programs. It will benefit students three ways: (1) introduce students to the latest tools of science and technology; (2) provide students with life skills that are more likely to apply to the real world; and (3) reinforce concepts of the mathematics involved in their coursework. Wolfram|Alpha represents one of the most exciting, broadly applicable, powerful and easy to use of all the computational programs available. About one-third of the questions in these Intermediate Algebra activities teach input and command syntax; one-third emphasizes answer interpretation; and one-third reinforces the concepts and material of Intermediate Algebra. The projects are meant to be started after finishing the corresponding chapter(s) in the students' textbook.

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    2K views2 pages

    Wolfram - Alpha Activity - Topic, Radical Functions - Intermediate Algebra Activity 9

    Uploaded by

    Pearson Math Stats
    Technology is an important part of learning mathematics. For decades, graphing calculators were the primary tool used to accomplish this. Upon completion of college, however, students rarely use or see the need for these devices. A growing trend exists instead towards computers, smart phones and other devices running Internet software that has become extremely powerful, easy to use and low-cost or free of charge. Effective mathematics instruction should keep up with this trend by incorporating these types of programs. It will benefit students three ways: (1) introduce students to the latest tools of science and technology; (2) provide students with life skills that are more likely to apply to the real world; and (3) reinforce concepts of the mathematics involved in their coursework. Wolfram|Alpha represents one of the most exciting, broadly applicable, powerful and easy to use of all the computational programs available. About one-third of the questions in these Intermediate Algebra activities teach input and command syntax; one-third emphasizes answer interpretation; and one-third reinforces the concepts and material of Intermediate Algebra. The projects are meant to be started after finishing the corresponding chapter(s) in the students' textbook.

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    of 2

    Radical Functions 1 Intermediate Algebra

    Activities Using WA

    WA Activity # 9  ‐‐  Radical Functions 
     
    Type "sqrt(9)” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions. 
    1.  What is the result? 
     
    Type “x^2 = 9” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following questions. 
    2. In the Plot what is the graph of the blue line? What is the graph of the red line? What do the 
    two red dots represent?  
    3. How many solutions are there? 
    4. What are the solutions? 
    5. Why does sqrt(9) have only one result, but x^2 = 9 has two solutions? 
     
    Type “simplify sqrt (8x^5)” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following 
    questions. 
    6. What is the result given by WA? 
    7. Is this the result you are used to getting when simplifying radical expressions? 
    8. What is the result you normally get when simplifying radical expressions? 
    9. Are the two results equivalent? Explain. Show your work. 
     
    Type “simplify sqrt (9a^3b^‐3) / sqrt (4ab)” into the WA search engine. Use the results to 
    answer the following questions. 
    10. What is the result? 
    11. Is WA assuming  a   0 and b   0, or a > 0 and b > 0. Which one, and why? 
    12. How did they get their answer? Explain. Show your work. 
     
    Type “simplify (11 ‐ 2sqrt(x)) (3 + sqrt(x))” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer 
    the following questions. 
    13. What is the result? 
    14. How did they get their answer? Explain. Show your work. 
    15. Type “simplify (11 + 2sqrt(x)) (3 ‐ sqrt(x))” into the WA search engine. What is the result? 
    Radical Functions 2 Intermediate Algebra
    Activities Using WA

    16. Did WA multiply the two expressions together? 
    17. Now type “multiply (11 + 2sqrt(x)) (3 ‐ sqrt(x))” into the WA search engine. You get very 
    different results for a problem that seems so similar. Does the notation of one of the Alternate 
    forms look familiar to you? Which one? 
    18. How did WA get that answer? Show your work. 
     
    Type “sqrt(x + 3) = 4” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the following 
    questions. 
    19. In the Plot what is the graph of the blue line? What is the graph of the red line? What does 
    the red dot represent? 
    20. Does the blue graph appear to be a straight line? Is it? Or is it not? Type in a WA command 
    to display the plot of the equation in a different viewing window. 
    21. Go back to and type “sqrt(x + 3) = 4” into the WA search engine. What is the result? 
    22. How did WA get that answer? Show your work. 
     
    Type “sqrt(x + 13) ‐ 4 = x + 3” into the WA search engine. Use the results to answer the 
    following questions. 
    23. In the Plot what is the graph of the blue line? What is the graph of the red line? What does 
    the red dot represent? 
    24. How did WA get their solution? Show your work. 
    25. Were there any extraneous solutions? If so, what were they and did WA show them? 

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