8th Grade Task: Workers and Earnings

8th Grade Task: Workers and Earnings

Standards & Objectives

Essential and guiding questions: 
  • Part 1a - How could we answer this question using another method? What would have been different in this problem if the axes were switched? Is it better to use an equation, table, or graph to answer this question?
  • Part 1b – How fast are the two lines getting farther apart? If we made tables for both Workers, what would be similar if we compared the graphs and tables? Do both of these lines pass through the origin? What is the significance of this in terms of the problem?
  • Part 2a - What do you notice as we progress down the chart? What is different about this chart than we usually have? Are the workers’ earnings increasing or decreasing? What is the significance of 7.75? Is it more helpful to have a table, equation, or graph to determine the answer?
  • Part 2b - What is the most helpful thing you were given to answer this question? Is it more helpful to have a table, equation, or graph to determine the answer? Could you do this part without the table? What is the minimum amount of information needed to answer this question?
  • Part 2c– Who took the least amount of hours to earn $100? Would this be true if you had been asked to find who took the least amount of time to earn $200? What did you need to know to determine the answer to this question? To answer a question such as this is which representation is the easiest to work with? Why?

Activity/Task Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Understanding
Differentiation suggestions: 

If students can’t get started….
Assessing

  • How much would each worker make for 1 hour of work? 2 hours?

Advancing

  • How much does each worker make per hour?
Extension suggestions: 

If students finish early….
Assessing Questions

  • Can you build your own scenario for worker E that other students could work on?

Advancing Questions

  • Could you redraw the worker A graph if he received $20 for reporting to work plus the same rate of pay in the original graph?
  • What do you notice about the new and old graph for worker A? How would your equation change?