A Conceptual Approach to Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities

Autor/inn/en	Ellis, Mark W.; Bryson, Janet L.
Titel	A Conceptual Approach to Absolute Value Equations and Inequalities
Quelle	In: Mathematics Teacher, 104 (2011) 8, S.592-598 (7 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0025-5769
Schlagwörter	Mathematics Instruction; Equations (Mathematics); Teaching Methods; Secondary School Mathematics; High Schools; Problem Solving; Mathematical Concepts; Middle School Students; Graphs; Number Concepts + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Equations; Mathematics; Gleichungslehre; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; High school; Oberschule; Problemlösen; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Grafische Darstellung; Number concept; Zahlbegriff
Abstract	The absolute value learning objective in high school mathematics requires students to solve far more complex absolute value equations and inequalities. When absolute value problems become more complex, students often do not have sufficient conceptual understanding to make any sense of what is happening mathematically. The authors suggest that the absolute value concept can be more powerfully leveraged by teaching students to use a transformational approach to make sense of the meaning of the solution set. This method has been used with middle school and high school students with remarkable success. When students understand the meaning of absolute value and can transform an equation or inequality so that the coefficient of the variable is 1, they are able to find the solution set easily by: (1) determining the location of the critical points that are equidistant from the "anchor point" (which represents an offset from zero); and (2) identifying whether the solutions fall on, between, or beyond these points. In this article, the authors present a primer for using this approach. (Contains 5 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1906 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1502. Tel: 800-235-7566; Tel: 703-620-3702; Fax: 703-476-2970; e-mail: orders@nctm.org; Web site: http://www.nctm.org/publications/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10