My grade 10s (I have two classes) have just started a very important unit on Quadratics. Every year that I teach this course, I highly encourage my students to know the quadratic formula. I have made my kids memorize the formula by yelling it at the top of their lungs, whispering it in hushed tones, and even standing on their chairs.
Some teachers have their students memorize the formula by putting it to the “pop goes the weasel” tune whereas others put it to the theme song for Sesame Street.
I was recently sent a link to the video below (from a math teacher friend of mine at another school). The students in the video decided to put the formula to a popular hip-hop song from 2009, “Crank That” by Soldja Boy. Not the best quality video but highly creative!
Now, as all teachers know, teenagers are a rough crowd to please. So, I issued a challenge – each of my classes has until March Break to come up with a video of their own to help other kids remember the quadratic formula. Their song choice is entirely up to them. Their dance moves also left up to them (but I did hear rumblings of a stomp routine or taking tips from the Jackson 5). I told them that I would not check in on them, or hound them. This was a challenge for them as a class. A challenge for them to work together and put their talents to the test. 10s, let’s see you do better…I dare you!
The IB Math mock is tomorrow morning…for those of you reading this who know little to nothing about the IB, here’s a quick glimpse – take two years worth of information and put it on a single exam. A daunting task for some, especially at the age of 17 or 18.
As someone who teaches both grade 11 and 12, I have the advantage of seeing how all the material is connected and can often see why certain questions are selected over others. This is something I also encourage my students to see and think about. It’s almost the same advice I give to my grade 10s – What did the teacher think was a “good” question before? Why did they think that? Try and come up with a practice exam yourself using questions that are “good”.
In the past few years, preparation for the mocks has taken on a life of its own. Before (say 5 years ago), it was a few review periods in class time, and questions after school and during my spares. Then it evolved into these massive IB math review sessions (others may call them cram sessions) and some very late nights in the library. I recall a couple of years ago taking a picture on my cell phone of the table in front of me – stacks of paper, old practice exams, graphic calculators and numerous cups of coffee as well as remnants of a fast food dinner. The picture has since been lost (I went searching for it, but had no luck finding it), however, the image is still vivid in my mind.
This past year, the math review sessions took place in the drama room. The sheer size of the screen alone must have made the trigonometry questions overwhelming, but the kids handled 8 hours of straight math relatively well over the period of a few days. Quadratics, Functions, Matrices, Sequences & Series, Trigonometry and even some Calculus. Coffee intake was at a high while texting was at a minimum. Some appeared dazed and overwhelmed, and others prepared and challenged.
Has there been tears at these sessions? The answer is yes. Has there been tears after the exam? The answer is also yes. But that isn’t to say that there haven’t also been moments of glory where students have buckled down and made the connections they’ve needed to make all this time. Sometimes, you just need the information to percolate a little bit before you can get it.
I have one class of 12s writing tomorrow morning. I believe they are currently at home or at the library studying. I’m sure some of the kids are sitting there deliriously laughing at the sheer volume of content they have to know. The best advice I can give them is something that my own mother gave me more than once in my educational career…You have learned everything that you need to know for this exam. All you have to do is recall it. So, start. You cannot get anywhere without starting. Take it one page at a time, one question at a time.
My dear 12s, take it one page at a time, one question at a time. I believe in you and all that you are capable of. Failure is not an option, nor is achieving less than the goal you have set for yourself. Reach and keep reaching. You will get there.
We ended school before the winter break with the usual insanity – tests, assignments and project deadlines. But, as all students and teachers know, it is also known as the season for baked goods. This year, there was an abundance of delicious goodies available for consumption as it was someone’s brilliant idea to have parents bake for the staff. When you walked into the staff room, every inch of counter space or table was covered with either cookies, cupcakes, muffins and my personal favourite, chocolate chip banana bread! Now, I am never one to turn down a fix for my sweet tooth, but I did try to moderate my intake (the chocolate chip banana bread was my downfall).
The one thing that I didn’t notice (perhaps it was eaten immediately or buried under that plate of cookies that I never made it to) was gingerbread. Now, I admit to not being a huge fan of gingerbread myself, but for some people, it symbolizes the season. They wait for the moment that Starbuck’s offers its seasonal peppermint latte and gingerbread men. To each their own I suppose.
When I was in university, my housemates and I had this tradition of decorating a gingerbread house and has continued each year since. There has always been an overindulgence in candy consumption, however over the years, the houses that we’ve created have become more unified and definitely more artistic. In past years, one of my friends has taken it to her elementary school, and raffled it off to a deserving student, oftentimes, a student who had never known what a gingerbread house was. This year, we decided that I would take the gingerbread masterpiece to my school and raffle it off, on the condition that the money raised went to a deserving charity. With two of us in the house being teachers, and with our circle of friends growing with new bundles of joy, it seemed obvious that our charity of choice would be Sick Kids Hospital.
So, I came to school and rallied the help of some of the House Council students (more on them at another time), the gingerbread house was raffled off to a student during the coffee house and we raised $61 in a mere two hours of ticket selling. Now, that’s not even the best part of the story! Here’s the thing…one of my students came up to me the next morning, on the last day of school before the break, to tell me a sweet story. The winner of the gingerbread house and a friend of his went to Sick Kids Hospital to share the house with a student who was there undergoing a procedure. They didn’t do it because they had to, or because anyone told them to, but because they wanted to. How great is that?!. It choked me up a little and made me smile.
Wishing you a gingerbread moment this season.
~ Remtulla
The Grade 12 videos are all posted below. Underneath each video are the lyrics for that video. Please take a moment to watch each video and read the lyrics and then cast your vote for the BEST MMV. When voting, please consider video quality and appeal, song choice, lyrics and creativity!
Your votes will be used to determine which video deserves the MMVA!
Which is the best Grade 12 Math Music Video (MMV)?
M. Hanson, L. Mersky, G. Love, E. Goldberg and B. Matheson
Everyday I do some calc
Every day I do some, everyday I do some calc
Everyday I do some calc
Every day I do some, everyday I do some calc
Every time I walk into math class
Its hard to be humble
When I use the chain rule to solve the quadratic
And come up with the derivate, next find the tangent
Being greeted by Ms. Remtulla with the new IB rubric
It gives me 6’s and some 7’s
IB says factor then determine I say
“Let me get my GDC” Cause its on paper 2
Next I find the answer write it down ,And then they say,
“Guys your marks are so freakin’ sweet”
And I’m like,
Yes, the product rule
Yes, the quotient rule
Yes, the triiiig rule
Yes, and there ain’t no fudgin’
Yes, the product rule
Yes, the quotient rule
Yes, the triiiig rule
Yes, and there ain’t no fudgin’
Everyday I do some calc
Every day I do some, everyday I do some calc
Everyday I do some calc
Every day I do some, everyday I do some calc
Wakin’ up next to by math standard textbook
Close the book and say hello to my beautiful day
No time for breakfast, gotta get to TYS
Studied hard so I’ll rock this challenging test
YES!
And I’m like
Yes, the product rule
Yes, the quotient rule
Yes, the triiiig rule
Yes, and there ain’t no fudgin’
Yes, the product rule
Yes, the quotient rule
Yes, the triiiig rule
Yes, and there ain’t no fudgin’
Now this is a story all about how
our brains got flip turned upside down
and id like to take a minute just sit right there
ill tell you how to find the max and the min if you dare.
When your taking the derivative this is what you have to do
use the product, the chain, quotient, power rule.
Multiply terms, if that’s what’s asked of you
Make charts of f’s and g’s, add or subtract foo
If its bracket to exponent, bring the ex-ponent down
Minus one from the top and deriv. the bracket now
Were ready to move on, don’t know where to begin
G-bands said ‘set it equal to 0 to find the max and the min’
So now we’ve solved for x and were bringing in the chart
Put your equations down on one side, use the x’s for this part
Sub in the number above and below
Each of your x values so that you know
When it’s a plus or a minus you add em together
This tells you if its up or down, whatever
To get your y-value, sub x into the orig.
The number that you get gives your full co-ordinate.
Now you found the max and the minimum
Don’t you agree, our beat should go platinum?
Function, you’ve got to let me know:
Should I sin or should I cos?
If you tell me to derive,
I’ll solve you till the end of time
So you got to let me know,
Should I sin or should I cos?
It’s always trig trig trig
You’re happy when I start to solve.
One day is sin, and next is cos
So if you’re sin I’ll give you cos
Times the derivative of
the function’s inside bracket .
Should I sin or should I cos now?
Should I sin or should I cos now?
If I don’t there will be trouble
Cuz IB will fail me double
So lets’ take derivatives!
This cos function’s killing me
The derivative is tricky
It is negative sin multiplied
By the inside bracket of cos
Come on and show me now
The graphs of trig will show you how
INTERLUDE
Should I sin or should I cos now?
Should I sin or should I cos now?
If I don’t there will be trouble
Cuz IB will fail me double
So lets’ take derivatives!
Cuz with math it surely lives
Should I sin or should I cos now?
But I forgot about the tan curve
Which is the derivative of
Secant squared x
So it’s really not complex
Yeah
Im in my math class
Now im doin my homework
Right next to remtulla
But I’ll be IB forever
Were the new Newtons
And since weve made it here
We can make it anywhere
(Yeah I love calc everywhere)
I used to cop in f and g
All of my mathematicians (hey yo)
Right there off the x-axis
Brought me back to that local maxima
Took it to my inflexion point
1320 yonge street
Catch me in the Math office chillin with them teachers
Crusin through my homework
ON LINED PAPER
Working so fast
(but calculus, oh its so crazy!)
Me I love that product rule
It’s the favourite of that boy bigby!
Now I’m doin a calc assignment
And I brought my boys with me
Say what up to my boy TI 83
Showin all my workings out
Now its PAPER 2
Usin my rules hopin for high 5’s
Baby Im mathed out
I could divide by ZERO
Tell by my attitude that I most definitely enjoy…
[Alicia Keys]
Product Rule!!!!
F times G’ plus G times F’
There’s nothing you can’t do,
F times G’ plus G times F’
These rules will make you feel brand new,
its nothing you cant do,
Let’s hear it for Product rule, rule, rule…
Product Rule!!!!
F times G’ plus G times F’
There’s nothing you can’t do,
F times G’ plus G times F’
These rules will make you feel brand new,
its nothing you cant do,
Let’s hear it for Product rule, rule, rule…
I was young when i first learnt about you
I opened my eyes
And math class had started
I was sitting there
In the back row beside whoever was there
See the equations
See the tangent curves
I don’t see how I can do this quickly and ms. Remtulla says its not that hard
That you were the quotient rule, you were much easier than product
And everyone says away from quotient
And i was crying during the math test
Trying to remember what to do with the denominator and I said
Jeremy multiply g of x by f primed
Then minus f of x multiplied by g primed
Then divide all of that by g of x squared
It’s a love story baby just say yes
so I sneak out of the test to review
i keep quite because I’m dead if you know
so close your eyes
let me get a seven for a little while
cause you want a good teacher present
and my daddy said study for this math test
but I was just too lazy
and i was praying that you wouldn’t know and i said
Jeremy multiply g of x by f primed
Then minus f of x multiplied by g primed
Then divide all of that by g of x squared
It’s a love story baby just say yes
this song saved me, I just remembered how it goes
this math isn’t difficult, it’s a thrill
don’t be afraid, I’m going to get that seven
its a love story baby just say yes,
Oh, oh
I got tired of the product rule
wondering if I had to make the power negative
my faith in you was fading
when i met the quotient rule in math, and I said
quotient save me I’ve been feeling so confused
i keep trying you but you take too long
is this in my head, i don’t know what to think
I knelt to the ground and pulled out a TI-83
marry me quotient you’ll never have to be alone
i love you and thats all I really know
i talked to remtulla, she’ll write a lot of questions
its a love story baby just say yes
oh, oh, yes
I was still young when i first learnt you
The Grade 11 videos are all posted below. Underneath each video are the lyrics for that video. Please take a moment to watch each video and read the lyrics and then cast your vote for the BEST MMV. When voting, please consider video quality and appeal, song choice, lyrics and creativity!
Your votes will be used to determine which video deserves the MMVA!
Which is the best Grade 11 Math Music Video (MMV)?
Dirty Math (41%, 45 Votes)
Inverse & Composite Functionz (28%, 31 Votes)
99 Math Problems (10%, 11 Votes)
Quadratics - Gotta Solve'em All (7%, 8 Votes)
Spiced Up Math - Wanna Graph Quadratics (5%, 5 Votes)
All around me are unknown questions,
Unknown answers, Unknown answer.
I try to put in the lawn of zero,
Domain error, domain error.
I try to divide by zero,
You can’t do that, you cant do that.
I hit enter for a parabola,
Stat plots were on, Stat plots were on.
And I find it kind of funny,
I find it kind of sad,
That times when I get errors,
Are the best I ever had,
I can’t find this function,
It’s nowhere to be found,
My window was set wrong, wrong.
GDC,
GDC.
Tell me why I can’t get this trig question,
Radians were on, Radians were on.
Ok then ill just put log negative two,
Nonreal answer, Nonreal answer.
Minus two squared can’t be minus four,
Forgot the brackets, forgot the brackets.
Second function, memory, number seven,
Reset button, reset button.
And I find it kind of funny,
I find it kind of sad,
That times when I get errors,
Are the best I ever had,
I can’t find this function,
It’s nowhere to be found,
My window was set wrong, wrong.
It’s stunning, I’m the reason
Everybody’s doin math this evening
Doin composites, doing the inverse
Functions are what I believe in
No matter what I’ll solve your inverse for free
Switch x and y then isolate and you’ll see
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function (Let’s go)
—-
To get the inverse, just remember
You gotta switch x and y
The domain becomes the range
Just know that I dont lie
And no matter what I’ll solve your inverse for free
Switch x and y then isolate and you’ll see
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function (Let’s go)
—-
Once you’re gettin, the inverse
And the teacher asks you to compose
F of g and g of 3,
Dont fret cause I know you know
Just substitute 3 as the x of g
Then subsitute g into f and just breathe
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function
—-
It’s a function, and you know that
Lets recap i will let you fall back
To find the inverse, switch x and y
And then make sure that y’s on the other side
The function, will help you mold a graph,
The inverse is flipped both ways, from the older graph
To compose a function, you know that you dont need me
Just look at the order of how its written its easy
Just subsititute each one from the right left
And then simplify, to make a nice set
When it comes down to it, you’ll have a nice test
Just remember this song, i hope you liked it
What a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function, what a function, what a function, what a function
Its a function
I wanna be the very best
At quadratic functions
To solve them is my real test
To complete the square is my cause
Quadratic formula used to solve
Gives you 2 answers
If discriminant is negative
There is no answer for
[Chorus]
Quadratics, used to solve
It’s “-b”
“+” or “-” square root “b”
Quadratics
Squared minus 4 “ac”
Divided by 2 “a”
Quadratics, used to solve
Find max or min
By completing the square
You teach me and I’ll teach you
Quadratics
Gotta complete ‘em all x2
Yeah
To complete the square, put brackets round
The 1st two terms
Take out GCF and x term
Divide by 2 then square
Add the number then subtract
Multiply by outside factor
Then bring it outside the bracket
Write it in vertex form
[Chorus]
(Say “Gotta complete ‘em all” 5 times instead of 2 times) Gotta solve ‘em all x5
All the single “x”s, all the single “x”s, all the single “x”s, all the single “x”s
‘Cause if you like it you can only put one “y” on it. (3X)
Girl:
Now put your hands up
Up in the club, we just hooked up
He’s already moved on from me,
Decided to go, cause now he wants the hoe,
same as every other guy in the room.
I’m up on him, he up on her,
don’t pay me any attention.
I’d find another guy but I can’t even try,
if we were a function he’d be “y”.
Chorus:
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
Guy:
I got a girl on my left, girl on my right
All the otha guys think I’m so fly
Hands in the air, like a true player
I pull it off cause I’m a guy.
I need no permission, did I mention
Don’t pay her any attention.
Cause she had her turn, and I’m tryna help you learn
What it really feels like to be a “y”
Chorus (girl):
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
Bridge (girl):
Can’t be misbehaved like that other girl,
I’m not a relation
She is and so she has more than one man
All the men will take me and then break me, and forget me for another she, he don’t have to be just with me.
I am well behaved; he’s the only one,
When he’s gone, ill be alone
Like a function, that’s how I roll
Chorus:
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
If I like him I can only have one of him
But he thinks that he can have more than one of me
We’re a function I can only put one “y” on it
But he’s a “y” so I he can put as many “x”s on it
Sick and tried of hearing
All these people talk about
What’s the deal with math now?
Feel like im gonna fail out
The thing you got to realize
What were doing is not a trend
We got the right equation now
Gonna graph it till the end
Let’s go to a first
Moves the graph
With a y coordinate
All that matters
Is that you recognize
That its just about the y
It doesn’t matter
About the x value
Its only about the stretch
All that matters
Is that you graph it right
It’ll work for you every time
[Chorus]
Do you ever wonder why
Transformations move the line?
It takes you on a ride
Up down left right
If you ever get stuck
Remember that you got
The equation that you want
A K P Q
Now we gotta try
To classify what K does
To you
It moves the X now
Its 1 over K
Gotta get the reciprocal
Lets say you got 2
For an example on a quiz
Gotta flip it now
Make it ½
Then you sub it in
Lets do the P now
Shift it left and right
And moves it along the X
Just remember
To change the signs
Since its x minus P
We’ll move to Q now
It’s the opposite
It moves it up and down
There ain’t no catch now
Just plot the points
You’ll be sure to get it right
[Chorus]
Do you ever wonder why
Transformations move the line?
It takes you on a ride
Up down left right
If you ever get stuck
Remember that you got
The equation that you want
A K P Q
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but this trig ain’t one
[Verse One]
You got trigonometry for triangles, (11)
Finding out angles and lengths are easy, (10)
Using SOH CAH TOA, its all fine, (8)
Opposite over adjacent is used for sine, (12)
Cosine, Adjacent, hypotenuse it is (11)
The opposite over the adjacent, that is tangent (14)
Right-angled triangles only follow these (11)
Laws of cosine and sine solve the other triangles (13)
SOH CAH TOA on these triangles is your descent (13)
The inverse of sine can calculate theta (11)
Inverse cosine–sine finds angles (8)
2nd function tan, cos, sine on your calculator (13)
Angles to the nearest whole round (8)
Calculator in degrees will be really profound (13)
Soon you will find that trig is very effortless (11)
I got 99 problems but this trig ain’t one
Hit me
99 problems but the trig aint one
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a trig ain’t one
Hit me
[Verse Two]
The year’s o-eight and I’m learning some trig (10)
I look up and see a building, dam that’s big(13)
My buddy is on top and he looks down below(12)
No SOH CAH TOA can help me bro11)
Well Mike your wrong, its quite the contrary (14)
Angle of Elevation is Necessary (12)
so is hope not lost in this situation (10)
We just need to use Angle of Elevation(12)
Just look and think and measure the angles(11)
Cause all they are is big triangles (12)
From were I’m standing the angle’s 55
Then I walk 5 meters forward feeling alive.
Looking up again, the angle is 87
Could this be my stairway to heaven.
Mike, yes in fact you are quite right.
Just use SOHCAHTOA because it’s tight.
I got 99 problems but this trig ain’t one
Hit me
99 problems but the trig aint one
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a trig ain’t one
Hit me
[Verse 3]
Sine law is the absolute bomb
You can solve triangles the size of Vietnam
A over sine a equals b over sine B
Cross multiply it’s a grantee
You’ll be smarter than a guy from M.I.T
Solving for x will get you an answer
You’ll be rocking trig like an Exotic Dancer
Cosine Law is the next best thing
It will solve what sine law cant. Schwing
“C” squared equals “A” squared plus “B” squared
Minus two a b cosine of c
plug in the numbers and do the math
and no fear of the Pythagorean wrath
When the angle is missing use this equation
Doing math now you’ll feel like an Asian.
I got 99 problems being a trig ain’t one.
Hit me
99 problems but the trig aint one
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a trig ain’t one
Hit me
99 problems but the trig aint one
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a trig ain’t one
Hit me
99 problems but the trig ain’t one
If you’re havin’ math problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a trig ain’t one
Hit me
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