Solving Radical Equations Day 2

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Objective

Students will be able to solve radical equations (square root) by isolating the radical and then squaring both sides of the equation. They will also learn to identify extraneous solutions and understand how and why they arise.

Big Idea

Solving a variety of problems, and reflecting on the solutions, teaches students to look for and make use of structure.

Lesson Author

Jacob Nazeck

Fort Collins, CO

Grade Level

Eleventh grade

Subjects

Math

Algebra

Function Operations and Inverses

radical equations

Standards

HSA-REI.A.2

Solve simple rational and radical equations in one variable, and give examples showing how extraneous solutions may arise.

MP1

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

MP2

Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

MP7

Look for and make use of structure.

Lesson Beginning

10 minutes

The lesson begins very simply by instructing the students to continue working on yesterday’s worksheet, “Solving Radical Equations”. If appropriate, I may review the solutions to the first 5 or 6 problems by asking the students what solutions they arrived at. If the bulk of the class is in agreement on the correct solution, I will affirm it. If a significant number of students have an incorrect solution, I will ask one of them to explain their method while I act as their scribe at the board. Once the mistake(s) have been identified in a way that respects the student and affirms what is correct in their reasoning, the correct solution will be given. Once the solutions to the first 5 or 6 problems have been given, I will ask the students to “pick up where they left off.”