National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015

Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning

Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

Common Core State Standards

Common Core State Standards

7.RP.2 Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
7.RP.2a Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for equivalent ratios
in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the graph is a straight line through
the origin.

In this lab, emphasize Mathematical Practice 4 (Model with Mathematics). Using models, tables, and graphs,
students will compare proportional relationships and nonproportional relationships.

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

1 Launch the Lab

Focus narrowing the scope

Objective Compare and contrast proportional and nonproportional linear relationships. 7.RP.2, 7.RP.2a

Coherence connecting within and across grades

Now Next
Students will use a graph to compare and contrast Students will use ratios and rates to write and solve
proprotional and nonproportional relationships. proportions.

Rigor pursuing concepts, fluency, and applications

See the Levels of Complexity chart in the Collaborate section.

Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate

Develop the Concept

Display this table on the board. Ask students to find for each pair of x and y values.

Ask:
Is y proportional to x? Explain. Yes; the ratio of y to x is constant for all corresponding values of x and y.

The activity is intended to be used a whole-group activity.

Pairs Check Have students work independently to complete Steps 1 and 2. Then have them pair
up with a partner to check their results. Have students show the change in y-values for Albert (+2, +2, +2) and
Bianca (+3, +3, +3) to determine what the y-value would be for the input value of 0 to determine if the line passes
through the origin. 1, 7

Pairs Check Extend the comment number x to 8, 15, 27, to determine the number of replies y
continuing at the same rate. Have students write an equation for Albert and Bianca for any comment number x.
1, 4, 8 Albert: y = 2x; Bianca: y = 3x 2
Resources
Chapter 1, Inquiry Lab Presentation, Course 2
Virtual Manipulatives
Websketch: Coordinate Patterns

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

Websketch: Coordinate Patterns Answers

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

2 Collaborate

Engage Explore Explain Elaborate Evaluate

The Investigate and Analyze and Reflect sections are intended to be used as small-group investigations. The
Create section is intended to be used as independent exercises.

Levels of Complexity
The levels of the exercises progress from 1 to 3, with Level 1 indicating the lowest level of complexity.

Three Stay, One Stray Arrange students in groups of 4 to complete Exercises 1–4. Have one
student stray to a new group to discuss their original group’s findings and to discuss the ideas and results of the
new group. The stray student returns to their original group to discuss any new ideas or results and to finalize their
group results. 1

Trade-a-Problem Have students work individually to complete Exercise 5. Then have them trade
their real-world scenarios with another student. Each student checks the other student’s scenario to determine if
the relationship is truly proportional and if their alteration makes it nonproportional. Have students discuss and
resolve any differences. 1, 4, 6

Students should be able to answer “HOW are proportional and nonproportional linear relationships alike?
HOW are they different?” Check for student understanding and provide guidance, if needed.

Extending the Concept Which equation represents a function that is a direct variation, y = 5x or y = 5x + 3? y =
5x

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

Additional Activities for Differentiated Instruction

Differentiated Instruction Activities for Approaching Level, On Level, and Beyond Level Learners can also be
found at point-of-use in the Launch the Lab and Collaborate sections. The following is an additional activity that
can be used with this lab.

Option 1: Kinesthetic Learners

Materials: index cards, centimeter cubes
Write several functions representing proportional and nonproportional relationships on index cards. Have
pairs of students work together to practice modeling the functions.
Give one student two index cards, one with a function that represents a proportional relationship and one
that represents a nonproportional relationship. The student with the index cards should build cube towers to
represent the function for x values of 0–5. The other student should use the models to determine the patterns
represented and whether the functions represent proportional or nonproportional relationships. Students
switch roles and continue modeling until they are confident in identifying the different relationships.

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

Additional Activities for English Learners

Differentiated Instruction activities for English Learners can also be found at point-of-use in the Launch the Lab
and Collaborate sections. The following is an additional activity that can be used with this lab.

Option 1: Use Chapter 1, Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships from the
Interactive Guide for English Learners.
Resources
Interactive Guide for English Learners, Student Edition, Course 2, Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships
Interactive Guide for English Learners, Teacher Edition, Course 2, Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional
Relationships
Interactive Guide for English Learners, Course 2, Teacher Edition
Interactive Guide for English Learners, Course 2, Student Edition
Visual Kinesthetic Vocabulary, Course 2, Student Edition
Visual Kinesthetic Vocabulary, Course 2, Teacher Edition

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 National Glencoe Math, Course 2, © 2015
Chapter 1: Ratios and Proportional Reasoning
Inquiry Lab: Proportional and Nonproportional Relationships

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