Thinking With Mathematical Models is a review of the seventh grade book titled Moving Straight Ahead. Students are exposed to situations that can be represented as a linear model. Students perform three experiments and record results in a table. When they graph the results, they discover a pattern that can be expressed as a linear equation. The second focus of this unit is a week-long review of solving linear equations.

• Example of a linear function: y = 2x + 7

For an in-depth explanation of unit goals, specific questions to ask your student and examples of core concepts from the unit, go to Thinking With Mathematical Models.

Online resources for Thinking With Mathematical Models*

Linear Equations

• Virtual bridge experiment (for Investigation I)
• What is a linear equation?
• Graphing lines using slope/intercept form
• Visualizing slope/intercept form

Solving Equations

• Intro to solving equations
• Solving equations
• Balancing scales

Simplifying Expressions

• Combining like terms (addition)
• Combining like terms (subtraction)
• Combining like terms (multiplication)

Functions

• Function Machine
• Graphing functions

Other online resources

• General Homework Tips
• Homework examples from Thinking With Mathematical Models

Note: These resources require Java in order to run.