My talk from TEDxNYED.

1. Math Curriculum Makeover
by Dan Meyer
who writes at blog.mrmeyer.com
who receives e-mail at dan@mrmeyer.com
and tweets @ddmeyer
presented at TEDxNYED
on 2010 Mar 6

2. a. (x + 4)(x + 3.5) = 0 b. 2(x – 2)(x – 6) = 0
c. (x + 3)(x – 7)(x + 8) = 0 d. x(x – 9)(x + 3) = 0
2. Graph each equation and then rewrite it in factored form.
a. y = x2 – 4x + 3 b. y = x2 + 5x – 24
c. y = x2 + 12x + 27 computation d. y = x2 – 7x – 30
3. Name the x-intercepts of the parabola described by each quadratic equation. Then
check your answers with a graph.
a. y = (x – 7)(x + 2) b. y = 2(x + 1)(x + 8)
c. y = 3(x – 11)(x + 7) d. y = (0.4x + 2)(x – 9)
4. Write an equation of a quadratic function that corresponds to each pair of
x-intercepts. Assume there is no vertical stretch or shrink.
a. 2.5 and –1 b. –4 and –4 c. –2 and 2 d. r 1 a
5. Consider the equation y = (x + 1)(x – 3).
a. How many x-intercepts does the graph have?
b. Find the vertex of this parabola.
c. Write the equation in vertex form. Describe the transformations of the parent
function, y = x2 .
Reason and Apply
Key Press.

3. a. (x + 4)(x + 3.5) = 0 b. 2(x – 2)(x – 6) = 0
c. (x + 3)(x – 7)(x + 8) = 0 d. x(x – 9)(x + 3) = 0
2. Graph each equation and then rewrite it in factored form.
a. y = x2 – 4x + 3 b. y = x2 + 5x – 24
c. y = x2 + 12x + 27 d. y = x2 – 7x – 30
3. Name the x-intercepts of the parabola described by each quadratic equation. Then
check your answers with a graph.
a. y = (x – 7)(x + 2) b. y = 2(x + 1)(x + 8)
c. y = 3(x – 11)(x + 7) d. y = (0.4x + 2)(x – 9)
4. Write an equation of a quadratic function that corresponds to each pair of
x-intercepts. Assume there is no vertical stretch or shrink.
application
Key Press.

4. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

5. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

6. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

7. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

8. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

9. http://dir.salon.com/story/ent/feature/2005/03/05/milch/index.html

10. CBS.

11. “ It creates an impatience, for
example, with irresolution. And I’m
doing what I can to tell stories
which engage those issues in ways
that can engage the imagination so
that people don’t feel threatened by
it.
— David Milch
http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/forums/great_writer.htm

14. Holt, Rinehart, Winston.

15. Holt, Rinehart, Winston.

16. Holt, Rinehart, Winston.

17. Holt, Rinehart, Winston.

18. Holt, Rinehart, Winston.

19. Key Curriculum Press.

24. Key Curriculum Press.

29. Key Curriculum Press.

30. “ The formulation of a problem is
often more essential than its
solution, which may be merely a
matter of mathematical or
experimental skill.
— Albert Einstein
http://quotationsbook.com/quote/32471/

31. water tank -- text book full page

32. water tank -- text book water tank problem highlighted

33. water tank -- lose the steps
you want students to become strong
at decomposing a big task into smaller tasks
don’t do that for them.

34. water tank -- lose the given information. you give
them the height, you give them the side length
you just send them scurrying for a formula that
contains the variables s and h. you want your students
asking the question, “what are the essential details
of this water tank.

35. water tank -- photo

36. water tank -- video,
start, plain, no timer

37. water tank -- video,
plain, no timer

38. water tank -- text book full page

39. 1. Lack of initiative.
2. Lack of perseverance.
3. Lack of retention.
4. Aversion to word problems.
5. Eagerness for formula.

40. 1. Use multimedia.
2. Encourage student intuition.
3. Ask the shortest question you can.
4. Let students build the problem.
5. Be less helpful.

41. 1. Use multimedia.
2. Encourage student intuition.
3. Ask the shortest question you can.
4. Let students build the problem.
5. Be less helpful.

42. 1. Use multimedia.
2. Encourage student intuition.
3. Ask the shortest question you can.
4. Let students build the problem.
5. Be less helpful.

43. 1. Use multimedia.
2. Encourage student intuition.
3. Ask the shortest question you can.
4. Let students build the problem.
5. Be less helpful.

44. 1. Use multimedia.
2. Encourage student intuition.
3. Ask the shortest question you can.
4. Let students
5. Be less helpful.

49. ABC.

50. Math Curriculum Makeover
by Dan Meyer
who writes at blog.mrmeyer.com
who receives e-mail at dan@mrmeyer.com
and tweets @ddmeyer
presented at TEDxNYED
on 2010 Mar 6