Generalizing Patterns: Table Tiles

This lesson unit is intended to help you assess how well students are able to identify linear and quadratic relationships in a realistic context: the number of tiles of different types needed for a range of square tabletops. In particular, this unit aims to identify and help students who have difficulties:

• Choosing an appropriate, systematic way to collect and organize data.
• Examining the data and looking for patterns; finding invariance and covariance in the numbers of different types of tile.
• Generalizing using numerical, geometrical or algebraic structure.
• Describing and explaining findings clearly and effectively.