LINE LENGTHS:

RIME

For remote learning

RIME : LINE LENGTHS

Key premise: In this task, students will

TEACHER Investigate error and ratios by comparing and estimating

lengths of lines.

GUIDE:
TASK Task requirements: Students will be required to

OVERVIEW Estimate and measure a range of lines.

Calculate the percentage error of their estimations.

Key skills, strategies and understandings: Students

will be able to
Know what measurement error is and how it is calculated.
Use feedback to improve estimation.
TEACHER GUIDE: REMOTE LEARNING
CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES
An optical illusion
introduces students to the
core of this task: judging a
line length in millimetres.
Using trial and retrial,
students are able to analyse
and improve on their
estimations. Students are
also introduced to the
concept of error as a way to
gauge the accuracy of their
estimations.
This task can run for
multiple lessons.
Asynchronous
Synchronous delivery
delivery
Students Buddy students up to work together Use chat features in Webex for
collaborate and via email or across communication students to work together.
communicate platforms. Use online platforms for students to
with each other collaborate on journaling – e.g.
Google Docs, OneNote.
Student feed Use online tools such as Google Use Google Docs or OneNote
back their Forms – students submit answers to strategy mentioned above – teacher
understanding questions in their own time. will be able to see what students are
to the teacher Use of school LMS systems – doing in real time and provide
submission of ideas. feedback.
Students If using offline hard copy journals,
document their students can take photos and send
work these to the teacher.
Students submit Students submit their completed journal through either email or a
their work for communication platform.
teacher
feedback
TEACHER GUIDE: REMOTE LEARNING
CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES

For this task, students are encouraged to collaborate by:

 sharing results in pairs or groups of four via virtual communication e.g. Webex
 documenting their work using tables and taking photos of their investigations.
 indicating their understanding by recording reflections.
 submitting their predictions, results tables, any photos and their reflections to the teacher.
TEACHER GUIDE: LINKS
TO THE CURRICULUM
Curriculum Number & Algebra
strand(s)
Key learning outcomes:
Curriculum sub- Real numbers
 Know what measurement error is and how it is
calculated. strand(s)
 Use feedback to improve estimation.
Level addressed 8
What would be some common misconceptions or
difficulties that teachers need to keep an eye out for? Solve problems involving the use of
 This is not a lesson in getting perfect answers. If percentages, including percentage
appropriate, remind students that the estimations increases and decreases and percentage
they make will not be accurate, particularly when error, with and without digital
they get started. technologies (VCMNA276)
 Students may require support to calculate and Solve a range of problems involving
understand what the percentage error means. If so, rates and ratios, including distance-time
work through the first group of lines (i.e. horizontal problems for travel at a constant speed,
lines) with students.
with and without digital technologies
(VCMNA277)
 STUDENT SLIDE 1:
LINE LENGTHS
The problem:
 With a ruler, we can accurately measure the length of
a line. But can you tell how long a line is just by
looking at it? You’re about to find out.

Learning intentions
 Use feedback to improve estimation.
 Know what measurement error is and how it is
calculated.

Success criteria
 Estimate and measure a range of lines.
 Calculate the percentage errors of your estimations.

Equipment needed
 Pencil/Pen
 Paper
 Ruler
 Printout of Slides 14, 22 and 26 (1 page per slide)
STUDENT SLIDE 2: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1: WHICH LINE IS LONGER?

STUDENT SLIDE 3: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1

Which is longer –
the horizontal line
or the vertical (A)
line? Or are they
the same?
STUDENT SLIDE 4: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1

Which is longer –
the horizontal line
or the vertical (B)
line? Or are they
the same?
STUDENT SLIDE 5: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1

Which is longer –
the horizontal line
or the vertical (C)
line? Or are they
the same?
STUDENT SLIDE 6: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1

Most people will think that the vertical lines are

longer in (A) and (C). Often, people will think that
both lines are the same in (B).
How did you go? Before you see the answers,
compare your decisions with some classmates.
 STUDENT SLIDE 7: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 1
Here are the answers:

(A) Both lines are the (B) The horizontal (C) The horizontal
same line is longer line is longer
STUDENT SLIDE 8: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 2: DRAW A SQUARE

STUDENT SLIDE 9: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 2

Now, sketch a square.

But don’t use a ruler!
STUDENT SLIDE 10: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 2
Most people draw ‘squares’
with horizontal sides that are
much longer than the vertical
sides.
e.g.
STUDENT SLIDE 11: LINE LENGTHS

WARM UP 2
Most people draw ‘squares’
with horizontal sides that are
much longer than the vertical
sides. How did you go?
e.g. Measure your square. Compare
it with some classmates’ squares.
STUDENT SLIDE 12: LINE LENGTHS

It seems that we see vertical and

horizontal lines differently.
The purpose of this task is to test this
out and to see if you can improve your
ability to estimate the length of lines.
STUDENT SLIDE 13: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
STUDENT SLIDE 14: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES

How long do you think each

horizontal line is?
Without using a ruler, write
down your guesses for how
long (in mm) the lines are.
STUDENT SLIDE 15: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Put your estimations in the table. 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 16: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Put your estimations in the table. 2
2. Use a ruler to measure each line. 3
Write these lengths in the ‘Exact’ 4
column.
5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 17: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Put your estimations in the table. 2
2. Use a ruler to measure each line. 3
Write these lengths in the ‘Exact’
4
column.
5
3. How did you go? Calculate the
error for each estimation. Write 6
this in the ‘Error’ column. 7
e.g. if you guessed 55mm and the 8
actual length was 50mm, the error
would be 5mm. 9
Write your errors as positive 10
numbers.
STUDENT SLIDE 18: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
1
Which estimate is most accurate, 2
based on the length of the line?
3
When lines are very different in 4
length, e.g. Line 2 & Line 3, it is 5
difficult to tell. 6
Percentage error helps us to 7
compare the accuracy of all the 8
estimations. 9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 19: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
4. Calculate the percentage error for
each estimation. Write this in the 1
‘Error (%)’ column. 2
e.g. if the error is 5mm and the exact 3
length is 50mm, the percentage error
4
is:
5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 20: LINE LENGTHS

HORIZONTAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
4. Calculate the percentage error for
each estimation. Write this in the 1
‘Error (%)’ column. 2
5. Which estimation had the lowest 3
percentage error? 4
Compare your results with 5
classmates.
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 21: LINE LENGTHS

VERTICAL LINES
STUDENT SLIDE 22: LINE LENGTHS

VERTICAL LINES

How long do you think each

vertical line is?
Without using a ruler, write
down your guesses for how
long (in mm) the lines are.
STUDENT SLIDE 23: LINE LENGTHS

VERTICAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Complete the table. 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 24: LINE LENGTHS

VERTICAL LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Complete the table. 2
2. Which estimation had the lowest 3
percentage error? 4
Compare your results with
classmates. 5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 25: LINE LENGTHS

OBLIQUE LINES
STUDENT SLIDE 26: LINE LENGTHS

OBLIQUE LINES

How long do you think each

oblique line is?
Without using a ruler, write
down your guesses for how
long (in mm) the lines are.
STUDENT SLIDE 27: LINE LENGTHS

OBLIQUE LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Complete the table. 2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
STUDENT SLIDE 28: LINE LENGTHS

OBLIQUE LINES
Estimation Exact Error Error (%)
Now you’ve estimated the lengths:
1
1. Complete the table. 2
2. Which estimation had the lowest 3
percentage error? 4
Compare your results with
classmates. 5
6
7
8
9
10
REFLECTION

 Which lines are you better at estimating: horizontal, vertical or oblique? Any ideas
why?
 Sketch a square again. Then, measure the side lengths. Are you better than before?
EXTENSION

 Design an investigation, like what you’ve just done, but that looks at:
 comparing the area of rectangles
 estimating the area of rectangles.