Solving Inequalities Real World Project

In this real world math project, students are tasked with creating and solving multi step inequalities to budget and build a backyard landscape design for their client. This Algebra 1 project includes two differentiated versions with verbal prompts and planning templates.

Skills assessed through this Algebra 1 project:

➡ Understanding inequality symbols and how they relate to real life scenarios

➡ Solving multi step inequalities

➡ Creating inequalities from word problems

➡ Understanding that solutions to inequalities are a range rather than one value

This multi step inequalities application includes:

✅ Three scaffolded templates to assist students with their budget planning

✅ Prompts to help students create inequalities from pricing information

✅ Compare and contrast questions for justifying decisions

✅ Rough draft templates for sketches

 

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FAQ’s

What is the real world scenario?

You are a landscape designer enlisted by a family to redesign their backyard. Your clients have asked you to design a space for an inground pool, patio, and surrounding gardens. You will need to build inequalities to make sure that your design stays under the client’s budget of $75,000.

How is this real world math project different than regular word problems?

Most word problems have one question that needs to be answered and little follow-up or detail. My real world math activities stretch one idea or scenario into a meaningful performance task that can be used as a full assessment of student learning.

This application is more than interpreting the question and quickly getting to the answer. Your students will be challenged to think critically about each scenario and defend their solutions.

The best part? All of the topics are relevant and modernized (because kids don’t care about calculating CD sales or cell phone minutes anymore).

How I have used this real world Algebra 1 project:

⭐ Small Group: Your students can work together to complete this activity and have discussions about different strategies for writing expressions from diagrams.

⭐ Individual: I have used this activity as a summative assessment for my Algebra 1 students. It usually takes them about one class period to complete on their own.

Does this project replace a standard inequalities unit assessment or test?

It can, but it doesn’t have to. I always recommend giving your students multiple opportunities to show they understand a concept to get the full picture.

Tests will give you valuable information about a student’s study skills and foundational knowledge, but real world math projects show whether a student can think critically, creatively, and defend their decisions using math.