Radical Functions

Introduction

Understanding radical functions is not only important to this course and understanding other types of functions but they are also applicable to real life situations.  The purose of this webquest is to explore ways in which radical functions apply to your everyday life and to review the mathematical skills you will need to work with radical functions.

Follow this link to read about jobs where radicals are used.

http://www.xpmath.com/careers/topicsresult.php?subjectID=2&topicID=9

Task

1. Find real – world applications of radical functions.Watch Khan Academy Videos on radical functions.  This should include a minimum of 3 - 5 sentences stating where radical functions are applied and how they are applied.  Hopefully, once you have completed this you will see that radical functions are applicable to your every day life.

2. Use Khan Academy to watch instructional videos to review the types of problems that you will be assessed on.  The types of problems that you will be assessed on include:

  • An extraneous solution problem.
  • Solving a square root problem.
  • Solving a cube root problem
  • Finding the domain of a radical function.
  • Shape of a radical function.

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra2/radical-equations-and-functions

3. Use online graphing calculator to show different shapes of radical functions.  Please print these graphs and make three observations of the graphs.  Observations  can include the domain and range of the function, whether it is increasing or decreasing, and how quickly it is changing.  Also, include an explanation of why the shape of the graph is changing when you change parts of the function.

Use this link:  https://www.desmos.com/calculator

This graphing calculator will let you print right from it:  https://mathway.com/graph

4.  The real world example and the types of problems should be put into a brochure or trifold handout.  It can be hand written or word processed.  Copy and paste the graphs from the website to a word document to print.  Make the images about half a page in size.  Use the print screen option if you cannot copy and paste.

Process

1. Use google to search for applications of radical functions.  Once you find an application of radical functions write 3 - 5 sentences explaining the application. 

2.  Follow this link to Khan Academy to view examples of the types of problems you need to review:   

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra2/radical-equations-and-functio…

3.  Use either of the graphing calculators.

Evaluation

 

4

3

2

1

0

Khan Videos

Has examples of all   five types of problems listed.

Only 4 examples.

3 examples

1-2 examples.

No examples.

Graphs

4 different graphs   and explanations.

3 different graphs   and explanations.

2 different graphs   and explanations.

1 different graphs   and explanations.

No graphs or   explanations.

Real –World Example

Provides a real   world example and a three to five sentence explanation.

Provides an example   but only a 1 -2 sentence explanation.

Provides an example   and no explanation.

Provides somewhat   of an example.

No example.

This rubric will be used to assess your project.

Conclusion

Use the problems that you researched and the graphs that you created to study for your test on radical equations.

Credits

Khan Academy

Teacher Page

This webquest is intended to be used as a review at the conclusion of teaching a chapter on radical functions.  Students should already have an understanding of radical functions before completing this webquest.  Students will retain information better when they have to revisit the information and learn it on their own.  The first time they go through this information it will be teacher centered.  This webquest is student centered and will force students to make sense of problems on their own and they can work at their own pace.  Students will retain information better when they have to make sense of it on their own and go back to their previous notes. This is especially helpful for a classroom with a diverse group of learners.  If students are struggling with this concept I would accomodate them by only having them complete two of the graphs and have them focus more on the algebra. 

Originally I had the Khan Academy vidoes first but after getting some advice I moved them to the first activity so students can see that radical functions are applicable to their everyday life.  I think this will establish relevance.


Students will need some type of web browser and have the ability to print from that web browser.