Online forum to explore applications of Rational equations

This activity allows students to carefully look at the process of solving a single application problem and provides them the opportunity to delve deeper into setting up and solving a rational equation. Students often struggle with how to take the information in an application problem and create an equation.

This activity is designed to be a week long activity to be used after students have completed a unit on regional expression and equations. At Whatcom CC this concept is taught in our intermediate algebra course. It can be used in an online course or as an online activity for a face-to-face course. This activity could easily be adapted to other types of problems. I modified it slightly and used it with compound interest problems.

Attached is the information sheet that is provided to students in order to complete the forum along with a rubric that is used for scoring.Students are placed into groups of 5 or 6 students and asked to solve 1 of 6 problems. Students must first post a solution to a problem on the forum before they are allowed to see group members' responses. Once they have posted a solution, they are then asked to provide feedback to at least two of their group members by considering a series of questions provided. Student Handout for Applications of Rational Equations Forum (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 14kB Dec7 16)
Scoring Rubric for Applications of Rational Equations Forum (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 12kB Dec7 16)

If using this in an online course be sure to list the multiple due dates in more than one location.

This assignment is worth 20 points and a rubric is used to grade the work. Summative assessment occurs on a unit exam and/or final exam in the course.

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