Category Archives: Algebra

Introducing Dynagraphs

Students often have difficulty connecting the Cartesian graph of a function to the actual motion of the variables. Their challenge in visualizing and describing covariation (the way y varies as x varies steadily) relates to their understanding of function families: function families are distinguished by the nature of their covariation. A function whose growth rate remains constant … Continue Reading ››

Adding and Subtracting Integers

A recent post on the my NCTM discussion group asked about tools to help students visualize and understand addition and subtraction of integers.

I always found this confusing for some of my Algebra 1 students, mainly because they had been told to memorize some rules about whether to add or subtract the two integers and … Continue Reading ››