C1

How Do These Compare?

Team # :_______ Cohort: _______

Team Captain:
____________________________

Recorder/Reporter:
________________________

Facilitator:
_______________________________

Resource Manager:
_________________________

Group Points:
Team Captain: make
sure everyone is doing
their part and keep
track of time

Stamp:

Recorder/Reporter:
report out one strategy
your team used to
simplify the expressions

Stamp:

Facilitator: ask the

guiding questions on
the task card to help
your team with the
group conversation

Stamp:

Stamp:

Clear the Middle Space

and everyone is writing
on their own paper

Stamp:

Resource Manager: be
in charge of the algebra
tiles make sure no
one plays around with
them (make/build stuff
unrelated)
Group conversation
and no talking outside
the team

Facilitator guide the group conversation with these questions

What are the expressions for each side?
How can we simplify this expression? How do you know it works?
Can we take away tiles? Which ones? How do you know?

Your Task

Use your expression comparison mat to build the two

expressions to the right. Find a way to determine which
side is greater, if possible. Show your work by sketching it
out. Be ready to explain your conclusion and justification.

Stamp:

Work with your team to identify two different strategies (legal moves) for simplifying expressions.
Build the mat below using tiles and simplify the expression. Record your work by sketching the tiles,
writing the expressions, and using circles, xs, arrows, etc. to show how you simplified the expressions.
Which expression is greater?

CHECKPOINT when everyone in your group is done writing and ready to explain, call me over for
a checkpoint.
Use your legal moves to simplify and compare the following expressions. For each of the problems
below:
Build the two expressions on your mat and sketch it on your paper
Write an expression for each side below the mat
Use legal moves to determine which mat is greater, if possible. Record your work by drawing
and using symbols to show what you are doing.
a.

b.

c.

d.