Equations with Absolute Value

As a warm-up, we looked at equations that involve using proportions. Students were introduced to the idea of using cross products to help them solve equations involving proportions. This was an extension of what we've been doing, and fits in nicely with the absolute value equations that we looked at later in the class.

We explored more complex equations involving absolute value problems. Students were very quick to solve the simpler equations, and understood that most of these types of equations dictate two solutions. We practiced using the order of operations in the reverse order to isolate the absolute value term on one side of the equation. We discussed situations when there would be no solutions to a problem. (Remember, you can't get a solution to a problem like | a + 5 | = -7, because the absolute value of a number won't be negative.

Tonight's Homework: CME, pages 208-209 (10 - 14) and Home Book, page 88 (35 - 38).