Chapter 2 Project

Chapter 2 Project Ideas
1. The Beginning of Algebra: Among the people who contributed to the beginnings of algebra were a Greek named Diophantus and an Arab named al-Khowarizmi. Consult reference materials in your library or on the Internet and write a short one page essay about both of these great mathematicians.

2. The Bricklayer’s Formula: The formula N = 7LH gives the number of bricks needed in a wall of length L feet and height H feet. Take a tape measure to a brick building in your neighborhood. Consider a part of the wall with length and height that you should call L and H. How many bricks are in that part of the wall? Does the formula N = 7LH work for that part of the wall? Try other parts of the wall. If the formula does not work, can you suggest a formula that will work for this wall? Write about your findings in a one page essay or create a poster that shows all relevant information and a detailed explanation.

3. Learning about Pythagoras: In addition to his famous theorem, Pythagoras and his followers (called Pythagoreans) discovered many things about mathematics. They also believe that mathematics was a way to understand the meaning of nature. Look up the Pythagoreans and write a one page essay or create a poster that illustrates some of their beliefs and discoveries.

4. Optimal Health: Explore different meanings of “optimal” health. Often, fitness and diet guidelines are given in terms of intervals. Look up the optimal range of cholesterol levels, target heart rates, vitamin consumption, and other health and fitness values. Use inequalities and graphs to describe the ranges. Do these optimal ranges depend on age? On height? Create a display with your findings on a poster or write a one page essay describing the results and what your graphs mean.

5. Using Inequality Symbols: Write a short true or fantasy story in which you use all of the inequality symbols (≠, <, >, ≤, ≥).






Chapter 2 Project Rubric
I am going to give each person in class the opportunity to show their understanding of our math in a different way by working on one of the projects listed with a partner. Presentations will be on September 30th, each group will have 5 minutes to present. Here is what you will need to do:
• Get a partner. (I hold the right to not allow certain people to work together).
• Select one of the five listed project ideas.
o Make sure you have Mrs. Allshouse okay the project selection, so as to prevent everyone from choosing the same project.
• If you are writing an essay you must:
o Include a title
o Use Times New Roman
o Use 12 pt. font
o Double-space
o Have 1 inch margins
o Use A4 paper
o One page maximum, excluding list of references or sources.
o Check for correct grammar and spelling.
o If appropriate you may have a graph or some other type of visual aid embedded within your essay.
o List your references or sources.
o Include names of both group members.

• If you are creating a poster you must:
o Include a title
o Use 40 cm by 50 cm poster board
o Type everything placed on the board
o Use visual aids to show what you are describing
o Include at least two paragraphs (7 – 10 sentences each)
o Create a colored background with construction paper, paint the poster board, or use colored poster board.
o Check for correct grammar and spelling.
o List your references or sources.
o Label all graphs and visual aids.
o Include names of both group members.
94 – 100 Presentation was well prepared and easy to follow throughout the presentation.
Presenters were very knowledgeable of the information.
All listed information was included (see rubric).
Both group members talked evenly.
Research was apparently shown in their presentation or essay.
85 – 93 Presentation was well prepared and easy to follow most of the time.
Presenters were knowledgeable of the information.
Most listed information was included (see rubric).
Both group members talked evenly.
Research was shown in their presentation or essay.
75 – 84 Presentation was prepared and easy to follow part of the time.
Presenters were slightly knowledgeable of the information.
Some listed information was included (see rubric).
Both group members talked, one more than the other.
Research was somewhat shown in their presentation or essay.
70 – 74 Presentation was not well prepared and not easy to follow.
Presenters were only slightly knowledgeable of the information.
Only one or two components from listed information was included (see rubric).
Both group members talked, but one only talked once or twice.
Research was not shown in their presentation or essay.
<69 Presentation was not well prepared and not easy to follow.
Presenters were not knowledgeable of the information.
The listed information was not included (see rubric).
Only one group member talked.
Research was not shown in their presentation or essay.