Linear Functions and Applications

Students review and extend the Algebra 1 skills of graphing, manipulating, and describing solutions in order to deepen their understanding of modeling situations using linear functions.

Math

Unit 1

11th Grade

Unit Summary


In Unit 1, students review and extend the Algebra 1 skills of graphing, manipulating, and describing solutions to linear functions to deepen their understanding of modeling situations using linear functions. In this unit, students review concepts, such as using multiple representations, inverse, constraints, and systems, that are essential for studying polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions, and trigonometric functions in later units through linear functions, a familiar and basic parent function.

Unit 1 begins with students translating between representations of linear functions to identify the strengths of each representation and to highlight features of linear functions. The inverse of a linear function is studied through contextual situations, to ensure that students grasp the symmetry between a function and its inverse, as well as connect the meaning of each variable and its role (dependent or independent) in the concept of inverse. Topics in this unit continue through systems—a concept that is very familiar to students. The focus in this section of the unit is again contextual as well as procedural to allow students to be fully fluent in solving systems algebraically, graphically, with three variables, and with absolute value functions, an application of a linear function. Students review piecewise functions through a linear lens to bolster their facility with constraints and analysis of functions in preparation for nonlinear piecewise functions. Students who are taking the pre-calculus portion of this course will continue on to compose functions within and outside of context to model and identify solutions to real-life scenarios.

As Algebra 2 progresses, students will draw on the concepts from this unit to find the inverse of functions, restrict domains to allow a function to be invertible, operate with various functions, model with functions, identify solutions to systems of functions graphically and algebraically, and analyze functions for their value and behavior. Mastering the skills in this unit will allow for students to have a solid framework to build upon when studying other functions. 

Pacing: 15 instructional days (13 lessons, 1 flex day, 1 assessment day)

Assessment


The following assessments accompany Unit 1.

Post-Unit

Use the resources below to assess student understanding of the unit content and action plan for future units.

Unit Prep


Intellectual Prep

Internalization of Standards via the Unit Assessment:

  • Take unit assessment. Annotate for: 
    • Standards that each question aligns to
    • Purpose of each question: spiral, foundational, mastery, developing
    • Strategies and representations used in daily lessons
    • Relationship to Essential Understandings of unit 
    • Lesson(s) that assessment points to

Internalization of Trajectory of Unit:

  • Read and annotate “Unit Summary."
  • Notice the progression of concepts through the unit using “Unit at a Glance.”
  • Do all target tasks. Annotate the target tasks for: 
    • Essential understandings
    • Connection to assessment questions 

Essential Understandings

  • A linear relationship can be represented contextually, graphically, in a table of values, and algebraically. By manipulating a linear function algebraically, including finding the inverse of a linear function, relationships of the linear function are highlighted. 
  • Contextual situations often have limitations that need to be represented by constraints on the domain or the range of the equation to accurately represent the situation. 
  • Systems of functions are used to show when two or more functions have the same value in contextual and non-contextual situations. 
  • Piecewise functions model situations where more than one function is required, but those functions happen in sequence rather than simultaneously as in systems. Piecewise functions will, by definition, require constraints to describe when one function starts and another begins. 
  • Functions can be composed where an output from one function is used as the input of another function to describe situations where operations are nested to describe relationships.

Vocabulary

domain restriction constraint inverse functions
inverse notation $${f^{-1}(x)}$$ invertible functions extraneous solution(s)

Materials

  • Graphical, algebraic, contextual, and tabular representations
  • Desmos or graphing calculator to visualize graphs 

Lesson Map


Topic A: Features of Linear Functions

Topic B: Systems of Functions and Constraints

Topic C: Piecewise Functions

Common Core Standards


Key

Major Cluster

Supporting Cluster

Additional Cluster

Core Standards

Building Functions

Creating Equations

Interpreting Functions

Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities

Seeing Structure in Expressions

Foundational Standards

Arithmetic with Polynomials and Rational Expressions

Creating Equations

Expressions and Equations

Functions

Interpreting Functions

Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities

Future Standards

Building Functions

Interpreting Functions

Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities

Standards for Mathematical Practice

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP1 — Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP2 — Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP3 — Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP4 — Model with mathematics.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP5 — Use appropriate tools strategically.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP6 — Attend to precision.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP7 — Look for and make use of structure.

  • CCSS.MATH.PRACTICE.MP8 — Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

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