Introduction: What is a parabola?
In two weeks time, learning about Parabolas seemed familiar, yet challenging to understand. What exactly is the formula to getting the Parabola you want. First, what is a Parabola?
First Desmos Activity
Knowing that a parabola is a curve, we came up with curves we have seen throughout our daily lives. Basket Ball Hoops, Sports, Arcs, roller coasters, eyebrows, many more. Well, how is math involved with this? Using Desmos, we first did predictions about a kid shooting a basketball into a hoop. Analyzing the angle and curve we guessed if he would make the shot.
You may be asking...What did we do with learning what a Parabola is. Our goal was to transform parabolas up, down, left, right, upside down, or even Skinner or wider than before. This is how we did it..
1) Second Desmos Activity
In order to understand a completely new concept, you need to learn the properties of vocabulary. What is a Vertex, Concave up, Concave down, things like that. That is how we described the Parabola you have chosen. Either if your guessing the Parabola or the 'Person' you needed to know the vocabulary on how to tell apart a Parabola. If you were guessing, here is an example of what you would ask...
2) Third Desmos Activity
Well, yes, we learned the vocabulary but what about our goal? How were we going to move a parabola left, right, upside down, wider, and slimmer? The trick is, our teachers never told us. They gave us hints though. They gave us this activity and had us figure it out with our team mates. We know that a parabola has to have a squared, x, and y. y= (x+ varible) squared and y= x squared are the formulas we knew so far. The picture below gives you an example of the activity...
Transforming a Parabola using this formula was magic. It made this process SO MUCH easier. After gladly using this formula and killing each question I came across this unusual parabola...
3) Fourth Desmos Activity
In this challenge, we had to use Parabolas and use the launched balls and have them touch the stars. I don't mean to brag but...this was easier than I thought it was. I was SPEEDING through this with my partners. My table was really reliable just like I was reliable to them. I didn't even use more than one. I use one Parabola per problem. That was a challenge to, it wasn't to me. It was so much fun!
When you touched the 3 stars the word "Success" appeared indicating that you solved the problem. I reached to number 18, I would have been able to solve it with two Parabolas but I refused to use two. I didn't end up solving it with one. |
Self-Assessment & Problem Evaluation
Self Assessment:
I was WooOOOOOOOoooo in some of the activities. I liked to mess around lightly. I knew that was childish. Other than that, I tried to go above and beyond, I don't think I asked questions but I answered them. I think I spoke up to my best ability, I was proud of myself overall. I think I deserve an A++++++++. I am a good student, I deserve it.
Problem Evaluation:
Can I just say that I did really well? I helped others around me and I enjoyed this subject to the max. My table mates were my guides and audience. I LOVED that we could work so well together and contributed something different to the table. Communication was easy for us, we all were excited to learn and be challenged.
7 Things I learned About Parabolas Using Desmos:
1.How to predict if a Parabola is going to hit a basketball hoop.
2. How to ask questions using the appropriate terminology.
When we first started this unit we described terms as "The Parabola is...backwards" or "the point on the graph"
We folks had no idea of what it was called. After learning the correct terms, I felt smart and an expert on this unit. I must say that I am utmost proud of how smart I must sound. This was essential to learn before we took another big step in this unit.
3. How to use the y=a(x+h)^2-k formula in graphing a parabola
4. How parabolas are used in our daily lives.
Everyday I can call a roller-coaster a bunch of Parabolas. Its amazing really, how our world is full of these arcs with out even knowing it. This is what struck me the most in this project. Parabolas are so common!
5. How to change a Parabola Concave down.
6. How to help my team mates with all the skills I got
7. How to challenge myself.
As I said many times before, I was beast at smashing that complete button. Though it was easy, I was always seeking a brain burner. This had me pushing myself and that influenced me to challenge my table mates too.
EDITS:
In my critique session, two people had similar feedback. Angel said, "Explain further for three of the 'What I learned section'." The other classmate said the same but in different words. They also told me to add a 'EDIT' section, well, here it is. They didn't really give me much crucial feedback because my DP is pretty good. Considering the time it took me to write it. I am proud, well done Victoria.
I was WooOOOOOOOoooo in some of the activities. I liked to mess around lightly. I knew that was childish. Other than that, I tried to go above and beyond, I don't think I asked questions but I answered them. I think I spoke up to my best ability, I was proud of myself overall. I think I deserve an A++++++++. I am a good student, I deserve it.
Problem Evaluation:
Can I just say that I did really well? I helped others around me and I enjoyed this subject to the max. My table mates were my guides and audience. I LOVED that we could work so well together and contributed something different to the table. Communication was easy for us, we all were excited to learn and be challenged.
7 Things I learned About Parabolas Using Desmos:
1.How to predict if a Parabola is going to hit a basketball hoop.
2. How to ask questions using the appropriate terminology.
When we first started this unit we described terms as "The Parabola is...backwards" or "the point on the graph"
We folks had no idea of what it was called. After learning the correct terms, I felt smart and an expert on this unit. I must say that I am utmost proud of how smart I must sound. This was essential to learn before we took another big step in this unit.
3. How to use the y=a(x+h)^2-k formula in graphing a parabola
4. How parabolas are used in our daily lives.
Everyday I can call a roller-coaster a bunch of Parabolas. Its amazing really, how our world is full of these arcs with out even knowing it. This is what struck me the most in this project. Parabolas are so common!
5. How to change a Parabola Concave down.
6. How to help my team mates with all the skills I got
7. How to challenge myself.
As I said many times before, I was beast at smashing that complete button. Though it was easy, I was always seeking a brain burner. This had me pushing myself and that influenced me to challenge my table mates too.
EDITS:
In my critique session, two people had similar feedback. Angel said, "Explain further for three of the 'What I learned section'." The other classmate said the same but in different words. They also told me to add a 'EDIT' section, well, here it is. They didn't really give me much crucial feedback because my DP is pretty good. Considering the time it took me to write it. I am proud, well done Victoria.