Algebraic Thinking - Calculator (2)

Broken Calculator: can you fix it?

source: source: Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally by John A. Van De Walle, Karen S. Karp, and Jennifer M. Bay-Williams. Activity 14.11

Materials:

• calculators

Directions:

• ask students if they can make the calculator display an even number without using any of the even keys (0,2,4,6,8).  If they can, ask them to explain how.
• Next ask students if they can make the calculator display an odd number without using any of the odd keys (1,3,5,7,9).  If they can, ask them to explain how.
• then ask students for conjectures they can make about odds and evens based on their explorations

Operations Toss:

source: www.dixax.com

Materials:

• dice
• pencils
• calculators
• handouts pictured below

Directions: 

• Each team tosses a die, higher number goes first
• Each team chooses a color token

To play:

• Toss a red die and a green die. Red die = n; green die = y.
• On the Operations Toss recording chart, compute (2n)2 + y or 2n2 + y.
•  Choose either solution, and place a token on the solution on the chart below.
• The opposing team must agree to your solution.
• After 10 tosses, each team tallies the numbers under their tokens.
• The team with the higher score wins.