I love building problems for my class, but they take a long time to get right. Fortunately, many of you have shared your own extraordinary work. Starting with this post, I’ll try to consolidate my best finds under the tag “best of.”
Here are my favorites for creating linear equations in slope-intercept form.
#1: Stacking Cups
Stacking Cups by Dan Meyer is a perfect, tactile introduction to creating linear functions. The challenge: Given a ruler and a few Styrofoam cups, estimate how many cups it will take to stack to reach the top of the teacher’s head. Once students overcome the common mistake of dividing your height by the height of one cup, the thinking gets good. If you’re interested, Dane Ehlert offers a detailed implementation guide.
#2: In-N-Out Burger
In-N-Out Burger by Robert Kaplinsky is a graphic problem loved by later periods and torturous to all periods before lunch. First, essential context. Like many fast food restaurants, In-N-Out has a secret menu. It includes the option to order as many extra patties as you want. The record? It’s gotten at least one order for a 100 layer burger. The challenge: Given a picture of the menu, which includes the cost of a cheeseburger and the cost of a double cheeseburger, estimate the cost of a 100 layer burger.
#3: Elevator vs. Stairs
Elevator vs. Stairs by Dane Ehlert brings a four flight race to the bottom, pitting you vs. the elevator. This one enters the world of systems, but in a matter entirely accessible to those comfortable with linear equations. The challenge: Determine how you’d figure out which is faster–elevator or stairs–then get the information you need to sort it out. It may be tempting to skip straight to Act 2. If you want the learning to matter and to stick, don’t!
If you have other favorites, please share them in the comments!