Objectives: To collect data, evaluate linearity (quantitatively and graphically), model with a linear function, predict using this model and use Mathematica to evaluate the quality of the model.
Preliminaries/Lead-In: Remember to have measuring tapes and spaghetti for this activity - you should find the box with this stuff in the kitchen room of the department.
Suggested Procedures: I will give them a limited amount of time to collect the data (5-10mins) and then have them move on to the quantitative evaluation. After they decide on a layout for their graph they are asked to check it with the instructor and I will be looking to check that they have chosen the correct input and output for the data (given the original question posed) and that they have chosen a scale that makes sense (ie not going all the way to 0,0 but instead having the domain on the x-axis and the range on the y-axis. There are usually students who ignore the instruction to check with the instructor so I'll be checking to make sure everyone is doing this correctly. Then I will let them get as far into the activity as they can and send them away to finish it up. I probably won't talk to the class until they are as far as the prediction and then we can see what different predictions the class has and talk about why these different predictions have arisen. I am not sure whether I will send them away to do the Mathematica part. It will depend a little how well they do on the intro activity and how comfortable I think they are. I may have them try it and then tell them I will answer questions on the Mathematica part at the beginning of the next class.
Wrap-Up/Take-Away: I will spend a good amount of time on the last two questions (possibly at the beginning of the next class) - talking about what they are looking when they look at their model plotted on top of their data and then what we expect in the evaluation of the model and the confidence in the model. I will emphasize the explanations in both cases. This is very important for their explanations on the project. I will let them know that all of the steps they were asked to do are the steps that appear in the project also for each of their data sets so that they know that the expectations will be the same for level of explanation etc.
Possible Homework: Finish what they don't get done in class.
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