In this real world linear equations project, students are tasked with using equations to plan an international family trip. Your Algebra 1 students will need to work within their budget, create and solve linear equations, and justify their answers with mathematical evidence and reasoning.
Real life applications are an essential part of any curriculum, but can often intimidate students. This activity offers scaffolding to support students as they learn to solve word problems and navigate the problem solving process.
This real world algebra application is perfect for group work and collaboration. It can also be used as a stand-alone summative assessment for linear equations!
This linear equations project includes:
✅ Writing linear equations in slope-intercept, point-slope, and standard form
✅ Rewriting formulas and literal equations to solve for a missing value
✅ Finding x- and y-intercepts
✅ Solving and graphing linear functions
☆Since this project is completely open-ended, there is no answer key☆
What is the real world scenario?
You are tasked with the responsibility of planning your family’s vacation for next summer. You will need to use your knowledge of linear functions to budget and plan your trip. Each of the following sections will help you organize your trip, but it is up to you to figure out the details.
How is this real life application different from 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 linear equations application:
⭐ Early finishers: I have used this as an extra credit project throughout the entire linear functions unit for my early finishers.
⭐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 an assessment for my Algebra 1 students. It usually takes them about 3-4 class periods to complete on their own.
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