Proportions

Topics for Today:

Today we talked about proportions.  Proportions are just two ratios that are equal to each other.  We discussed three different methods to determine if two ratios form a proportion.  

Vocabulary:

proportion, cross products

Sections Covered in Textbook:

5-4: Proportions (pages 256-259)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) What is a proportion?

2) What are equivalent ratios?

3)  Proportions Class Notes

Unit Rates

Topics for Today:

Unit rates are useful for comparing different sizes of various items.  Today we defined a rate as a comparison of two quantities that have different units.  In science, we measure speed, which is a rate that compares distance traveled over a certain amount of time.  To find our rate, we divide distance (length measurement) by time.  

Graphic Credit: https://www.blendspace.com/lessons/F-Z-hicodqU0RA/unit-rate

Vocabulary:

ratio, rate, unit rate

Sections Covered in Textbook:

5-2: Unit Rates (pages 246-250)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) What are rates and unit rates?

2) How do you convert a rate to a unit rate?

3) Unit Rates Class Notes

Ratios

Topics for Today:

We began our discussion for Unit 4 today.  Unit 4 will cover ratios, proportions, and percents.  A ratio is simply a comparison of two numbers by division.  Most students are familiar with ratios because the term "ratio" is another name for "fraction". 

We also talked about how to write ratios, and how to find equivalent ratios by either multiplying or dividing, and we converted ratios into decimals by dividing.  REMEMBER!  A fraction is just a division problem!

Vocabulary:

ratio

Sections Covered in Textbook:

5-1: Ratios (pages 241-245)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) What is a ratio?

2) What are equivalent ratios?

3) How do you turn a fraction into a decimal?

4) Ratios Class Notes

Unit 3 Review Day

Topics for Today:

Today we revisited precision and how to round to the proper place when assigning the correct level of precision to our answers. 

We also jotted down a list of topics that we have covered in Unit 3:

• Measurement conversion in the Customary System
• Precision
• Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers
• Multiplying and Dividing Fractions and Mixed Numbers
• Estimating and Rounding Fractions

We also worked on organizing our notebooks.  

Vocabulary:

none

Resources & Tutorials:

Students needing help should revisit all blog entries for Unit 3. 

Precision

Topics for Today:

Today we talked about precision in measurements.  Precision is the degree of exactness we can achieve when measuring something.  The smaller the unit of measurement we use, the more precise our measurement will be.  When we are combining (adding or subtracting) measurements, we can only report our answer using the precision of our least precise measurement.  

In the picture above, the most precise ruler is the last one, because inches are divided into the smallest pieces.  

Vocabulary:

precision

Sections Covered in Textbook:

4-9: Precision (pages 227-230)

Changing Units in the Customary System

Topics for Today:

Today we discussed units of measurement in the customary system, and the various equivalent units.  We also used equivalent measurements to convert between measurements.  

Vocabulary:

customary system

Sections Covered in Textbook:

4-8:  Changing Units in the Customary System (pages 222-226)

Resources & Tutorials:

1) What are the customary units of length?

2) What are the customary units of capacity?

3) How do you convert cups to pints?

4) What are the customary units of weight?

5) Changing Units in the Customary System Class Notes