Comparing the Three Methods of Solving Quadratics

Students should work individually on the "think about it" question (quadratic_formula_day2_warm_up.pdf).  After students have had about a minute, have them turn and talk with their partner to determine the equation that each obtained.  Encourage students to share their ideas and explain the rationale for the equation that they chose (MP3).  As students discuss, listen for students that are making a solid argument for the equation.  Call on several groups to share their reasoning with the entire class.  This type of backwards thinking will deepen student's understanding of the quadratic formula.

This ticket out (quadratic_formula_day2_closure.pdf) is a simple writing prompt which just requires students to think about the three methods for solving in an metacognitive way.  Encourage students to be as detailed as possible with their explanations.  While each of these questions have been discussed with the class as a whole, it is interesting to see how students perceive the three techniques and their difficulty level.  Most students will say that the quadratic formula is the most difficult and that factoring is the simplest.  The point here is to determine student's rationale for these choices.